Soaring Through Life with a Smile

100 Years Ago Tomorrow Henry Flagler's Over-Sea Railroad Came to Key West

     Tomorrow marks the 100th anniversary of the arrival of Henry Flagler's "Little Train that Could".     Building this railroad would be a major feat with today's technology, but to have done it between 1908 and 1912 and complete it in that short of time is incredible.


      

     It took the 12 years to complete the bridge leading to Key Largo between 1998 and 2010, let alone bridges to span the length of the keys.    4,000 men working six days a week for 10 to 12 hours a day completed the 156 mile road bed project in  just over 4 years.    Pigeon Key was the headquarters for the project between 1908 and 1912.  This small key was home for workers lured to the project by the $1.60 a day wages for working in the hot Florida sun and surviving the mosquitoes.   "They say the two things slowed the completion of the railroad were mosquitoes and the lack of alcohol." Kelly McKinnon, Director of the Pigeon Key Foundation said.

     There was a fear that Henry Flagler, in his 80's at the time might die before his railroad was completed, so the men started working marathon 12 hour shifts toward the end of the project.    It was those efforts that gave the central keys city of Marathon it's name.    

     There were some 10,000 people that showed up on January 22, 1912 to see the arrival of Henry's Train and to greet Henry Flagler and his family as they got off the train. .    Everyone from school children to politicians showed up for the event.

     Key West was Florida's most populated city and the richest per capita in 1908 and Henry Flagler successfully linked the city to the mainland.   You could ride from Miami to Key West for $7.18 or from New York to Key West for $77.00.

     Henry Flagler died 18 months after the completion of the railroad.   Thousands of people made the journey on the Over-Sea Railroad for the next two decades, but the great depression and the Labor Day Hurricane of 1935 brought the Over-Sea Railroad to a grinding halt when 40 miles of track were destroyed and the locomotive was lost into the sea.

     Sunday there will be a parade in Key West and Henry Flagler re-enactor, museum exhibitions and many other events throughout Florida to celebrate the centennial.     ;o)

Corn 'n Oil: The Cocktail

One of the highlights of my recent trip to Barbados last fall was the getting to have the seemingly "National Drink of Barbados" Corn 'n Oil.    This is a curious blend of Bajan Rum, John D. Taylor's Falernum and Angostura Bitters.   This is a nice and smooth cocktail that is starting to hit it's stride in the United States these days.   

     I was first Introduced to Corn 'n Oil on a trip to Barbados 2 years ago, it's spicy, limey and sweet tastes tickle the palliate and finish as smooth as silk.   This is one of those cocktails that you can just enjoy in the evening or at any time.    


The most predominant recipe here in the United States calls for more rum than falernum, but the Bajan recipe is the reverse.

Corn 'n Oil: The American Recipe

• 2 oz. Cruzan Blackstrap Rum
• 1/2 oz. John D. Taylor's Velvet Falernum
• 2 Dashes of Bitters

Place Ingredients in a Rocks or Highball Glass, and squeeze the juice from a couple of lime wedges into the mix and stir.

Corn 'n Oil: Bajan Recipe

• 1 1/2 oz. John D. Taylor's Velvet Falernum
• 1/2 oz. Dark Bajan Rum (Plantation Barbados 5 Year Old)
• 2 Dashes of Bitters
• Juice of 2 Lime Wedges

Fill a Rocks or Highball Glass with ice, pour in the Falernum, then the dark rum, which will float on the surface like oil, add a couple of dashes of Bitters and squeeze the juice of a couple of lime wedges and stir well and add additional ice as needed.    Garnish with a lime wedge.

      After trying both of these recipes, I tend to favor the Bajan recipe over the American one.    I prefer the dryer Bajan Rum in the mix to the sweeter Blackstrap Rum.     Try this cocktail, and I hope you will enjoy it as much as I do.     ;o)o prefer the Bajan

Renewed Interest in the Daiquiri

      This classic rum cocktail was named for a beach in the vicinity of Santiago, Cuba. This is made from the simplest of ingredients and the most bastardized cocktail ever in these modern times of mixes and smoothie machines. This is a simple drink that is made from lime juice, sugar (or cane syrup), and rum, all the ingredients are shaken with ice and strained into a cocktail glass and garnished with a piece of lime. It is the freshness of these cocktails attained through the use of fresh squeezed ingredients that make them the popular cocktail they really are. This is a cocktail that made it's first appearances in the beginning of the 1900's and in 2011 it is still a very popular cocktail.

