A few weeks ago my daughter Meredith told me to check a post on Buzzfeed, in which Amanda McCall blogged about how Ben & Jerry's could solve its "woman problem."
What? Woman problem? Isn't this the company known for its progressive views on social and political issues?
Yes, but.
The company has no ice cream flavor named after a woman. There are, and have been, many flavors named after men. Like Cherry Garcia and Stephen Colbert's Americone Dream and the new Tonight Dough, named for the one-year anniversary of Jimmy Fallon's gig on The Tonight Show.
For what it's worth -- are you listening Ben & Jerry's? -- we women want some recognition!
And we actually eat more ice cream than men.
Ms. McCall said she realizes that creating a new "woman" ice cream won't help the gender pay gap, nor will it help more women win elective office, but it can't hurt, can it?
One of the flavors she suggested is Ruth Bader Ginger. In fact, if you agree, you can sign a petition urging the company to get to it.
Food writer that I am, I thought about creating my own Ruth Bader Ginger ice cream. I've taken cues from the company before -- I invented a version of Ben & Jerry's Charoset ice cream because that flavor is only available in Israel and I wanted to try some for Passover.
But if Ben & Jerry's does this, it would make headlines and history. If I do it? Not so much.
Besides, I had a particularly hectic weekend recently and so I decided to relax with a nice stiff drink and opted to invent a cocktail, rather than an ice cream, to honor Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg. And it was amazingly good.
I believe it would be even more marvelous with a little dollop of Ruth Bader Ginger Ice Cream in it too.
But for now -- The Ruth Bader Ginger Cocktail.
In honor of one of the most brilliant, thoughtful and progressive Supreme Court Justices of all time.
The Ruth Bader Ginger Cocktail
4-6 ice cubes
3 ounces dark rum
1 ounce ginger liqueur or brandy
2 teaspoons orange juice
2-3 pinches ground cardamom
2 slices of orange
2 mint leaves, slightly crushed
Place 2-3 ice cubes in each of 2 glasses. Place the rum, brandy, orange juice and cardamom in a cocktail shaker or glass jar. Shake vigorously and pour equal amounts in the two glasses. Twist the orange slices slightly to extract a few drops more of orange juice into the liquid, then place the slice on the rim of the each glass. Place one slightly crushed mint leaf in each glass, stir and serve.
Makes 2 (or one, depending on your mood)