Peach Mint Juleps and The Day I Almost Met Garth Brooks

Happy Saturday everyone! And you all know what that means... it's time for another installment of Cocktails and Gossip! Today featuring Peach Mint Juleps...


And a little gossip about what it's like to be in Celebrity Fan Love. I hope you enjoy...

***
In the early 90's I had a celebrity crush on Garth Brooks.





And though I'm well over it now, I'm embarrassed to admit, that the whole eight year obsession bordered on crazy ass (tm)

From Lyndsopedia:

Crazy ass love, or C.A.L. is characterized by the uncontrollable inclination to do humilating things in the name of love.

Love that is most often not mutual.

The celebrity manifestation of C.A.L. is characterized by long term fantasizing about the object of one's affection, excessive expenditure on magazines like The Enquirer, Star, and People, and a deep seated belief that the celebrity in question will lead an empty and shallow life until they finally connect with the person in C.A.L. - which, unfortunately, seldomn occurs.

***


From the first time I saw Garth Brooks sachaying around the stage in his stetson - wrangler jeans straining against his bulging, erm, thigh muscles - I fell into a deep seated state of Crazy Ass Fan Love.

And I had it bad.

Dreaming up scenarios where I was a famous celebrity chef guest appearing on The Tonight Show...

Waiting in the green room when Garth Brooks, who was also appearing, would step in. Our eyes would meet. Our Souls would spark. And in that split second of romantic sympatico, we would fall into a passionate embrace while "The Thunder Rolls" played in the backgound.

That kind of crazy.



And the Pool Boy (otherwise known as The Man I Married), being well aware of my obsession, did nothing to stop it.

And why would he?

Exhibit A:



Exhibit B:



The problem with the whole thing (you know, outside of the obvious "This woman needs a mental health check, and yadda yadda yadda"), was that my super powers of fan fabulousity also told me there was something more than just friendly going on with a certain Miss Trisha Yearwood - and I was right!

Little Miss Divah Yearwood swooped right in and stole MY man after his marriage fell apart.

And then to add insult to injury, she went on to publish a cookbook and now hosts her own cooking show on The Food Network! So although I'm crazed with jealousy excessively happy for her (after all she's living the life of my her dreams) seeing her looking amazing at the ACM's this year and then hobnobbing with my Chef Art Smith on Iron Chef America almost took me over the edge.

Why? Because if not for a simple twist of fate, it could have all been mine...

Oh please. This is Cocktails and Gossip. Take another sip and indulge me my fantasy.

It was Christmas 1992. Garth Brooks was coming to town and our local radio station announced a Christmas contest for tickets. Listeners had to tune in for code words like "Jingle Bells" and "Holly Jolly" that would alert us to call in.

The first caller in had 20 seconds to sing whatever Garth Brooks song the dj requested - and they had to get every word right. The names of those lucky singers would then be put into a draw for concert tickets.

People, there was no decking the halls or getting my holiday baking on that year because for an entire week I tuned into the station and listened upwards of 16 to 18 hours a day - but everytime the code came on, some lesser fan beat me to the punch. And half the time they got the words wrong.

Amateurs.

I continued to listen. Day and night, night and day, until finally, one blessed Friday morning at 6:00 am - the final day of the contest, I got through and I was asked to sing The River.

So I launched...

"You know a dream is like a river, ever changing as it flows and the dreamer's just a vessel who must follow where it goes. Trying to learn from what's behind you and never knowing what's in store makes each day a constant battle just to stay within the shore..."

In the meantime - and at that very moment - the Pool Boy was standing inside a 7 Eleven buying coffee. He paid for it, got back into his truck, and turned on the radio...

"And I will sail my vessel"

His coffee freezes in mid air

"Till the River runs dry
Like a bird upon the wind..."

"Sweet Fabulosity!" thinks the Man I Married, 'That's my wife!'

And dumps the coffee into his lap burning it badly enough to jump out of the truck.