Mary and Earnest Hemingway
and Spencer Tracy at El Floridita

El Floridita today

It was Hemingway that really brought a lot of attention to the cocktail in his Cuban years when hanging out at the El Floridita at the corner of Calle Obispo and Monserrate Street La Habana Vieja, Cuba. " My Mojito in La Bodeguita, my Daiquiri in El Floridita", this is the place that to this day is the mecca for the finest daiquiri's anywhere. The El Floridita first opened in 1817 at it's present location. In 1914 Constantino Ribalaigua Vert began working as the bartender at El Floridita and in 1918 he became the owner. Much of the original atmosphere and contains a large collection of memorabilia from many of it's famous clientele, Earnest Hemingway, Ezra Pound, John Dos Passos, Graham Greene, to name a few. El Floridita is famous for its fine seafood restaurant as well as it's cocktail lounge, and a must visit when in Havana.

If you haven't had the opportunity to experience one of these really exquisite cocktails, you must find a traditional bar that has the abilities to reproduce them in the traditional manner. This will be a cocktail to remember. There are several of these classic daiquiri's like the Hemingway, El Floridita (Frozen), or just go with the classic Daiquiri, all or any of these will light up your taste buds and put a smile on your face. Some of the variation include the use of any one of several liqueurs like Maraschino Liqueur, Blue Curacao. Gallliano, Falernum, or any of several others to ad a different dimension to the cocktail. No matter how you make this wonderful cocktail, do it with fresh ingredients that do NOT include "Daiquiri Mix", keep it fresh and simple you'll really enjoy it that way.

Sailing around Key West

     More of a power boater myself, but the sails are all up in Key West this week.    The Mount Gay Sailboat Races are on this week, drawing a good crowd to the Keys.    This week has some  really perfect sailing weather, 10 to 20 mph winds and 2 to 3 foot seas, ideal for a sailing event.    The boats are further out than I was able to go. but you could see them appearing and disappearing as the seas ebbed and flowed between me and them. 

     These conditions don't just bring out the racers, the local sailors are out on the water as well.     You will see them in all sizes and shapes of boats out there this time of year.    There is nothing quite as spectacular as the big sailboats with their sails full and making way through the water.    I'm out here just drifting in the seas camera in hand and having a great afternoon of taking pictures and sipping a from a flask of Moung Gay Black Rum just letting my mind drift with the boats.    

     The more time that I spend on the water the more time I'd like to spend on the water, sounds strange,  but it is true.      My Mondays and Tuesdays are the days that I get to spend doing pretty much what pleases me, and I seem to spend many of them on the water doing different things every time I go out.   The weather, whether it is windy; big or flat seas; sunny or cloudy; I seem to be drawn to get out there and just enjoy being a part of the ocean and all she has to offer.   ;o) 

Channel Key on a Windy Day

     By the time I got all my chores done and got ready to head out on the water the wind had picked up and the temperature dropped, undaunted, I jumped aboard my dinghy and went the short distance to Channel Key.     This is a curious little mangrove key that has a narrow channel that winds though the center of it.    It is sort of like being in Jungleland at Disneyland, you wind through the key with the mangroves reaching out and over you making you feel like you are traveling the Amazon or something like it anyway.     All that with the big plus of no alligators, big snakes, or piranha lurking around every bend in the river.    

     It is a very peaceful place that you can raise the motor and let the boat just drift as you sip your rum and let your imagination take over.          The perfect place, the mangroves filter out the wind and allow the sun to warm my skin as I drift along taking pictures and sipping my rum.     The stream is full of small and medium size fish, they are fun to watch as the seemingly just scurry around under and around the boat.    It is like watching people on the sidewalk from a upper story perch, they just go in  random directions, each on their own mission.

