"Look Out Pretty Mama I'm on the Road Again:" Back up to the Lake

     Work time up in Charlotte, North Carolina has me back up at the lake again.  This trip it isn't going to be
snow and freezing weather like the previous ones.  Might even get a chance to take an evening cruise of the lake with some friends for the first time in years.
      For a lot of years this was where I lived and my playground for many years before moving to The Florida Keys.  I have a lot of fond memories of good times and friends that I don't get to see nearly as often as I would like to.   This is a business trip, but the evenings and the nights are still mine to see some old friends and maybe get reacquainted with the lake.



     There are a lot of fun things to do on the lake, rafting up with friends at the "sand bar", water skiing, or just cruising around.  The scenery is just gorgeous and the people are really friendly, much like they are in the Keys.   Even fishermen can enjoy the lake that is loaded with bass and other fish.

     Look out Lake Norman, Bahama Bob is returning for a short, but fun visit. 

Sugarcane Fields Through Different Eyes

My travels to many islands and countries has given me a different perspective of the sugarcane plant.  I was fooling around with the tools of digital photography the other day and found that you can really get rather "artsy" with your pictures.   Below is a sugarcane field just outside of the Diplomatico Plant in Venezuela's mountains.  The colors are not real, but the effect is very interesting.  ;o)

Cachaca: Brazil's Sugarcane Spirit

     Cachaca is one of the sugarcane spirits that is rarely talked about, yet very widely consumed by tourist to Brazil and Locals as well.   Found throughout Brazil and many American bars, this very basic spirit is beginning to take hold and has gained recognition as an ingredient in several very popular Brazilian cocktails.

     “It is produced in over 20 of the 27 states in Brazil. You have different types of sugar cane used. There are then the different types of wood used in the ageing process and on top of that, you have blends of cachaça that were aged in different woods. The world of cachaça is as rich and as varied as Brazil itself.”


     The major difference between Cachaca and Rum is that rum is usually made from molasses, a by-product from refineries that boil the cane juice to extract as much sugar crystal as possible, while cachaça is made from fresh sugarcane juice that is fermented and distilled.    As some rums are also made by this process, cachaça is also known as Brazilian rum.     However, the United States recognized Cachaça as a distinctive Brazilian product by signing an agreement with Brazil in which Ron Kirk and Brazil's Fernando Pimetel were involved, hopefully this is likely to drop the usage of the expression "Brazilian Rum".
    The history of Brazil's National Spirit is interesting see it really did not start in Brazil.  “Sugar production was mostly switched from Madeira Island to Brazil by the Portuguese in the 16th century. In Madeira Aguardente de cana is made by distilling sugar cane. The pot stills that make Aguardente de cana in Madeira were brought to Brazil to make what today is also called Cachaça. “

     The distillation process dates back to 1532, when one of the Portuguese colonizers brought the first cuttings of sugar cane over to Brazil from Madeira.    Cachaça is mostly produced in Brazil, where, according to 2007 figures, 1.5 billion liters (390 million gallons) are consumed annually, compared with 15 million liters (4.0 million gallons) outside the country.   It is typically between 38% and 48% abv.    When it is homemade it can be as strong as the distiller wants.  I find it interesting that up to six grams per litre of sugar may be added for flavor."

Caipirinha

·         Juice of ½ Lime

·         2 Teaspoon of Fine Sugar

·         2 oz. Cachaca

Place Cachaca, lime juice and sugar in a shaker with ice and shake until chilled.  Strain into a rocks glass with a sugar in the raw rim.  Garnish with lime wheel.

     The Caipirinha can be made with almost any juicy fruit instead of the lime, many version which are found through out Brazil and the rest of the world.  Let your imagination run and enjoy the fun of the varieties of Caipirinha you can create.

Beaches: Worldwide Chill Spot

     It is really funny, Key west isn't really known for its beaches, but still people gather every day and fill them here.  It doesn't have to be one of the top ten beaches in the world for people to gather and really have fun.  Whether it is Volleyball, football  or tossing a Frisbee people will come in masses to the beach anywhere that there is one.






     I really like several of the beaches that I have had the opportunity to walk down one,  There is
a beautiful beach with the famous little beach bar on White Bay on Jost Van Dyke in the British Virgin Islands, Granada is loaded with beautiful beaches as well as the Bahamas.   Where you find beaches you find a flock of people that are enjoying them. 




     I'm getting off of the Rock  for a few days and headed north to Lake Norman.  Business trip, but
the weather has finally warmed up and I can wear shorts and visit some of my favorite watering holes in the evening as well.  But, it is the beaches even on the lakes that draw the crowds every day all summer long.

