2013 Caribbean Rum and Beer Festival in Granada

  Running November 22 and 23, this is a fun and informative event that is made very special by the flair of the Caribbean island of Granada.   The 2013 Caribbean Rum and Beer Festival is packed with special events in addition to the grand tasting of fun and exotic rums from all over the Caribbean.   All of the excitement of the fine rums and beers is only the beginning of this colorful annual event. 
   The Granada Golf Tournament at the Granada Golf  Club which includes a 9 Hole and 18 Hole event including lunch on Saturday the 23rd from 7am until 4 pm.  Lots of prizes, and fun, equipment is available or you can bring your own.
 





     The Annual CAB (Caribbean Alcohol Beverage) Taste Contest is on The 21st, featuring the

contest as an established part of the Caribbean Rum & Beer Festival. The competition is fierce and the winners deserve to be recognised as 'best in class'. This years blind tasting session will be held in Grenada on 21 November 2013.

     Each category of product will be judged by a rum or beer panel made up of industry experts.   Members of the esteemed expert rum panel include influential rum commentators from the International Rum Council, Rum XP panel members, the editors of ‘Got Rum’ magazine as well as members of the Ministry of Rum.

The expert beer panel contains a range of brewmasters, authors of beer publications and beer pundits.  All products are sampled blind and judges award Gold, Silver and Bronze accolades to the adjudicated top three products in each section.

The rums are broken down into categories and judged on aroma, appearance, taste, finish and overall impression.   The categories include white, gold, dark, aged 5 to 9 years, aged 10 to14 years, premium aged 15 years plus, white rhum agricole, dark rhum agricole, overproof, flavored, and rum punch.  There will be awards given for each category of rum.

Other Special events include:

·         Master classes from international rum and beer experts

·         Live culinary displays of cooking with rum and beer

·         'Rum Cocktail Wars' - Grenada's Mixologists vs The Caribbean's Best

·         Steel Pan Music, African drumming and DJ music

·         Live music on stage on both nights of the Festival

·         A Creole Hog roast

·         Rum cakes & Chocolates

·         Local arts & crafts

 

     You can make the trip to Granada and have a dual fun time.  The unmatched beauty of Granada and the fun of getting to know the rums and the people that make it is an unforgettable experience.  Hopefully I'll see you at the Caribbean Rum and Beer Festival this year.  I'm looking forward to being a judge in this years CAB Tasting Contest .  I'll be issuing daily reports from Granada while I'm in country as usual.   ;o)

 

From the Roof of the Inglaterra Hotel

From the roof top down Prado to Harbor

     On the plaza in Old Havana there are many fine hotels, Telegrafo, Park, and  Plaza, but there is a very unique one right next door to the Telegrafo call the Inglaterra Hotel.    This is a hotel that first opened in December of 1875, in the days of the wall around Havana to protect it from the pirates, corsairs, and invaders.    At the corner of Prado and San Rafael Streets she stands in all of the glory that is  Old Havana.  There are many tile paintings on the sidewalk and the pillars that are copies of paintings that are hung in the Louvre in Paris.  The coffee shop at street level's name was changed in 1863 from Café y Salones de Escauriza to El Louvre" because of all of the tile images at the entrance..   

National Theater and El Capitolo

     On the roof there is a fine restaurant and bar that serves wonderful daiquiris, mojitos and other fine cocktails as you sit in awe of the landscape around you.    From this marvelous vantage point you see all the sculptures atop the National Theater (Taco'n Theater), The Bacardi Building, The Prado to the harbor and El Capitolo.   This roof top is so breath taking  in all directions, you just can't see all there is to see on the first visit.


Top of the Bacardi Building

     Sitting down to a fabulous dinner as the sun begans to set on this our first evening in Havana on this trip.  The sun set is just beautiful and the city takes on a mysterious glow as the sun begins to set.   I feel very privileged to have been able to experience the City and the Ingleterra Hotel's spectacular roof top café with so many of my friends.   The early evening of dinner and cocktails is just absolutely unbeatable.   ;o)

Tutus, Plaid and Green parties In Key West

      Busy night at the 2013 Fantasy Fest last night.   Captain Tony's Plaid Party, Finnegan's Wake Green Party and Mango's Tutu Pa
rty all in one night.  Lots of clothing changes and way too much fun for all involved.