The DJ's, meanwhile, all appropriately oooe'd and ahhhed over my performance - after all I got every word right - and then my name was put into the draw. If I won, not only would I be going to the concert, I would be meeting him backstage.

The thrill is hard on my heart even now.

I began planning what I was going to wear and staged the entire meeting in my head. Even though the Pool Boy kept warning me not to get my hopes up, I ignored him. What did he know? His soul connection was with Shania Twain.

He needed to step off and get his ass out of my fantasy.

***

On the morning of the draw I wore perfume. Fluffed my hair up extra special. And wore my best red, green, and white holiday sweater.

Then I waited... and waited... and waited until...

THEY SAID MY NAME!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

THEY SAID MY NAME!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I WON!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Without listening any further, I grabbed my jacket and the keys to the car. 'Oh yea of little faith,' I thought to myself of the Pool Boy, 'Look who the thunder rolls for now...' and screeched through town at record speed. Pulling up to the radio station, I jumped out the car and ran inside.

'My name is Lyndsay I said breathlessly, 'I just won the Garth Brooks contest and I'm here to get my tickets.'

The receptionist pulled out a clip board and began scanning it for my name.

'Oh right,' she says, 'Here you are.' And she hands me an envelope.

I ripped it out of her hand, opened the envelope, looked inside and... that didn't look like concert tickets.

I pulled out what looked like a gift certificate of some sort - it was for $25.00 worth of groceries and a Christmas turkey.














Apparently, I won second price in the great Garth Brooks Christmas Giveaway.

First prize went to some ding bat who sang The Dance.

And that was my brush with fate - the day I almost met Garth Brooks.

Have you ever been in celebrity C.A.L? 

***

Cheers everyone! How about that Peach Mint Julep?

Visit the printable recipe HERE: Peach Mint Juleps

Please enjoy the easy to follow step by step video!

***



Peach Mint Julep

Ingredients for the Simple Syrup
  • 1 1/2 cups fresh mint leaves 
  • 2 cups water 
  •  2 cups granulated sugar 
  • zest of one lemon 
  • 1/2 cup fresh lemon juice 
Directions 
  1. Bring the water, sugar, and lemon zest to the boil and boil until the sugar is dissolved. 
  2. Remove from heat. Add the mint leaves, cover and let steep for 10 minutes. 
  3. Strain the simple syrup into a large mason jar or a bottle and add the fresh lemon juice. 
  4.  Refrigerate for up to one month. 
 Mint Julep Ingredients
  • 2 ounces bourbon 
  • 1 ounce peach schnapps 
  • 1 cup cubed fresh or frozen peaches 
  • 6-8 fresh mint leaves crushed ice 
Directions
  1. Lightly muddle the peach and mint in a cocktail shaker 
  2. Add the schnapps and bourbon and shake well,
  3. Fill a glass with crushed ice and pour the mixture from the shaker over top. 
  4. Garnish with another fresh mint leaf.
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Monday features Tips and Techniques in the Kitchen
Tuesday is Next Food Network Star recap day
Weekday Wednesday features easy to make recipes for weekday meals, snacks, and desserts.
Thursday is my Master Chef recap day
Foodie Friday features recipes for restaurant quality dishes for entertaining that can be made at home
Cocktails and Gossip comes up every Saturday. I share an amazing cocktail recipe and all the buzz about your favorite Food Stars.
Finally, I publish my popular ongoing web series Cherry Hill every Sunday. If you enjoy nostalgia, mystery, romance, and food related fiction, you're going to love this one!


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Comments

  1. LMAO what a great story!! Garth was my husband's CAL back in the 90s.
    Mine at the moment is Blake (yeah him with the perfect wife Miranda) and we just got tickets to see him in September in Columbus!!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Oh I would LOVE to see Blake in concert!! I could easily fall into CAL with him!! I am crazy about Miranda Lambert too - I love her song Baggage Claim. Thanks for stopping by and commenting!

      Delete
  2. This made me howl with laughter.

    ReplyDelete

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