Can’t Drink the Cocktail
The cellar was located behind a door at the back of the pantry.
Inside, it was neatly organized, with countless varieties of liquor lined up, almost overflowing with their abundance.
T-there’s this much?"
"Yeah, Master and most of the staff are big drinkers."
(Search.)
"Gin, rum, vodka, tequila, whiskey, wine... Wow, what a lineup!"
"Young lady, you’re something else. A kid who knows her liquor, huh?"
"Ah, well..."
I couldn’t possibly admit I used to drink. Plus, I wasn’t sure if it was okay to talk about my skill with Abe, so I had to bluff my way through for now.
"So, can you make this cocktail thing?"
"With all this? Absolutely. By the way, do you know what kind of liquor Father likes?"
"Master drinks anything, but he prefers dry over sweet."
"What about you, Mr. Abe?"
"Me? I like the strong stuff, the kind that hits you hard. Ahaha!"
No doubt about it, Abe must be a heavy drinker.
"Alright, then I’ll make something gin-based today."
"Alright, back to the kitchen we go."
Back in the kitchen, I was finally set down, and I got ready to make the cocktails.
As I started preparing, I realized... there was no shaker! A shaker is crucial for mixing, chilling, and smoothing out the alcohol’s edge to make it easier to drink. I glanced around, looking for something I could use as a substitute.
Oh, maybe this could work!
"Can I use this?"
"Huh? That’s the jar the pickles came in. What for?"
It was about twice the size of a milk bottle, made of thick glass, and came with a glass lid. *Sniff sniff...* No smell.
Perfect! This could work.
"I’m going to use it to shake the cocktail."
"O-oh. I don’t quite get it, but sure. Should we clean it first, just in case?"
"Huh? Clean?"
"Yeah, you know, sanitize. Hey, Arthur, clean this, will ya?"
"Got it. Clean! There you go, Young lady."
"Wow~ amazing! Is that your skill, Mr. Arthur?"
"That’s right. I also use it to sanitize fish and remove any parasites before cooking."
"Wow, that’s super handy~ Now I can use it with peace of mind. Thank you, Mr. Arthur."
"My pleasure. Just say the word anytime."
With the shaker substitute ready, it was time to get started!
"Alright, I’ll make a gin-based cocktail today. Let’s see, mix gin and lime juice at a 3:1 ratio, add ice, and shake... Ugh, heavy."
"Young lady, let me handle that. You just shake it like this, right?"
"Yes, please shake it up and down."
The glass jar was indeed too heavy for me to shake properly.
"How long should I shake it?"
"Once the surface of the jar feels cold, you’re good to go."
"Done. Is it ready now?"
"Yes, it’s finished. This is a Gimlet*."
*(Gin, lime juice, sugar.)
"Can I have a taste?"
"Of course. Mr. Arthur, you can try too. Master, can you drink?"
"I sure can. I’m 18, after all."
In this world, adulthood starts at 16.
So I still had 11 more years where I could only make but not drink cocktails...
I guess I’ll have to make do with the faux rum raisin from yesterday for now.
What do you think about this chapter?
