For Repeal Day, a celebration of creation... sorta. Introducing the Graveyard of Empires

The subject of today's post is irony.

Specifically, the irony of a cocktail with the nickname of a place where you can't buy alcohol. The irony of a cocktail--image of refinement and the subtle interplay of flavors--named after a country at war.

Specifically, the Graveyard of Empires.

Before anyone starts heating up the righteous indignation, I should point out that this isn't an Afghanistan joke, it's a colonialism joke.

The actual origin of "graveyard of empires" as a nickname for Afghanistan is obscure, but it's not something the Afghans themselves invented--rather it was applied by one colonial power or another in bitter recognition that they had joined the roster of centuries' worth of invaders who had tried and failed to hold on to the country. Most recently the roster has included the British, Soviets and--dare we say it--Americans, but the succession of attempts goes back at least as far as Alexander the Great, long before there was a nation on the map with the name "Afghanistan." Regardless, the political accuracy of the term isn't at issue;

Saffron is.

Two Guys and a Drink: Once Upon a Cape

In "Two Guys and a Drink", Dave and John focus on a single drink and experiment with multiple recipes and ingredients as they search for their own "perfect" recipe. Of course, the "perfect" recipe is purely subjective; as with life, the cocktail is a journey, not a destination, and you should find your own. For this post, they are taking on a travel-inspired original: Once Upon a Cape

Check, check... is this thing on? What do you know, it is. 
So, you may have noticed we've been MIA on the blog for a while. But that doesn't mean we haven't been documenting our drinking endeavors. Keep an eye out for our more regular online activities on Facebook here and Instagram here and here.

Background

Enjoying the view... or contemplating
ratios for a new A&T Original?

It's rare the two halves of A&T are in the same time zone, let alone in the same room long enough to share a drink together in person. For a few blissful weeks in October, though, David and John managed to squeeze in a much needed reunion in beautiful South Africa. From Faerie Glen to Maboneng, Hout Bay to Franschhoek, Pilanesberg to... some very off-the-beaten-path destination in Limpopo, the A&T crew rode again. And wouldn't you know, they came up with a drink to commemorate the whole thing.