Hurricane

How I Spent My Summer Vacation.

I'm finally taking some time off work. Much of it is being spent preparing to move, much of it is spent training for the triathlon, but I made sure to reserve some time to do some things entirely frivolous and unhealthy. After all, the September Vogue is a hefty task to undertake, and I needed some support. The hurricane and cigarillos (a gift from friends who went to Greece--think baby cigars) complemented each other well. Dark rum is definitely the thing to stand up to strong tobacco.

Recipe:
1 oz Dark Rum (Myer's)
1 oz Light rum (Bacardi Silver)
1 tbsp passion fruit syrup
2 tsps lime juice

Shake with ice and strain into a chilled cocktail glass.

Harvest Nectar

I wish I could tell you more about this drink, but the truth is I made it fairly late in the party, and all I remember is thinking, "Hm, it is kinda nectary." I don't remember how harvesty it was, though.

Recipe:
1.5 oz rum (Bacardi Gold)
1 oz pineapple juice
1 oz cranberry juice
1 oz oj
1 oz lemon-lime soda

Shake with ice (?!? shake the soda? No thanks, I like my floor un-sticky. Instead, I decided to add it to the glass later.) And strain into an ice-filled pint glass.

Golden Friendship

At a recent party, I was offered help in my rum pursuits. The willing victim shown here is Dave. Serendipitously, the next drink on the menu was a Golden Friendship. It received much praise, so later I tried one myself. It's sweet but light, with a full rich flavor. I highly recommend it. In fact, I imagine it would make a fantastic punch, to be shared, say, among golden friends.

Recipe:
Equal parts of the following
Amaretto (Potters)
Sweet Vermouth (Martini & Rossi)
Light rum (Bacardi Silver)
Ginger Ale (Reed's)

Mix first three ingredients in a collins glass with ice. Top with ginger ale. Garnish with an orange spiral and cherry.

Gauguin

Passion fruit syrup is a remarkably versatile ingredient. It can add sweetness without being cloying or overpowering.

I looked up "Gauguin" to see what this drink was named after. Apparently, a "French artist whose paintings are characterized by simplified forms and brilliant colors..."

Actually, a pretty good description of this drink.

2 oz light rum (Bacardi Silver)
1 tbsp passion fruit syrup
1 tbsp lemon juice
1 tbsp lime juice

Combine all ingredients with a cup of crushed ice in a blender. (I made this at a party, and the blender would have been too much of a pain, so I shook with ice instead.) Serve in a chilled old-fashioned glass. Garnish with a maraschino cherry.

Fort Lauderdale

Well, we'll see if anyone ever sees this post as Blogger has not been kind to me lately. Right now I'm apparently a 502 Server Error. Last week it refused to let me upload pictures. So this here is a gamble.

Sweet vermouth and rum continue to be good friends. I'm running out of things to say about Another Rum Drink With Citrus Juice, however. Let's just say this one is good, but nothing makes it particularly memorable. Try one when you're actually in Fort Lauderdale, perhaps, to make it relevant.

Recipe:
1.5 oz light rum (Bacardi Silver)
.5 sweet vermouth (Martini & Rossi)
1 oz OJ
.25 oz lime juice

Shake with ice and strain into and ice-filled old-fashioned glass. Garnish with a slice of orange.

Triathlon for Leukemia & Lymphoma Society

Another way in which cocktails may be good for you: alcohol may lower your risk of Non-Hodgkins Lymphoma.

So most of you reading this are covered. But there's more you can do to help!
I've signed up for the Treasure Island Triathlon in November, as a member of The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society's Team In Training.

All of us on Team In Training are raising funds to help stop leukemia, lymphoma, Hodgkin lymphoma and myeloma from taking more lives. I'm completing this triathlon in honor of all individuals who are battling blood cancers.

Please make a donation to support my participation in Team In Training and help advance the Society's mission. You can visit it at http://www.active.com/donate/tntsvmb/jendaviswilson.

I hope you'll visit my web site often. Be sure to check back frequently to see my progress. Thanks for your support!

Call for suggestions

I have two requests from my dear readers:

1. I'm still looking for a good recipe for brandied cherries. If you know of one, please let me know before the cherry season is completely over!

2. I'm going on a bike trip for about 5 days very soon. Any suggestions for easy-to-make, delicious, and wilderness-friendly cocktails to take on the road?

Fog Cutter

The Fog Cutter is rather ironically named. It may taste like a straight path through the haze, but it quickly creates a fog of its own in your head. Especially if you drink it as fast as I did. And if your brain isn't fuzzy enough, the sugar content ensures that your teeth sure are.

Even so, orgeat syrup + citrus is a wonderful thing, and the blend of strong flavors in this drink is well balanced. But orgeat, lime, rum, plus a float of dark liquor on top...yep, Trader Vic is credited with this one, too.

Recipe:
1.5 oz light rum (Bacardi Silver)
.5 oz Brandy
.5 oz Gin
1 oz OJ
1.5 oz lemon juice
1.5 tsps Orgeat Syrup
1 tsp Sweet sherry

Shake all ingredients except sherry and strain into ice-filled collins glass. Top with sherry.

Floridita

This drink would be unpalatable except for the sweet vermouth. I have to say that this drink was unusual but I quite liked it. It didn't taste like any of the ingredients, but rather like a unique concoction--in that respect it reminds me of the Mai Tai.


Recipe:
1.5 oz rum (Bacardi silver)
.5 oz lime juice
.5 oz Sweet vermouth (Martini & Rossi)
.125 oz Creme de Cacao, white (Potter's)
.125 oz Grenadine (homemade)

Shake with ice and strain into a chilled cocktail glass. Garnish with a lime twist.
(I wanted a cherry instead, and I think it went quite well.)