Knock Your Lights Out for Earth Hour

Toronto, Canada is going a bit crazy over Earth Hour, trying to outdo Sydney this year; The Fairmont Royal York (which grows its own vegetables on the roof) is going all out, turning off its iconic sign and as many lights as possible throughout the hotel (it has 34,000 of them).

During Earth Hour, the bars in the hotel will be candle-lit and serving (in moderation) Green drinks that they have devised for the occasion, including Turn Your Lights Down Low, and The Green Movement, an awful sounding mix of vanilla vodka, Tequila Rose liqueur, cognac, Frangelico, and a splash of cream. Not much green or local in that, but they do make Canadian Whiskey nearby, so we will go for a Global Warming recipe on the next page.

Global Warming

Global Warming

• Fresh ice
• 1/8 each of an orange and lemon, cut into cubes, rind left on
• 3 ripe strawberries, cut in half
• 2 oz Crown Royal
• 1/2 oz simple syrup (made by boiling together 1 part water and 2 parts sugar until sugar dissolves; cool)
• Dash Angostura bitters
• Splash of soda water

Add fruit to the bottom of an Old Fashioned glass. Top with bitters and simple syrup. Muddle all together with a muddler or handle of a wooden spoon. Add whiskey. Top with soda. Makes 1 drink.