Chocolate Mint Martini

Photo courtesy of Daydreamer Desserts

I was in Anchorage last weekend for a conference.  There were several people there from my school district and a group of us focused on the same topics.  It was a good conference, it was a balmy 5 above in Anchorage while it was -45 in Fairbanks, and Anchorage has some wonderful restaurants.
I had a lovely dinner with a group at Ginger.  The food was wonderful, the company was so much fun and it was a wonderful beginning to a busy weekend.  Saturday night I had dinner with my sister and brother in-law and my niece and her boyfriend.  We ate at Simon and Seafort's, another wonderful meal, good company and way too many calories!
But the real story here, is all day Saturday.  It was traumatic...

When I go to a conference, I always pack the same things, black pants, a black and white blouse and a black jacket to go over.  That way if you are hot, the jacket comes off; cold, the jacket goes on.  The pants are wash and wear so they can be rinsed in the sink when I spill coffee all over myself.  Any conference more than a day just builds on that basic outfit.  Black tights and black shoes complete the outfit.  Easy, fast, and I don't have to think when I pack.

I flew down on Friday so I packed Thursday night.  All was well, Friday keynote, dinner, back to the hotel to bed.  Up Saturday, exercised, dressed and breakfast before the session started at 9:00. And I was in my seat, at a table of 8 others from my work, just as the speaker started and I looked down...

MY PANTS WERE BLUE

How did that happen?  I live in a dark hole and when I packed they looked black, when I got dressed in my hotel before the sun rose, they looked black, but now, in the bright light of the conference room, it was so obvious they were blue.  I pulled the tablecloth over my pants and started to sweat.  How was I going to make it through the day with a black jacket, black shoes and blue pants?  I couldn't think.  One of the women at the table asked if I was o.k. (I was looking a little sick) and I blurted that my pants were blue and I couldn't concentrate (so much for covering them with the table cloth if I was just going to tell everyone about it).

I couldn't think, I could hardy breathe.  Everyone at the table was so kind and told me not to worry, the lighting was bad, it didn't look that bad, even the military wore black and blue with their dress uniforms; nothing worked and I hardly heard what the presenter had to say.  And to help things out, just when I did start to forget and really listen to the speaker, someone would remind me I had on blue pants!  I even texted my husband and he told me to go to the mall at lunch and buy black pants...he gave me permission to go shopping!

Oh, the trauma of it all.  SOMEhow I made it through the day, got back to my hotel and changed into some jeans.  I wore jeans the next day too.  When I got home on Sunday evening, I had to drink.  The whole blue pants thing was more than I could handle.  Just for grins, my friend, Greg, sent me a piece of blue paper through the mail....I use the term "friend" loosely.

I'm packing tonight for a conference next week in California.  I will be packing with all the lights on and I'll take my pants downstairs to the kitchen, which has the brightest light, to be sure the pants are black.  I don't think I could survive this another time.


This is a good strong, delicious drink.  A couple of these and you will forget what color pants you are wearing, if you are still wearing pants after a couple...

Chocolate Mint Martini
from Daydreamer Desserts
3 ounces Kahlua
3 ounces espresso vodka
1 ounce peppermint schnapps
1 tablespoon Guittard cocoa powder

Fill a cocktail shaker halfway with ice. Pour ingredients into the cocktail shaker including cocoa powder, and shake for 20-30 seconds.

Strain and serve in a martini glasses.

Martini Glass Garnish

peppermint schnapps
cocoa powder

Pour a tiny bit of peppermint schnapps into a plate. Pour cocoa powder into a shallow bowl. Dip martini glass in peppermint schnapps then dip moisten rim into the cocoa powder.

February 1, 2013    Daylight 6 hours, 59 minutes, 52 seconds   Temp. H 1/ L -2  °F