   Is it your beach time yet?  I'm really ready to head south and find a beautiful beach and a bottle of rum and just sip and relax for a week or so.  How about the Caymans, Jamaica,  or maybe Cancun.   Arte you getting the picture yet?   It is time finally after this ridiculous long freezing winter behind us and head for the beaches again.  ;o)

"The Journalist": What Does This Bring to Mind?

   The Journalist, this is a concept that brings back a picture of an inquisitive man with a trench coat
and a brimmed hat, lerking through the streets searching for the next great story.   The 30's and 40's were made based on this person.  Clark Kent, when he wasn't "Superman", was the "mild mannered reporter from the "Daily Planet".   I always picture Cary Grant in "His Girl Friday" or Clark Gable in "It Happen One Night" sitting at the desk hammering on a "Royal" or a "Smith Corona" desktop model  trying to make deadline and then heads straight for the local bar where all of the other "Journalists" hang out to down several cocktails.

     Now we are at the part of the story that I would like to talk about.   The bar time for the movie and

the real journalists was where you got the real scoop.  Picking up bit and pieces of gossip as you plied your source with liquor.   In a book called "Tropical Bar Book", written in 1986, has a chapter that is dedicated to the famous Cuban Cocktails of the era.  There were drinks like "September Morn" that was invented at the Hotel Inglaterra Bar, or the "Mary Pickford" from the Hotel Seville.   One that I found to be very interesting is "The Journalist" (Periodista in Cuban)   The history of this drink is very fuzzy, but most agree that it was of Cuban origin and most likely from one of the hotel bars in Havana during the late 30's or early 40's.   It was said to be one of Hemingway's often enjoyed cocktails, but that was just a rumor also.  

   Periodista (Journalist)

• 1 1/2 oz. White Rum
• 2 Splashes of Triple Sec
• 2 Splashes of Apricot Brandy
• Juice of 1/2 Lime
• 1 Teaspoon of Sugar

Mix in a shake filled with ice and strain into a cocktail glass with a twist of lime.

Leave it to me to play with this cocktail a little bit, but there are a few new items that I feel can enhance the flavor a bit.


Bahama Bob's Periodista

• 1 1/2 oz. Matusalem Platino Rum
• 3/4 oz. Apricot Brandy
• 3/4 oz. Pierre Ferrand Dry Curacao
• Juice of 1/2 Lime
• 1 Teaspoon of Cane Syrup

Mix in a shake filled with ice and strain into a chilled cocktail glass with a twist of lime.

Start of Hurricane Season and a Rainy Day in Key West

   Hurricane season is in it's fourth day and all is calm.  All of the names have been chosen for the 2014 season, and now we just wait to see what this season brings.   It has been nearly 8 years since we have seen a hurricane here in Key West, though there have been several tropical storms pass over us.  Here in Key West our biggest concern is the storm surge that these storms bring.  With an average elevation of only 3 feet above seal level it doesn't take much of a surge to cause serious flooding.  The wind and rain do little damage here because the buildings have long been built to hurricane standards and people put up the shutters and prepare for these storms.

     This morning we are seeing the first rain in several weeks and it really means nothing other than the plants are getting some much needed irrigation and the tourists are going to be unhappy for choosing today for their vacation.   As for me I still enjoy walking along the docks in the mornings feeling the warm rains on my neck and the relatively cooler day.  

     I just hope that we can just enjoy our summer and maybe have a few threats that never develop into a full fledged hurricane again this year.   Hurricane parties are always fun, but there is a lot of work that must be done before we can just sit and party waiting for the storm to blow through.  As fun as these parties are, they are just the preparation for a lot of work when the storm has blown itself out.   We are in the season now, and lets just wait and see what Mother Nature has in store for us this year.


2014 Hurricane Names

Arthur  Bertha  Cristobal  Dolly  Edouard   Fay  Gonzalo

Hanna  Isaias  Josephine  Kyle  Laura  Marco  Nana 

Omar  Paulette  Rene  Sally  Teddy  Vicky  Wilfred

 

Havana Day Dreaming and Wishing That I was There.

   Seeing the pictures and reading about all of the fun that my friend is having in Havana this week, has me longing to head back over there for some more fun again.  The place is so magic, all of the great places and entertainment has me longing to go back today.   This past weekend at the bar, every one wanted to talk about Havana and what the place is like.  I long to return to the incredible time warp that is Havana and Cuba.  This hasn't eased my longing to return at all.