   Fortunately for me I was at the Hurricane Hole enjoying NO COSTUME Karaoke Night with Gary and Debbie.  I guess that after a few of these crazy week
s of Fantasy Fest , I'm satisfied with working on Duval Street four days of the Fantasy Fest fun.   It is really more fun working behind the par enjoying all of the craziness and fun without having to be pushed and shoved around in the crowds.  It will be back to the Rum bar on Thursday and for the rest of the week.  Lots of fun and another Fantasy Fest Week will be behind me.  

    The sun rose this morning and guaranteed me another day to write and have fun.   It was a rather wonderful sun rise at that.  ;o)

A Brugal Aviation Cocktail

The Aviation is another of the mysterious classics that there doesn't seem to be an answer as to who was the original creator, but one that has been with us since the time of the first airplanes.  

According to David Wondrich's Imbibe!, it was first printed in a 1916 book by Hugo Ensslin called Recipes for Mixed Drinks.   The cocktail has passed in and out of popularity over the past century, and seems to be making a comeback again.   I keep hearing about the Aviation Cocktail at the Rum Bar, so I decided to do some research into it and I found the Hugo Ensslin recipe and decided to work with it a bit.  

 Hugo Ensslin's Avaiation

 

      ·         1½ oz. El Bart gin
       ·         ¾ oz. lemon juice
       ·         2 dashes maraschino liqueur
       ·         2 dashes crème de violette , a violet liqueur which gives the cocktail a pale sky-blue color.

       As usual I found a way to recreate this recipe using rum.   I found that Brugal's Extra Dry Blanco was ideal for the task.     The rum is lacking some of the botanical flavor of the gin, so it was necessary to add a dash of Fee Bros. Gin Barrel Bitters to fill the void.

 

 

Brugal Avaiator

• 2 ounces Brugal Extra Dry Blanco
• 1/4 ounce Luxardo
• 1/2 ounce Fresh Lemon Juice
• Dash of Blue Curacao
• Lemon Zest
• Dash of Fee Bros. Gin Barrel Bitters 

Pour the ingredients into a cocktail shaker filled with ice.    Shake well until chilled, and strain into a chilled Martini Glass, and garnish with a lemon zest

 

 

 

 

 

The Top 10 Untruths about Alcohol You Need for Fantasy Fest

     I ran across this article in "The Daily Mail", and I just had to share it with you.   With Fantasy Fest just getting under way, I think it is something that needs to be brought out in the open.   You can read the rest of the article at http://www.thedailymeal.com/10-alcohol-myths-just-aren-t-true/101713

I hope you get the same kick out of this that I did.  ;o)

"10 Alcohol Myths That Just Aren’t True"

The 'Beer Belly' is Caused by Drinking a Lot of Beer

Thank goodness you can relax and take an extra swig of your beer without loosening your belt buckle. Professor of food science and technology at the University of California, Davis Charles Bamforth is also an Anheuser-Busch-endowed professor of brewing science and he told Popular Science, "The beer belly is a complete myth. The main source of calories in any alcoholic beverage is alcohol...There's nothing magical about the alcohol in beer, it's just alcohol." Alcohol has a high sugar content, which means that drinking too much of it will cause weight gain. Period. But if you’re seeing some extra girth around your midsection it can’t necessarily be blamed on the few extra beers you threw back on Saturday night — it very well might have been the martini last night, or the glass of wine on Friday. There is no longer a need to single out your poor beer as the cause of alcohol-induced weight gain.

Drinking Coffee Will Sober You Up

MythBusters helped us to bust this myth. They reported that "Coffee does not help you get sober. If you're plastered, you're going to have to wait several hours for the alcohol to leave your system on its own. Drinking coffee won't make your body metabolize alcohol faster." Alcohol has to metabolize in your body in order for you to sober up. Caffeine won’t necessarily speed up that process, but it may heighten your senses and allow you to appear more sober. Unfortunately, you’ll just have to sleep off your drunken stupor.

