Sambuca

I had been reading up about the Elder, and all the uses that the leaves, branches, flowers and berries could be used for, and I thought I quite liked the idea of the alcoholic drink Sambuca, made from distilled elderberries. I haven't yet had any, but it is supposed to be flavoured like anise, and it is around the same strength as an average whisky. So I thought I would do a little research about what mixers are general with the spirit. I googled Sambuca and looked at a site with cocktail recipes on.

Dearie, dearie me. I would blush to type them on here even with stars in strategic places. Their names are not respectable at all, more a sort of desperate 'look at how edgy and dangerous I am, drinking a cocktail that is called something that would upset my Gran and without any thought to the likelihood of waking up stuck to the pavement with my own sick.'

If I ever go into a bar again, which isn't looking likely in the next five years, I may try a Sambuca and lemonade. It is probably not how you are supposed to drink it, but never mind. I didn't even click on the names of the cocktail, I am surprised the filters let me find the site. I am not buying a bottle just in case. It is not the most inexpensive of booze but it does look intriguing.

I should like to put these thoughts about drinking in context. A fortnight ago I bought some rose wine (not uber cool, but I like it) and I got three 250ml bottles for £5 at the local off licence. I have had all the stress and fuss and worry. I haven't bothered with them. Drink does not call. I just hope I get round to drinking them before I use them up in cooking.

Also you can float coffee beans in Sambuca, light them, extinguish the flame and snuff the fumes before drinking. Not in this house. I am confident that the insurance wouldn't cover rank stupidity by someone with an accident prone background. I wouldn't mind watching from a safe distance.