     I begin to realize that I do live in a very special place when I get out on my little journeys all within a five or six mile radius of home.    I have the peaceful solitude of places like Channel Key or Mud Key to let all of the concerns float away as I drift along.     The Smith and Cross Rum was the perfect selection for this day with it's cool and brisk air.   Takes the chill off and soothes the soul like no other.   That big bold pot still flavor and the naval strength makes it perfect for an old guy drifting through the mangroves and chilling in a big way.

     Maybe next Monday will be less windy and I will be able to go further to the West and visit Boca Grand, or maybe even the Marquesas Keys.     It really doesn't matter, because the close in keys are really fun and relaxing too.    ;o)

Monday Morning of a New Week

     This almost seems anti-climatic after the past few weeks.    My friends from Barbados and London have all gone home, Mike from rumconnection .com, http://rumconnection.com/uncategorized/jamaica-bound/ is on his way to Jamaica, and "poor me", still here in Key West.    I really don't feel sorry for me either.     The weather is clear and mostly sunny and temps in the low seventy's today.     The winds are down so I guess it is another good day to go out on the water with a flask of rum and my camera to see what I can find.   These explorations are always fun and mind clearing, especially with a nice rum.    Smith & Cross might be the perfect one for today, naval rum with the big bold taste, perfect.

Let me check the list, rum, boat, munchies, camera, sun block, and ice.     That should take care of everything I need for the day.    Check back in tomorrow with you to let you know how the day worked out.    ;o)

Describe the Sea to Me, Please

To Quote Jimmy Buffett, "Don't try to describe the ocean if you have never seen it".

Waking up in a Fog

    Did you ever have one of those mornings that you really didn't want to get moving, you know like you are in a fog?       Today is one of those mornings.    A great night with some special friends hanging out in the marina with R.L. Seale and Doorley's XO rums.   Too little sleep tends to leave me feeling that way.      This was the last night for Gayle and Lizzie here in Key West, and I feel like we celebrated the final night of their visit in a proper manner, good friends and very special rum.    ;o)

The Rum and the Ecosystem

     One of the TV series talks about the dirtiest jobs, and goes to a rum distillery in Rhode Island.    This go me thinking about how the rum industry is utilizing their waste products and doing a lot to keep the pristine environment in which they operate, to remain pristine.     In Puerto Rico Serralles Distilleries  and Bacardi Distilleries have undertaken a huge project to reuse the water, and all of the other by-products of rum production to create energy and make products that will help the business grow.

     Esteban  Ordonez from Serralles Distilleries recently sat down and talked to a group of rum journalists about how the Serrales people are reusing the steam and water as well as other by-products of rum production to help cut down on costs and offer the company new profit centers.   This is a great bonus to the company while they are preserving the ecosystem.    

Here in the United States, I recently visited the Florida Caribbean Distillery in Auburndale, Florida and got to talk Jacob Call about their programs.   They start with the by products of the Orange and Sugar industries of Florida to produce the spirits. Then take the left overs produce cattle and chicken feed that is sold to farmers and ranchers.    They too have other programs that reduce their Eco footprint on the area in place as well.

     In Panama the Varela Hermanos Distillery uses the sugar cane hulls to fire the boilers that make the steam that heats the stills, and still use oxen to pull the carts filled with the hand cut cane to the crusher.

     It makes me feel good that the spirits industry as a whole is acting quite responsibly to preserve the environment around them.     This is only going to help keep the spirits manufacturers in business and make the consumers feel better about their spirits.   ;o)   

Historic Seaport by Night

     The Historic Seaport in Key West takes on a new and wonderful life of it's own as you walk along the boardwalk in the evening.    Last night three friends and myself started out at the "Conch Farm" for dinner and then proceeded to mosey along the boardwalk to the ferry terminal and back.    The post storm atmosphere was great especially being able to see the outline of all the ships and boats from dinghy's, to schooners, to large motoryachts and we proceeded.  

     With dinner completed, it was time to walk on down the boardwalk and see what the docks had to offer tonight.     Schooner Wharf was the first stop where we ran into a couple of acquaintances and chatted a bit with them .    Next stop was for an after dinner coffee on the pier.    Nice warm break from the cooling evening air coming off of the water.    Now it is back on the docks and wandering past the Turtle Kraal Museum, the statue of the old "wrecker", and on down to the Ferry Terminal.