     I wish that there weren't so many things happening this year, it is making it very hard to escape like I would really like to.   The El Floridita, Sloppy Joe's, Hotel
Nacional de Cuba, The Tropicana, and of course the Bodeguita del Medio all wonderful places to visit.  Climbing to the top of the Bacardi Building and viewing the Havana Skyline is breath taking.   So many things and places that you can spend a year there and still be missing so many unique things and places.


    If I don't make it this year there is always next year.  Still want to visit Santiago de Cuba and see the original Bacardi distillery that is now producing Santiago de Cuba rums, very nice rums at that.   The historic city of Santiago de Cuba has so much history that I could spend weeks there as well.  So much to see, and I am still drawn in so many directions to get everything done and see so many other places..  




     To my friend, have a great visit and I will see you when you
return.  ;o)
 

How About a Rum Smoothie for Dessert?

     Rum for desert, wow what a concept. I have gotten several desert like expressions lately, and I have been playing around with them in the Rum Lab, finding some pretty exciting combinations.  El Dorado has come out with a Golden Rum Cream that is a desert all by itself, but with a little bit of experimenting you can really create some special evening by the pool or on the patio after dinner cocktails using it.

     Using fresh fruits in your dessert cocktails will work very well also. I have had some very good luck playing with strawberry, raspberry, pineapple, grapefruit, and peaches all work very well.  I started out with fresh strawberry and a couple pieces of fresh pineapple and threw them into the blender along with the El Dorado Golden Rum Cream and Brinley's Gold Shipwreck Mango Rum and ended up with a pretty tasty smoothie style dessert cocktail.  These fruit flavors really work well together make this smoothie something special.  This is one of those areas that you can really let your imagination roam and develop some very good things.

     Give this one a try some evening soon, you will really enjoy it's full flavor with all of the fresh fruits and rums that match the quality.



Bahama Bob's Fruity Rum Smoothie

• 2 Large Strawberry's (leaves Off)
• 2 Good Size Pieces of Pineapple
• 2 oz. El Dorado Golden Rum Cream
• 1 oz. Brinley's Gold Shipwreck Mango Rum

Place all ingredients in a blender with a small amount of ice and blend until smooth.  Pour into a chilled rocks glass and garnish with a strawberry.

The Tropicana Theater, Cuba

   One of the highlights of my visit to Havana last July, was attending a show at the fabled Tropicana
Theater and seeing the 1930's and 40's era show.   My thoughts went straight to Carmen Miranda, "The Brazilian Bombshell" and her magical singing and dancing through some 14 movies between 1945 and 1953.   Attending a show at the Tropicana will take you right back to that era and put a smile on your face.  It's like Jimmy Buffett says so well in his song, "They don't dance like Carmen no more".





   If you ever get to Havana don't let anyone talk you out of attending a show at this wonderful historic theater.   I've seen it and will attend again when I return to Havana again.

An Orange Colada Surprise

     Fooling around in the Rum Lab is always an enjoyable afternoon for me.  Today was no exception, I was fooling around with some coladas and bringing back some of the old ideas that I have gleaned from reading a couple of old books that have crossed my desk in the past month.  It seems that sugarcane, rum and coconut have been great friends ever since the early 1500’s.   Sugarcane and coconut palms are both natives of the South Seas and became part of the Caribbean as a result of explorers and trades bringing them from Europe and Asia.  

 

    With that in mind, I figured it was time to continue the marriage and see what ne things I can come up with for a luscious new cocktail.    I have used the coconut in many forms in my cocktails before, and today I will be exploring them again in what I hope will end up tasty and fun.   Coconut water and cream of coconut are two ways to put the coconut into the cocktail.   Coconut Water is a good mix to keep the taste of the rum in the forefront and still cut the bite of the rum.  It is also an electrolyte rich mixer that offers some positive benefits to your cocktail.    Cream of coconut is another great mixer, that can add depth and a solid background to the cocktail from which you can add juices, fruits, or syrups to fill in the accents for your cocktail.

     Today I am working with Cream of coconut and using half and half to create a very rich and creamy colada.   I’m going to work with an orange flavor to see what I can create.   The idea comes from a frozen treat that I could get as a kid called a 50/50.   I had an orange coating on the outside and an ice cream center.   In case you haven’t guessed yet, this is going to be a frozen cocktail.

Bahama Bob’s Orange Colada Surprise

·         2 oz. El Dorado Spiced Rum

·         2 oz. Cream of Coconut

·         1 oz.  Half and Half

·         1 oz. Pierre Ferrand Dry Curacao

·         1 oz. Orange Juice

 

Place all ingredients in a blender with 1 ½ cups of ice and blend until smooth.   Pour into a Pint Glass and garnish with an orange wheel.   Float with Plantation Overproof Rum and grate fresh nutmeg on the top.