Men and Women of the Same Height Can Drink the Same Amounts

If you're a woman, the next time you try to go shot for shot with a bunch of your guy friends you should remember that you actually will get drunker faster than the men in the group. The National Council on Alcoholism and Drug Dependence reported that when men and women of the same height, weight, and build were compared, it was found that men tended to have more muscle and less fat than women. Muscle has more water than fat, which means that alcohol is more diluted in men than in women. So in reality, the blood alcohol concentration (BAC) is going to be higher in a woman than in a man, and the woman will feel the effects of the alcohol sooner than a man will.

Absinthe is a Hallucinogenic

Believe it or not, there is actually an association dedicated to absinthe called The Wormwood Society. They reported that "Contrary to popular misconception, absinthe is not hallucinogenic, psychedelic, or narcotic. If you're looking for this kind of experience you'll be very disappointed in genuine absinthe. The only drug in absinthe is alcohol." Absinthe can be extremely high in alcohol content, though, making the drink extremely pungent when mixed in martinis and other cocktails. And let's face it, if you have too much of any alcohol you might start seeing things — it’s the beer goggles theory.

Mixing Alcohol with Energy Drinks Will Make You Drunker

This was a tough myth to bust, but the answer is no, mixing alcohol with energy drinks will not make your drunker. California State University, Chico reported that alcohol mixed with energy drinks usually contains the same amount of alcohol as draft beers and wines, but it’s the addition of caffeine that can cause a dramatic intoxication. They reported that "experts have started to call [it] the 'wide-awake drunk.' Essentially, this means the individual will have the same blood alcohol content, BAC, as they would have without drinking the energy drink, however the stimulants creates a more 'sobering' effect." It should be noted that mixing energy drinks with alcohol can be incredibly dangerous to your health  — we don’t recommend it.

'Beer Before Liquor, Never Been Sicker'

This myth explores whether or not the order in which you drink different alcohols will make you sick. We left it to MythBusters rather than doing our own hands-on research and they reported that, "If you knock back the same alcohol content by chugging brewskies as you would switching between beer and liquor, you'll be at risk for the same aftereffects: dehydration, memory loss, nausea, and sensitivity to light and sound — in other words, a hangover." Regardless of whether you drink your beer before your liquor or your liquor before your beer, you’ll still end up with your head in the toilet if you drank too much.

Vomiting Helps to Sober You Up

This is another myth that does have some gray lines. Health Guidance reported that vomiting does expel the alcohol that is in your stomach and will stop it from further entering your blood stream, but the part of the vomiting myth that isn’t true is that it will sober you up. The alcohol that is already in your blood stream needs to metabolize, which means that you might not continue to get drunker but you will in fact remain drunk until your body has completely processed all the alcohol in your bloodstream.

Drinking Lighter-Colored Alcoholic Drinks Will Prevent a Hangover

Drinking lighter-colored drinks like vodka and gin won’t necessarily prevent a hangover the next morning, but it may help. The Mayo Clinic reported that congeners, products of alcohol fermentation and one cause of a hangover, are more prevalent in dark liquors such as brandy, whiskey, darker beer, and red wine than they are in clear liquors such as vodka, gin, and lighter beers. The same article reported that drinking too much of anything is going to make you hungover, though — so whether you’re drinking light or dark alcohol it probably won’t matter if you’ve had too much to drink anyway.

Alcohol Kills Brain Cells

This myth is unnerving for college students who binge drink regularly. But thankfully, those who overindulged in college can now rest easy — it didn’t harm your brain cells. The New York Times reported that former researcher at the State University of New York at Buffalo Dr. Roberta J. Pentney found that "alcohol disrupts brain function in adults by damaging message-carrying dendrites on neurons in the cerebellum, a structure involved in learning and motor coordination. This reduces communication between neurons, alters their structure, and causes some of the impairment associated with intoxication. It does not kill off entire cells, however." So there’s nothing to worry about when it comes to your brain cells and alcohol, but that shouldn’t give you the go-ahead to binge drink.