     Along the way it is fun to look at the great schooners and old sailing ships like the "Western Union", an old cable laying ship that has been here in Key West for years.     Further down the way we run a cross the modern day yachts and it is fun to wonder what it would be like to be able to just live on such a vessel.

    Your imagination is a wonderful thing and taking it with you as you wander around here in Key West takes you anywhere you want to go without ever leaving the "home port".    This has been a great evening of dinner and "high seas" adventure that I look forward to visiting again soon.   ;o)

Mother Nature and Rum, What a Concept

     It never ceases to amaze me what mother nature has to offer as I drift through the seemingly endless waterways around the Key West area.      Recently I went back to the channels of the Mud Keys just east of Key West and wandered around with camera in hand and marveled at all of the beauty that surrounded me.     It was the little things that really got my attention, things like a dragonfly circling over my head as I lie on the beach sipping some rum from a hip flask.     

     The plants and animals all the way down to the beach itself and how the land and the water all come together giving me warm and fuzzy feelings just being there.    When I'm out away from all of the people and noise, I find myself totally in tune with the warm and the best part is that it is only about 10 miles away from my home.      No matter where you live we all need a great little place to go and get away and just relax and chill out for a few hours.    I'm very lucky that my world is based around some of the most beautiful waters anywhere and it's my backyard.

     The Mud Keys are a protected Mangrove area that has some of the most interesting birds, animals and marine life I have ever seen, especially in such a small area.   Whether you are drifting with the currents or walking around on a beach, there are so many things to see.    On this day I had some of my friends with me and we all were able to chill out on the beach and just relax and enjoy the warm sunshine and cool waters.    Oh yeah the rum was good too.   ;o)

January 2012 on the Beach Life is very Special

     Yesterday afternoon was one of those very special days.     A flask of Mocambo 20 Year Old rum, chicken, cheese & crackers, and 4 friends on a very special get away from it all day at the beach.    Basking in the sun and enjoying the sights and sounds of mother nature as we all relaxed.      Today was a the perfect day, because there nobody else in the area, and beautiful 77 degree temperatures.

     That brings me to the main point of this article.     walking up and down this pristine beach my friends and We picked up a trash bag full of broken beer bottles, cans and broken glass.     If you can carry the stuff out with you carry the trash back with you too.    There is nothing more disgusting than coming to a very natural area and find it filled with trash.    

     The day was fabulous and all of us had a great time on the water and on the beach, by the way we brought all of our trash back as well as that of others.     ;o)
        

How Shall I Have My Rum?

     The only question that comes to mind as I sit on the aft deck and ponder what I want to drink, is how am I going to drink it.     Rum is a very unique spirit with the ability to be enjoyed neat, on the rocks, or mixed.   Any way you drink rum, it is a versatile spirit.     In the evening when I'm out I tend to have a well rum with tonic and a lime, but in the evening home relaxing, it is usually a ultra premium rum with one cube of ice in a snifter that I slowly sip.

     In the Rum Lab we have spent a lot of time with rum creating cocktails to show off the attributes of many rums.     It is the rum that is so important in these cocktails, because it is the flavor of the rum that is the basis of the cocktail.   The Rum Lab results almost always revealed that the best cocktails were the ones that the mixers enhanced the rum rather than burying it in some other flavor.    Choose your mixers wisely to bring out the flavors of the rum and still enhance your experience with the cocktail. 

     The best of the rums stand alone and don't require anything at all to go with them, with the possible addition of small amount of water or an ice cube.    The small amount of water opens up the rum and bring the flavors out for your special enjoyment.

    It really doesn't matter how you enjoy the spirit of the sugar cane, what is important is that you enjoy it your way.    It goes right along with the spirit of rum in that there are no rule on how the rum is produced, there are no rule for how you enjoy it either.    Your palate is the only one that counts so keep trying the thousands of different rums out there until you find that very special one that makes you heart and mind say aaaaaaaaah.     I'll be enjoying a 20 year old Mocambo, a Mexican rum today as I cruise out toward the Marquesas Keys in the dinghy today.    ;o)

Sunday Morning on the Dock

I just love walking down the dock just before sun-up and seeing the birds waking up at the same time as I am.

