Red, White, and Boozy (But Make It Inclusive)
Normandy, Patriotism & a Cocktail or 2
On this day in 2003, I stood with my young family on the wind-swept beaches of Normandy. We were overwhelmed, and not just by the events that happened there on June 6, 1944. It was more about the quiet calmness of the place, by how many national flags flew side by side, and by the rows and rows of gravestones etched with names from all over the U.S., many not traditional Anglo-American ones.
That moment, during our last summer abroad as expats, shaped the way I think about patriotism. Not the flag-swimsuited, anyone-who-disagrees-with-me-hates-America kind, but the quieter kind. The kind that believes true love of country means honoring the people who built it, died for it, challenged it, reshaped it, all of it. Even the ones who don’t look like you, pray like you, vote like you, love like you, or—brace yourself—aren’t obsessed with Elon Musk’s latest meme-tantrum.
I’m not here to get all political. (OK, maybe a little because it’s so easy right now.) But when you see headlines like “Trump Says He’ll Put Musk in Charge of Important Stuff Until He Starts Getting Mad For Being Kicked Out Of The Spotlight,” it kind of makes you wish someone was in charge of the ingredients in a decent cocktail, right? I mean, it is Friday after all.
So today, I’m raising a glass to those who fought for the kind of country that includes people. That makes room at the table. That doesn't gatekeep freedom like it’s a snooty country club.
In that spirit, I present to you: Patriotic Cocktails That Include Everyone.
🍒 The No One’s Illegal Gimlet
2 oz gin (or vodka if you're feeling neutral)
¾ oz fresh lime juice
½ oz cherry syrup (because red and also delicious)
Shake with ice, strain, and garnish with a cherry and a twist of perspective.
🫐 The Liberty and Blueberries for All
1.5 oz bourbon
½ oz blueberry simple syrup (or simple syrup and a handful of fresh blueberries muddled in)
Dash of lemon juice
Topped with soda water and a reminder that liberty doesn’t come with fine print.
🧊 Stars, Stripes, & Stonewall
1 oz mezcal
1 oz Aperol
1 oz dry vermouth
Stirred, strained, served over one big cube of ice because progress is slow, but it’s strong.
It’s complicated, this country of ours. Always has been. And I’d argue that’s what makes it beautiful. Difference doesn’t dilute who we are. It defines it. The sooner we get back to understanding and accepting that, the sooner we will recover our place as a world leader.**
So here’s to the real patriots: the brave, the bold, the ones who don’t try to kick everyone out who disagrees with them. And here’s to a future where liberty and justice for all really does mean all. “Y’all” might be a Southernism but it truly does mean “all.”
What’s your version of patriotism these days, and what would you name a cocktail that pairs with it? NOTE any nastiness will get immediately yeeted/deleted so spare us all the effort and keep it fun, funny, friendly, and/or lighthearted.
xoxo
Liz
**My substack. My opinion.
P.S.: For my fellow drinkers who are less into gin or bourbon, I see you. Try a chilled can of a craft cider made by a woman- or immigrant-owned company. Or a tangy, non-alcoholic shrub if you’re keeping it sober but still want the zing.
P.P.S.: AUTHOR IN THE WILD TONIGHT! I’ll be hanging with
later her amazing Swoon Booksellers tonight. They will be at The Commons celebrating the second phase of their grand opening. It’s sure to be a good time. Not only will Swoon be selling romance books (including the original Stewart Realty Trilogy) but @gildedpermanentjewelry is popping up AND there will be paella and live music…and Liz AND Mr. Liz too! (he’s shy. Not really) We should be there around 6 and we can’t wait! I’ll sign your Liz book on the spot!P.P.P.S. 89% Unfiltered is a SAFE SPACE.