Dark Beer is Higher in Alcohol Content

This myth made us laugh a little bit when we came across it. Not all beer is created equal — you are truly in the hands of the brewmaster when it comes to the alcohol content of the beer you are drinking. You may very well have picked a lighter ale with a higher alcohol content than the dark lager your friend is drinking. Some lighter colored beers have a high alcohol content that can easily stand up to a big, bold, dark colored beer. So don’t feel less badass because you ordered something lighter in color than the beer veteran standing next to you.

Read more at  http://www.thedailymeal.com/10-alcohol-myths-just-aren-t-true/101713

The Moon is Nearly Full and the Zombies Are Riding

   Fantasy Fest is getting underway OFFICIALLY tonight with the Zombie Ride.   The nearly full moon will make this an eventful evening, There is a Zombie party at the Rum Bar on Duval Street this evening as well.   Everyone of the Zombies, be careful and have a great ride this evening.  ;o)
  

Zombie Bike Ride Tomorrow

     The 2013 edition of the Zombie Bike Ride goes off from We Cycle on Hwy 1 Stock Island at 6:30 pm tomorrow.   This is one of the great events of the Goombay - Fantasy Fest week.   Nearly 4,000 "Zombies " will mount bicycles and ride the 3 mile course to the finish on Duval Street.  There is a Zombie Beach Bash on Smather's Beach from 4 til 7 and a Zombie Den at Fogarty's on Duval Street.   The Hurricane Hole right next to We Cycle is offering cocktails out side in the staging area for all of the riders to purchase in preparation for the start of the ride.

    Last year the huge crowd rolled on to Key West from the Cow Key Bridge in droves.  This year they have promised even more of the living dead rolling into town. 

     If you haven't signed up yet, you can register on line at http://zombie-bike-ride.myshopify.com/products/wrist-band-registration

     Look forward to seeing all of you riding over the Cow Key Bridge again this year as I return home from work on Sunday.  ;o)

    

DUSA and Tito Cordero Win Golden Rum Barrel Awards

     DUSA the Venezuelan rum distiller that produces "Diplomatico" rum was named the recipient of the Golden Rum Barrel at the UK Rumfest last week.    Located in La Miel, Lara in the mountains of Venezuela, this very green distillery produces some of the finest rums in the world.  The honor is a well earned one for the distillery and all of the people there that make the process work.

Tito Cordero

     Tito Cordero,  Maestro Ronero (Rum Master) is only the third Master Blender at DUSA in the company's history.   This very talented man has taken the Diplomatico line of rums to a pinnacle of fine taste and true quality.   His creativity and ability to work out side of the box to create these fine rums  is unlike any other.    The Golden Rum Barrel award for distiller of the year was well deserved .

    

Ian Burrel

     “This year’s Golden Rum Barrel Awards plays tribute to the pioneers within the industry whether blend or being,” said Ian Burrel, founder of the UK Rumfest.

     “Rum’s rising popularity throughout the world can be attributed to many of these esteemed individuals or brands and we are thrilled to announce such an incredible range of distillers, master blenders, ambassadors and rum blends from all over the world.”

 

     DUSA and Tito Cordero are responsible for such wonderful rums a Diplomatico Reserva Exclusiva, Ambassador, Single Vintage 1997, and 2000, and the rest of the Diplomatico Line of fine rums. 

     I would like to pass on my personal congratulations to my friend Tito Cordero and the rest of the people that make everything happen at DUSA.  Keep the fine rums coming .  I just can't tell you how excited I am about tasting your new Single Vintage 2000 later this year.   ;o) 

Fantasy Fest and Goombay Begin Saturday in Key West

Fantasy Fest Brings a Super-Powered Celebration to Key West

 

 

 

By: Lauren Tjaden

     Have you ever dreamed of being Superman, a muscle-bound bloke who can leap buildings in a single bound? Or maybe you’d prefer to be the Joker, cloaked in green, purple and a twisted smile. Or maybe the Bionic Woman, a shapely do-gooder who humbles Fembots, is more to your liking.