Coming to America from Cuba

     There are literally thousands of Cubans that attempt the journey from Cuba to the Florida Keys every year, many make it many more are intercepted at sea and returned to Cuba, and a few are also lost at sea.     These are desperate people trying to escape poverty and the political problems of their home land.  

     Many try to make the 90 or so mile trip across the Florida Straits in homemade tin boats.    Many of these are really inspired designs that make it to the dry land of the Marquesas Keys just West of Key West.     I have spent some really enjoyable days marveling at these crafts that successfully made the crossing and liberated her passengers from Cuba.      Some are powered by 4 and 6 cylinder automotive diesels, and one I ran across was powered by a Russian built 1 cylinder  diesel lawn mower engine. 

     I guess that desperate times bring about desperate measures.     Especially when it come to getting out of a place where life is not good and getting to somewhere where life is portrayed as being a "Nirvana".    I have to lend kudos to the people who have tried to make the journey and all of their ingenuity, stamina, and bravery for even trying.   On one occasion returning from the Marquesas Keys in a storm, saw one of these "Chugs" at sea, but was unable to get any closer than a half a mile or so from it, and in 10 plus foot seas, wasn't going to try.   The boat was in control and very sea worthy, so I kept going on my way back to Key West.     The interesting part is that a week later I returned to the Marquesas Keys and found the boat ashore there.   It was interesting to see all of the stuff that they had aboard the boat and the sturdy construction of this boat as well.     Most of the boats are set afire upon reaching dry land to signal the Coast Guard that they were there and could be picked up.    This one however was still afloat and in very good shape considering the weather that it had gone through to reach land.

     I can feel a kindred spirit with these people because I to like to venture out to sea in small boats as well.   This little 12 foot inflatable craft is what three of us ventured out on this day to find the "chug" that I had see while out in the big boat.    The is a really exhilarating feeling traveling out in the small boat the the big one just doesn't have.    It is the feel of the sea and the rising and falling of the swells out on open waters that is great fun.    ;o)

Guana Cay in the Abaco's

    Great Guana Cay is part of the Abaco group of Cays in the Eastern Bahamas.     This is one of the most exciting cays in the entire chain of cays.     It features great beach bars, restaurants, and some of the most exciting live music and party's anywhere.     This cay features major events for Easter, the Sailing Regatta, and the Barefoot Man yearly, or sometimes even more ofter.

     Nipper's in the most famous of the beach bars on the island, but there is a newcomer making some noise call Grabbers that is following close behind.     Nipper's is famous for its Sunday Pig Roasts and big live music events like when the Barefoot Man comes to town every March.     Sitting on top of the sand dune looking over the third largest barrier reef in the world, Nipper's is so much fun to be there and a part of the fun and beauty of Guana Cay.

     Grabber's is the "new" place in town, but was the first actually, known as the "Guana Harbor Club"when it opened in 1960's, then it became the "Guana Beach Resort" with an owner change.  Today it  has been resurrected from severe damage and a fire at the hands of Hurricane Floyd in 2001.      Operating with the air of it's roots of a laid back and comfortable lifestyle, Grabbers is a fun spot to while away some time and party on Guana Cay.

     There are restaurants, lodging, shops and fun all only steps from the government docks that the ferry from Marsh Harbor or Treasure Cay drop you off at.    Come and try all of the fun and pleasure of Guana Cay.   ;o)  

Centenario About to Announce New 25 Year Gran Reserva

     Ron Centenario's new Gran Reserva 25 Year Systema Solera is one of the best rums I have tasted in some time.    This new rum is an excellent new addition to the already fine line of rums from Ron Centenario.

    This is a product of the unique biodiverse country of Costa Rica.     Made from the molasses of local sugar cane that was hand cut from the volcanic soil and a tropical climate that makes for some of the best sugar cane anywhere.