Rum's Fourteen Most Interesting People

     Wednesday the Caribbean Journal announced its 14 most interesting people.  This is the inaugural  selection and there are some very interesting if you will people on the list.   The Caribbean Journal is one of the most influential papers in all of the Caribbean and I am sure that they put some effort into their picks.

     "Who are the most interesting people in the rum industry? It’s not an easy question to answer, of course. At Rum Journal, our chief mission is to raise the level of conversation about rum to the way people around the world treat fine wine or other spirits. And so to answer this question, we focused on one primary definition of interesting: that is, who are the people who are helping to showcase the beauty, romance and wonder of rum — and doing their part to raise the global interest level in the Caribbean’s signature spirit? These are our picks for the inaugural Most Interesting People in Rum list."


Read more at http://www.caribjournal.com/2014/05/28/the-most-interesting-people-in-rum/

     It was an honor to be listed as one of the lists members, many of these people have been so helpful to me over the years to glean information about the spirits of the sugarcane and I am proud to call many of them my friends.  Thanks again to The Caribbean Journal for making me a part of this list. ;o)

Marti Autentico Licor de Ron

     I've gotten the new cocktail bug here lately, and as I was digging through the collection of rums, I stumbled upon this interesting old bottle of  Marti Autentico Licor de Ron.   Made in the traditional Cuban style of super premium rum along with tropical limes and refreshing mint added to create this pre-Castro Cuban iconic expression.  Sometimes referred to as the Mojito Rum, the lime and mint flavor does pick up the essence of the cocktail made famous by the Bodeguita del Medio in central Havana.

     According to the information I have been able to gather about this unusual bottle, a well known master distiller (Don Pancho Fernandez says it wasn't him) created this expression in the traditional pre-Castro Cuban rum style of the late 1950's.  He drew upon the traditional methods to create this Cuban favorite.  The rum has a distinctive fruity mint flavor that was created to represent the essence of Cuba in the 1950's.

     Named for Jose Marti, one of Cuba's most beloved patriots.  The premium quality of the rum can be savored neat, on the rocks or mixed in any number of cocktails including the traditional Cuban Mojito.

Put Some Life in Your Cocktails with Licor 43

     I discovered Licor 43 several years ago, and have found it to be a wonderful addition to most anything that I have tried to put it in.  Licor 43 is a very secret blend of ingredients that us unmatched in any other liqueur that I have ever tasted.  I is a very complex blend that really comes to life with aromas light citrus, vanilla, extremely light touch of warm spice, but not spicy. Almost thought there might be possible hints of saffron, but if there is any saffron it is very faint.   On the palate there is a bit if soft syrupy feel with a hint of butterscotch, rich toffee, lush, decadent, sweetened like honey with no sharp sugary edge. Lingering sweetness of juicy light flavored citrus. Faintest hint of floral.

     The real interesting part of this liqueur is how it will mix with nearly everything and bring out a nice improvement in the mix.  It is one of those truly universal liqueurs that you can mix with everything from milk, to fruits, juices, or even other spirits with resounding success.

     Here are a couple of ideas to try,  I found them very delightful.

 

Café  Leche 43

·         1/2 oz. Licor 43

·         1 oz.  Brinley Gold Coffee Rum

·         1 oz. El Dorado Golden Rum Cream

Pour ingredients in rocks glass over ice. Stir and serve. 

 

43 Rum Cozmo

·         1-1/4 oz.  Licor 43

·         1 1/2 oz. Brugal Blanco

·         1  oz.  Pierre Ferrand Dry Curacao

·         2 oz. Cranberry Juice

·         Orange Zest Garnish

Build in a Shaker filled with fresh ice and strain into a Martini Glass. Garnish with orange zest.

The Fly Boys of Boca Chica Channel

    Today I'm just floating down through Boca Chica Channel watching the Navy Fly Boys bring in their fighters for a landing at NAS Key West.  The roar of the jets is a regular sound down here in the keys, whether from the Key West International Airport or NAS Key West.  It is a sound of freedom for our country and a chance to marvel at some of the most sophisticated flying machines in the world.  The way the pilots handle them is also very impressive.



     Having owned aircraft in my previous world, I really enjoy seeing all the varieties of them around here.   To spend an afternoon out on the water watching the mechanical birds is almost as much fun as observing "mother natures".   I find it to be an interesting dichotomy  because there are a large number of birds the hang out just off the end of the runway in Boca Chica Channel.  These two birds do not do well together, many of aircraft has been lost from mid air collisions with birds.  This is very dangerous and not a good thing for either of the "flocks".



