Not a "Bad Idea"

Four or so drinks in one weekday evening, I said to Lance one evening, "Would you like a bad idea?"

"What's a 'bad idea,'?" he inquired as I began mixing an entire pitcher of Rob Roy.

"A 'bad idea'," I explained, "Is that last drink you have before bed."

"Does it have alcohol in it?"

"Yessssss."

"Then yesss."

"For example, this pitcher of Rob Roy." I continued "Inevitably, I will wake up tomorrow and say 'Ughhh.. that Rob Roy was a bad idea."

I've mastered the art since of avoiding the "bad idea." Instead, I've become interested recently in the application of fortified wine in cocktail form. Semi-innocuous and certainly less potent than other cocktails -- equally complex and enjoyable.

Bereft of ingredients necessary to make a trule classic port or sherry cocktail, I offer this substitute which I improvised this evening.

'Stacheville Rose
-----------------
2oz. port
0.25oz. grenadine
0.25oz. orange juice
gingerale

Shake the first three as hard as you can in a shaker filled with cracked ice. Strain into tall ice-filled glass and top with gingerale.