Key West’s outrageous annual costuming celebration, Fantasy Fest, Oct. 18-27, 2013, is the ideal place to unleash your inner comic-book superstar, because this year’s theme is ‘Super Heroes, Villains... & Beyond.’

‘Beyond’ is an apt description not only for this year’s theme but for the Festival in general. It’s beyond crazy, beyond belief -- and beyond popular. In recent years, its attendance has surpassed 100,000 people, or more than three times the population of the island itself.

The gala includes events like a 5K run, a pet parade, and contests galore.  It includes Fantasy Fest Street Fair, a mile-long extravaganza of arts, crafts, food vendors, libations and costumed frivolity that spills down Duval Street. And it includes a plethora of parties --toga, pajama, bikini, pink and even tighty whitey parties – to keep the most dedicated reveler reeling.  

The world-renowned Captain Morgan Fantasy Fest Parade, Oct. 26, 2013, 7 p.m., caps off the celebration.

You should go. Because as Spider-Man said: I believe there's a hero in all of us that keeps us honest, gives us strength, makes us noble, and finally allows us to die with pride.

   This is the BIG ONE here in Key West and the one you don't want to miss.   I'll be sending pix and stories of the fun all week long next week as things unfold.  Parade night I'll be at my usual place don Duval Street selling the street side booze and watching all of the fun.

 

     Don't forget the Zombie Bicycle Ride coming this Sunday afternoon either.  Lots of zombies and lots of fun.    ;o)

 

 

Marques de Cuba Habanero: "El Ron Prohibido"

     Fraternity Spirits World announced they were offering their new prohibition rum, "Marques de Cuba Habanero".   This is a rum is that originated in Mexico during the 1700's.   Large numbers of barrels filled with Spanish sweet wine arrived in the new world , after the wine was depleted,  the barrels would be refilled with high quality Mexican produced rum and sent back to Spain.  

     Tequilera Corralejo produces the new rum offering, "Marques De Cuba Habanero ‘El Ron Prohibido’". By the year 1700, Spanish ships were arriving in the colonies of the New World loaded with products from Spain. One popular product was sweet wine stored in barrels, which were later emptied after use. These empty barrels were filled with "Chinguirito", which is rum that was produced in Mexico, and shipped back to Spain."

 

 

     As the rum aged in the sweet wine barrels during the trip back to Spain, it absorbed wood flavors and aroma from the sweet wine barrels, which gave it very special characteristics. The resulting rum became very popular in Spain.   "Chinguirito" was also known as Habanero because the last stop on the way back to Spain from the New World was Habana, Cuba.

 

     The kick-off for "Marques de Cuba Habanero" will be at the TFWA(Tax Free World Association) World Exhibition in Cannes from October 20 to 25.  This is a show for "Duty Free and Travel Retail Premium" vendors.   There are several other spirits producers that will be having a kick-off for their newest spirits at the event.

 

     I'm looking forward to my next trip to the Caribbean in December and a chance to pick up a bottle of this unique rum at one of the "Duty Free" Shops at the airports.  ;o)

 

This Blog has "Gone to Hell"

     No, I didn't just make a pun out of a title, I went there in July.   Hell is a little wide spot in the road in the West End of Grand Cayman.    As I left Georgetown and headed up to West End, I found myself "on the road to Hell"

    

     "Whatever lies behind the name, it’s definitely an appropriate one. The black, jagged rock formation gives an intimidating impression of what Hell may be like.   These jagged rock formations occupy an area around half the size of a soccer field. Walking  among the rocks is no longer permitted, to prevent any further damage to the site.    However, two observation platforms give a fascinating view of Dante's Landscape.