     This dark amber rum has a rich and sweet aroma that leads you to a great long lasting sweet carmel and fruit taste on the palate and a semi dry finish that seems to go on for a long long time.      I tried hard to talk George out of the bottle, but I had little success, but it will be available in late March or early April.     There is also rumor of a 30 year old on the horizon.

     Keep your eyes open for this one, it is going to be one you don't want to miss.     ;o)

Reality has Set In

     Into every warm and wonderful place a little bit of cold must fall.     Today we dropped to 48 degrees, warm by many standards, but not by the standards of those of us that live in the tropics.     It is hard to type today, my fingers are stiff, my feet are cold, and I'm wearing a parka over warm sweatshirts.     This is not the weather we signed up for, but fortunately it is going away almost as fast as it showed up.     I guess I'll have to "man up" today and live through it.   

     It is really funny to hear myself talk like this, because six years ago I'd just laugh at this temperature and maybe put on a sweat shirt and go about my business.     Today, I guess that I have acclimated to this climate and the cold really hurts.     I know it must be time to break out the rum filled flask that I got at Saba Rock in November and tip a few, just for the warmth and medicinal reasons.    Oops, I guess I'm not as tough as those California mountain girls.    

     It makes for a good story, one I've heard for several days now, but it is still cold this morning, but by Sunday we will e back in the mid seventy's and life will be back to normal.   I will still have the flask for medicinal purposes, just in case.   ;o)           

Magen's Bay, St. Thomas

     Like so many other spots in the Virgin Islands, Magen's Bay has the charm and beauty of nature as it's biggest asset.   Sunset on the bay is as beautiful as it can be, but it is the lush white power sand is what really makes the beach and the bay so enjoyable for all of the visitors.     I enjoy just wandering up and down the nearly one mile long beach watching all of the different sights that keep popping up in front of me.     With it's soft white sands, palm trees and crystal clear water, this is considered one of the best beaches in the Virgin Islands.

     People playing in the sand and water, all seeming to be having a great time, just like I am as I wander by taking my pictures.    The beautiful water and the almost non existing surf makes this the perfect beach to stand waist deep in the warm water and enjoy a cocktail, just like in the movie "10" from years ago.     The bay has a marked off swimming area that protects us from the boats and jet ski's, but outside the area there are many boats anchored.

     Legend has it the Sir Francis Drake used Magen's Bay as an anchorage from which he could hide while waiting for ships to plunder.    His exploits in the area were legendary, making him a hero to the English and a "Pirate" to the Spaniards to whom he was known as "Draque".

 This is a park that was donated to the people of the Virgin Islands by Arthur Fairchild in 1943.      The far western portion of the park was donated by Fairchild's nephew's widow, Christine Wheaton in 2002.

     I have to say that I did really enjoy my afternoon on Magen's Bay and the laid back time in the sand sipping on a few of my favorite rum cocktails.   

     If you get to St. Thomas, take the time to hop a safari or a taxi, but get out to the beaches and spend an afternoon basking in the Caribbean sunshine and swimming in the crystal clear waters of Magen's Bay.   ;o)

2012: Where are We Going from Here?

     This is the start of a new year and a clean slate on which to carve out a new world for ourselves.     I'm thinking that more travel and new cocktails are in order and the completion of "Bahama Bob's Cocktails and Tales" is in order.    

     Your response to the travel blogs shows me that I need to spend more time out and about finding new and more exciting venues in which to play with the rum.     The world is full of very exciting rum venues and people who call rum when they sit at the bar.    I guess that with some effort, the exploration of these locals can be accomplished.

     The Rum Lab will continue in 2012 as well, this year trying to develop cocktail that are rum specific, as distillers provide us with rum to work out some new cocktails for.    The book development is completed so now it is time to work on the specific rums.   

     Life in the Keys is also another area that I'll continue to explore including, historical, watering holes, and water trips to the areas around the keys.  

     This is going to be a fun and interesting year for us, so keep up with me on the blog, and hopefully we will see you in our travels.   ;o)

Welcome to 2012 Take it to the Limit

Happy New Year to the Rumstyler World,

2012 is going to be our banner year and we will all grow and prosper as a result.     ;o)