Cocktail Thursday: Arkansas Edition

Are your Georgia Bulldogs going on the road to open SEC play in the central time zone against a team with its back up against the wall two games into the season? That sounds worrisome, and you could probably use a drink to steady your nerves. I can help with that.

A lot has been made this week of the general malaise that appears to have permeated the Arkansas football program. Yes, the Razorbacks lost last week by four touchdowns to Utah. Yes, Ryan Silverfield is talking about people trying to write his obituary two weeks into the job. And yes, fans are seriously talking about boycotting the game to show their displeasure with the athletic director. It’s as if a black cloud has settled over Fayetteville and looks like it plans to hang around awhile.

But here’s the thing: I seriously doubt that the players in the Razorback locker room care about any of that. That sort of outside noise sometimes can galvanize a locker room.I’m not saying that the criticism and negotiate going to turn this team into the 1985 Chicago Bears. But I wouldn’t be at all surprised to see the Hawgs come out snorting at home. And I’m pretty sure the home crowd will get behind them loudly if there’s a whiff of good news to rally around. To paraphrase Charlie Daniels, the Uneasy Rider himself, the last thing you want is to get in a fight in Fayetteville, Arkansas on a Saturday at lunch.

So what the Bulldogs need is to come out with the same ruthless polish we’ve witnessed against two inferior opponents so far. But then they’re going to need to do that for more than four or five series. To really put the home crowd back in its cage and send them back to throwing overripe fruit at AD Hunter Yurachek’s house. The Red and Black are going to have their hands full next week against a stout Oklahoma team. And I’d rather we not have to watch them claw their way out of Fayetteville with bloody knuckles before hand. Let’s crush those Hawgs and move on.

So what’s the ideal cocktail for ginning up a crushing defeat of the Hawgs and getting the heck out of the Natural State?

A gin and jam.

• 2 oz. of dry gin

• 1 tablespoon of fruit jam, blackberry is my favorite, but raspberry or strawberry work as well. I’ve even used cinnamon pear, which was a pleasant surprise.

• 3/4 oz. fresh lemon juice

• 1/2 oz. simple syrup
• a splash of club soda
• a lemon wheel and mint leaves for garnish if that sort of adornment is your thing.

Place the gin, jam, lemon juice, and simple syrup in a cocktail shaker, along with an handful of ice cubes. Seal and shake vigorously until outside is frosted,(maybe 20 seconds). Fill a glass with crushed ice; strain cocktail into the glass. Top with a splash of club soda. Garnish with mint lea and lemon if desired. Enjoy responsibly, and…

Go ‘Dawgs!!!