     The rock outcrops are not lava, despite the appearance of same. They are limestone and dolomite that has been eroded over the years by algae.  The resultant land form is called a phytokarst. The algae attacks the calcium in the limestone leaving "the devil's garden" made up of the harder dolomite. These shapes are what you can see in Hell today. There is no more erosion expected, because the algae requires water to stay alive. The rock was originally bright white in color, but has been blackened by the algae, giving rise to its devilish look today.

     The Hell Post Office is one of the biggest attractions in Hell.  You can send all of your friends a "Post Card from Hell", as I did and so many others as well.   All in all quite a unique experience, "going to Hell".  I guess you can say it was a "Hell of an experience".   Maybe I need to "get the Hell out of here" and put this blog to bed.
 

More Ideas from Vintage Cocktails with Rum

     Last week I worked with some of the vintage Vodka Cocktails and substituted rums.   I was very pleased with the results, so this week it is Bourbon's turn.   I have done this before, with Mount Gay Black Barrel and XO to yield some very interesting and flavorful libations.   Today I'm going to try this with a Panamanian rum called "Zafra".  This rum is very well suited to the task, it has great bourbon notes and other fine attributes that make it perfect for the cocktails.

     As most origins of the older cocktails go, there are a several versions of how the “Sidecar” originated.   One version, says that it was developed in a Paris bistro during World War I by a barman for an American Army captain in Paris "and named after the motorcycle sidecar in which the good captain was driven to and from the little bistro where the drink was born and christened".     It seems that the cocktail was a huge hit at “Harry’s Bar in Paris as well.   Like many other cocktails out of the past, there are several theories and tales of their origins, but the cocktail is what really matters and not who created it.




Zafra Sidecar

• 1 oz. Zafra Master Reserve Rum
• 1/4 oz. Cointreau
• 2 oz. Sweet and Sour

Place all of the ingredients into a shaker with ice and shake until chilled.    Strain into a chilled Martini Glass with a sugared rim (Sugar in the Raw).  Garnish with an orange zest.

    Try some other rums if you like, but look for the strong bourbon or cognac notes in the rum.   Just one note the original was said to be made with cognac or brandy, this later became bourbon in the 1940's.   Anyway try this version I think you will really enjoy it.

Pilar and Cojimar

     Papa Hemingway would spend much of his life in pursuit of game fish all over the Caribbean and Atlantic Oceans.   He has been pictured in Joe Russell's boat "Anita", and many others. but the majority of his fishing time was aboard his prized fishing yacht "Pilar".     Though purchased while living in Key West, most of her productive days were spent in Cuba.     Cojimar, the little fishing village just to the east of Havana was her home for many many years.

     There is a painting in the La Terraza de Cojimar Restaurante and Bar that shows her sitting just off of the dock and the Spanish built fort used to protect the eastern side of the bay from attacks by pirates and war ships.

     After their fishing expeditions Hemingway and Captain Fuentes could be found at the La Terraza de Cojimar  enjoying some great food, drink and sharing their stories with the rest of the local crowd of fishermen and friends.

     Today Pilar stands fully restored at Hemingway's home in San Francisco de Paula, Cuba.  Hemingway and his Captain Fuentes seats are preserved at the restaurant and bar they so regularly would hang out.

     Old Man and the Sea became a Nobel Prize winner and the town still remains a sleepy little fishing village with a very colorful past.   It still has the warmth and friendly people that drew Hemingway to it in the 1940's.   ;o)

That's Right, Ian's Alley Rum!

Mancos Valley Distillery
 

     Ian's Alley Rum is very interesting small batch craft rum made in the mountains of Colorado.     Mancos Valley Distillery is the dream come true of Ian James, who spent two decades as a commercial brewer in Durango and Cortex, Colorado.   Economics and the real world facts of too many craft breweries in the area pushed him toward building the distillery.   Hidden in the back alley, Ian's homemade still produces a very nice white rum.   The still is located in the back room of the bar that serves many fine "boat drinks", made from his craft rums made in the back room.   The bar also has live entertainment  on a regular basis.

