I don’t get up at a regular time in the mornings, even though I know it’s good for me. My restaurant-dictated schedule is consistently up-and-down, so when faced with either getting up at a predictable hour or sleeping in to get my full eight hours, I’ll take the eight hours, please.

Right now, I’m typing on my laptop, sitting outside in the backyard with Steve, my cats, a bowl of sliced peaches, and my coffee. An entire French press’ worth, in fact. I only have a couple of hours until I drive to work, and I’m soaking in the peace. After tonight, we’ll only have three more Friday nights left {out of nine} in our summer concert series at the restaurant.

I’m dancing inside.

I always joke that I’ll document an entire Friday night there from beginning to end on Snapchat, but I end up getting too busy. Plus, it’s just too, plain raw. And I would probably get into trouble. I still might do it, though. It would definitely be entertaining, nonetheless! Except for the part, where they find me cowering over in the corner of the wine cellar, rocking back and forth.

These nights are such a strain on everyone – the wait staff, the chefs, the valets, the hosts, even the guests. We’re cranking out 600 entrées in the same kitchen that normally serves 300, and everyone expects the same fine dining experience. I’ve mentioned it before, but we expand the patio, doubling its size, and nearly all of South Denver comes out to dance. It starts out calm, classy, and fun, but around 7:00, all kinds of crazy starts to happen.

So, this is why daily rituals are so key for sanity on nights like this. Even at work this afternoon, the very act of unpacking wine boxes, putting up the signage and banners, trying to amp up the staff, and dreaming of my hard-earned shift drink, are all part of a well-executed plan. A ritual, if you will.

I’m finally down to one, last Palisade peach after breakfast this morning. I’ve been putting them in my smoothies, over toast, and in cocktails. This particular drink I made this past week is a little lower in ABV, even with the addition of peach brandy, and is refreshingly effervescent.

If you grow your own basil and tarragon, I have a few tips on harvesting those herbs. Tarragon grows like a beast, with long, tendril-like leaves. You can snip them basically anywhere on their stems, and it will grow back prolifically. Basil, on the other hand, requires a little more intentional pruning to coax the plant into a compact, thick shape. You can see in the photo above, where I snipped the leaves: clip just above a spot, where several leaves are growing. It looks like a “T”. That way, the plant will expand at that point and grow in a less “leggy” fashion.

 

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palisade peach, basil + tarragon spritzes

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• 1/2 a peach, sliced
• 1/2 a lime
• 1/2 ounce simple syrup
• 2 sprigs tarragon
• 4 to 5 basil leaves
• 1/2 ounce Peach Eau de Vie {I used Cap Rock Colorado Organic}
• 2 ounces Jardesca California Aperitiva
• soda to finish {I used LaCroix sparkling}
• peach slices, tarragon sprigs, and basil leaves, for garnish
• dash or spritz of absinthe {optional}

1. In a mixing tin, combine the peach, lime, and simple syrup. Muddle well.
2. Add the tarragon and basil and gently muddle.
3. Next, add the eau de vie and the Jardesca, filling the rest of the tin with ice.
4. Shake well and double-strain into a chilled Collins glass, filled with fresh ice.
5. Finish with soda and garnish with peach slices and more fresh herbs. Optionally, to add a little more herbaceous dimension, add a few drops or a mist of absinthe to the finished cocktail.

• This recipe yields one cocktail.
• If you can’t find peach eau de vie or peach brandy, use regular brandy. If you can’t find Jardesca, you can easily substitute Lillet blanc in this recipe, but I really recommend trying to source this California treat. It is also amazing on the rocks with a splash of soda and a squeeze of lemon.

I’m already looking forward to coming back home tonight and enjoying our new, favorite ritual: watching Stranger Things. Maybe it’s more like an addiction than a ritual. The show is creepy and nostalgic. It reminds me of both the The Goonies and the X-Files, and the soundtrack is a mashup of the sounds of three of my favorite musical acts, Junior Boys, Telefon Tel Aviv, and the Boards of Canada {especially their album, “Tomorrow’s Harvest“}. Even though it conjures up good, 80s memories for me, it still makes me turn the lights on and hold my cats, when I climb back upstairs to go to sleep.

I hope they make a second season.

Have a stellar weekend and say an extra prayer for me and Steve tonight. Actually, it’s looking a little slower tonight, thankfully. With rain in the forecast and the opening ceremonies for the Olympic Games on the books, I think a lot of people will sit this concert out. Fine by me!!

Cheers!!

Jayme

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