The Pear-Devil

Author Notes: So today is my birthday. And I have been at work since 11 p.m. last night and will be going back into work at 10 p.m. this evening. Ppppsssssbbbbbtttttt! That is my giant raspberry at having to work such inhuman hours. Thus (oh yes, I used the word 'thus'), because I am over-caffeinated from attempting to keep my eyeballs open between the wicked hours of 3 a.m. to 7 a.m. when the sucking sweet siren song of sleep drives me to endless bottles of five hour energy drinks and sugar free redbulls, rendering me helpless in the face of run-on sentences and incapable of sleep....I give you The Pear-Devil. My delightful (and slightly incoherent) experiment in concocting a drink that will take the place of the green butterfly commercials I see on the television in which all those beautiful people are drifting off to effortless and blissful sleep, easily overcoming the natural circadian rhythm of a morning person from Vermont (a place in which sleeping during the daytime is viewed as the ultimate expression of sloth).
.....6 groggy hours later.....Looking over the spasmodic prose I created during my sleep-deprived mania and, laughing so uproariously I had to call my mom and share my insanity, I decided not to 'edit' one word of what I had written earlier. Needless to say, I was quite out of my gourd with sleep-deprivation when I penned the previous paragraph. I should mention now, however, being somewhat more rested and lucid, that I am in no way advocating the use of this (or any) alcoholic beverage to help you sleep. Although I did have to try several versions before I found one that worked for me! Was it my fault that the experimentation made me somewhat tired? I was simply noodling around the kitchen trying to keep busy until the above mentioned caffeine wore off and sleep became possible. I had already unloaded the dishwasher and cleaned up after the hurricaine (one husband and two small boys) that had blown through the house that morning and came up with this concoction. And, in my defense, it was my happy hour even if it was at 11:30 a.m. Drinking before noon: another act viewed as borderline heresy in my home state. Cheers! —Niknud
Serves 1
- 1/2 Bartlett Pear (very ripe - the softer the better)
- 1 ounce Bombay Sapphire Gin
- 2 ounces Ginger Beer
- 3 drops of lemon juice
- 1 splash Pear Juice
- Ice
- Remove the skin from the pear. Using a vegetable peeler, shave 1/2 of the pear in thin strips into the bottom of drink shaker. Muddle until well mushed.
- Add the gin, ginger beer, lemon juice, pear juice and ice. Swirl gently (there are bubbles in the ginger beer!) and strain into a serving glass. Honest to goodness I am drinking this out of a coffee mug right now but you may want to class it up a bit for company....... Drink (or serve if you're feeling generous) immediately.
- Note: There is also nothing wrong with simply putting all the ingredients in a glass, stirring and adding ice. The mushy pear strips are a nice little present at the bottom of the glass. I added the step about the straining as a nod to formality...but you're talking about a person who was fixing her drink in a coffee mug so really, what do you expect? Either way, I'm sure it will taste good!
- This recipe was entered in the contest for Your Best Pears
More Great Recipes:
Fruit|Cocktail|Vegan|Vegetarian|Winter|Christmas
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over 6 years ago mrslarkin
I'll trade you my up-all-night tequila on the rocks with a spoonful of turbinado sugar (shaken, not stirred) for your lovely sleep-inducing elixir. Insanity never tasted so good. happy bday! Hope you had cake.
over 6 years ago Niknud
Rachael is a trusted home cook.
I did have cake - although I think it was more for the kids as they are incapable of imagining birthday without cake. I would have most definitely been happier with one of your drinks....
over 6 years ago boulangere
Cynthia is a trusted source on Bread/Baking.
I do lots of sleep-deprived writing here. Often the next day I think: Who wrote this stuff!? Happy birthday, happy writing, and sweet dreams.
over 6 years ago Niknud
Rachael is a trusted home cook.
I've been know to do some judicious editing 'the morning after,' but this one was too hilarious to change! Yawn - I'm off of nights and I'm off to bed zzzzzzzz......
over 6 years ago wssmom
OMG you are insane in the best possible way! Cheers!
over 6 years ago wssmom
ps Happy Birthday!
over 6 years ago Niknud
Rachael is a trusted home cook.
Hahaha - thanks! For me, half of the fun of posting recipes is telling the story that goes with them....although I should probably be focusing more on the recipes than the writing.....
over 6 years ago lapadia
Bombay is my absolute favorite, will have to try your creative little Devil. FYI - I worked many night shift hours (computer ops) and swear my brain is still programmed to those hours...I don't drink coffee, it was amazing I stayed awake. Cheers back to you and your belated Birthday! :)
over 6 years ago Niknud
Rachael is a trusted home cook.
Gin is the devil's sauce. And if you use rot-gut gin, you can fully expect the apocalypse to take place in your head later on. You've been warned! Good gin is a wonderful thing however - and it helps cut through the thick sweet of the pears quite nicely. And as for not drinking coffee on night shifts.....well, you're a far better person than me!
over 6 years ago gingerroot
Happy belated birthday! Mine was on Monday and I wish I had celebrated with one of these.
over 6 years ago Niknud
Rachael is a trusted home cook.
Well there is absolutely nothing wrong with stretched out birthday celebrations! I think it's safe to say you could have one tonight and nobody would object - at least nobody you and I would want to hang out with! Happy belated birthday to you too!
over 6 years ago nannydeb
This sounds delicious!
over 6 years ago Niknud
Rachael is a trusted home cook.
I thought so - had to make several just to make sure!
over 6 years ago Ms. T
Yes, please! This sounds delicious. BTW, you're a riot. Happy b-day!
over 6 years ago Niknud
Rachael is a trusted home cook.
Thanks, Ms. T - I get a little punchy when I've been up too long!
over 6 years ago Niknud
Rachael is a trusted home cook.
Thanks, sdebrango! As it turns out, working European hours is only cool if you, you know, live in Europe.....
over 6 years ago sdebrango
Suzanne is a trusted source on General Cooking.
Isn't that the truth! Hope you get a better schedule soon.
over 6 years ago sdebrango
Suzanne is a trusted source on General Cooking.
Happy Birthday Niknud! So sorry about the inhuman hours you have to work. This drink sounds wonderful.
Showing 18 out of 18 comments