     The rum is made from evaporated cane juice and pure Rocky Mountain snow melt.  The mash is fermented on site in an manner that combines the old world with modern technology to make this very interesting rum.     The process is carried out by Ian.  From the cane to the bottling of this rum takes about two weeks.   It is processed in five copper clad pots that were made from pieces and parts he had collected over the years as a brewer.   The "cane wine" is double distilled in pot stills and then past through a third polishing still before bringing it down to 80 proof and bottling.  The initial 75 gallons of mash yields about seven cases of Ian's Alley Rum.  The process was worked out by Ian in a "trial and error" method, but the results are worth the efforts.


     This is the product of a small town, it also is a very nice and smooth white rum that I find very refreshing in this era of sugared and flavoring to hide the low quality of many distillates out there on the market.   Ian's Alley Rum has a very distinct flavor with hints of an agricole influence, made from evaporated sugar cane juice, instead of molasses, yielding a flavor that is sweet and still pretty neutral.  The finish is clean and has virtually no burn.   Ian's Alley Rum is a great rum for mixing, and is also available as a spiced rum.   There is also a coffee liqueur that is made there as well.


    Pretty impressive products from this 7,000 foot high town in the Mancos Valley of Colorado.   I'm not going to say it, but this is truly a "Rocky Mountain High".  ;o)

Brugal's Especial Extra Dry

     I've been working with a lot of Vodka recipes and converting them to made with rum.   One of the problems with the conversion has been finding a rum that isn't to sweet.   I've finally run across the answer to the problem.  Brugal's Especial Extra Dry, the perfect white rum for making cocktails like martinis, cosmos, or any other of the dryer vodka cocktails.  

     This is a crystal clear dry rum that is absolutely perfect for mixing your sophisticated dry cocktails.  I've been experimenting with several new and classic ideas, Especial has made the change over is seamless.  Just use the Brugal Especial Extra Dry instead of the vodka and you will be amazed at the flavor and smoothness of your new found cocktails.

    I got a hold of a fresh cucumber the other day and started doing some experimenting with it along with the Brugal Especial Extra Dry and found a really tasty combination.





Cucumber Especial

• 2 oz. Brugal Especial Extra Dry
• 2 Cucumber Slices
• 3/4 oz. Agave Nectar
• Juice of 1/2 Lime

Lightly muddle the cucumber, agave nectar and the lime juice in a shaker, add the rum and shake until chilled.  Strain into a Martini Glass and garnish with a cucumber slice floated on the surface.

     This is a very light and unique tasting cocktail that I found very refreshing and perfect for an after work cocktail on the aft deck at sunset. 

Frangipani

     The "Frangipani" is another of the 50's era cocktails that has been bounced around and cynicized as a "dumbed-down Hemingway Daiquiri", but upon examination of this cocktail you will find it to be a different and enjoyable cocktail.  The addition of more grapefruit juice replacing the lime and the addition of sweetener in some versions makes this a very different experience.   There is very little information on this cocktail out there on the web, but it seems to appear every now an then in the historical cocktail discussions.

     I've found two very different recipes for this delicate cocktail, and I do have to admit, both sound very interesting.

Gourmet Frangipani

• 1 oz. Golden Rum (Good Aged one)
• 1 oz. Grapefruit Juice
• 3 dashes of Luxardo Maraschino Liqueur

Place all ingredients in a shaker with cracked ice and shake until chilled.   Strain into a Martini Glass and serve.

     The second version is significantly different, in that it is made with pineapple juice instead of Grapefruit Juice.

Frangipani #2

• 1 oz. Golden Rum (Good Aged One)
• 1 oz. Pineapple Juice
• 3 dashes of Luxardo Maraschino Liqueur

Place all ingredients in a shaker with cracked ice and shake until chilled.   Strain into a Martini Glass and serve.

     the two recipes yield very different cocktail flavors.  The Frangipani #2 is much sweeter and it is easy to over do it with the Luxardo.   The Gourmet Frangipani is really tart like a Hemingway Daiquiri, but the flavor is significantly different.   Don't be afraid to add a few drops of cane syrup or agave nectar if it is too tart for your palate.  Try both of them, and see where it takes your taste buds.  ;o)