   No matter how you chop it up, it is a great way to spend an afternoon, birds and planes, both very spectacular.   Hope that you are enjoying your Memorial Day Monday like I have.  ;o)

Summer Cocktails with Cachaca

   Cachaca is a Brazilian sugarcane brandy, known by the natives of Brazil as Batidas.    Usually distilled directly from the sap of the sugarcane plant.  The sap is generally fermented for two to three weeks in copper or wooden vats, then distilled in pot stills.  The majority of cachaca's are not aged, but there are some premium ones that have up to 2 years in the barrel and filtered back to a clear color again.

    Cachaca has become popular primarily because of the Brazilian cocktail known as the "Caipirinha" or peasants drink.  The original recipe only calls for lime juice, sugar and cachaca.   It is most commonly mixed right in the glass from which it will be consumed.  There are several other "Batida" cocktails that are very simple out there, but make sure that the mix has a certain amount of sweetness and fruit juices, because Cachaca is a very basic sugarcane spirit that has a strong bite and grassy flavor.  Generally when  found in Brazil in an "overproof" expression that has some serious bite if you try to consume it straight.

Classic Caipirinha

• Juice of a half lime
• 1 to 2 teaspoons of Sugar (to taste)
• 2 oz. Cachaca

Combine the lime, sugar, and ice in a sugar lined tumbler and stir until sugar is dissolved.   Add Cachaca and stir again, garnish with a lime wheel

Bahama Bob's Batida de la Fresa

• 2 to 3 Fresh Strawberries
• 1 oz. Half and Half
• 1/2 oz.  Cream of Coconut
• 2 oz. Cachaca

Place all ingredients in a blender with ice and blend until smooth, pour into a chilled cocktail glass and garnish with a fresh strawberry

Fast Boats and Summer Fun

     The time of year is finally arriving for everyone to get the boats out of storage and have fun on the lakes, bays and oceans here in America.  So looking forward to boating season this year.  Hanging out at the remote beaches, rafting up with friends on the sand bars and all of the other things that are so much fun about boating.   ;o)

Annual Key West Powerboat Races in November

The Daiquiri Revisited for the Patio Season

Jennings Cox

     The Daiquiri is one of the forever type of cocktail that can be traced to the copper mines in the Cuban province of Oriente and a near by village of Daiquiri.  Jennings Cox is credited with its original creation out of desperate situation of only having white run, lime, ice and sugar when friends were coming by.   The cocktail later came to be very popular when a master of the cocktail named Constante Ribailagua head barman and later owner of the El Floridita in Havana put his mind to the daiquiri.  Besides making the first frozen daiquiri, he made a very special daiquiri for "Papa" Hemingway.

     Today, the daiquiri has taken many forms, from the "slushy machine" sugar drizzle to the classic daiquiri named for the village in which it was invented.   I still love to fool around with new daiquiri recipes, they can be a very rewarding cocktail with widely accepted results.  From my position behind the Rum Bar in Key West I get the opportunity to introduce this classic to many new enthusiasts every day.   Most are looking for something very clean and not really sweet, so the "La Floridita Daiquiri" or the "Papa Doble" are very popular with my guests.



     I was fooling around with a new idea using Dry Curacao the other day and I came up with a new daiquiri that really has some very special flavor.  This is in the classic daiquiri style in that it is not a frozen daiquiri. 

Bahama Bob's Dry Curacao Daiquiri

• 2 oz. Matusalem Platino White Rum
• 3/4 oz. Pierre Ferrand Dry Curacao
• Juice of a Half Lime
• 1/2 oz. Cane Syrup

Placing all ingredients into a shaker filled with ice, shake until fully chilled and strain into a chilled fluted cocktail glass and garnish with an orange zest.  To make this by the pitcher, just multiply the amounts by 12.

     I think you will find this to be a very refreshing summer patio cocktail that you can make one by one or in a pitcher for a group of friends.  ;o)

Bacardi Gran Reserva Maestro de Ron Announced

    There has been an announcement for the release of the newest of the Bacardi line of rums.  Bacardi Gran Reserva Maestro de Ron, a white sipping rum, that will be available in airports around the world.  This is a release that is aimed at the "Duty Free" market to give it a world wide launched around the world this summer.

    I had the opportunity to taste this expression at the Bacardi Penthouse Party during the Miami Rum Festival last month and I feel like this is going to be a winner for Bacardi.   Although you have to travel out of the country in order to get your hands on a bottle of this rum, when you get the opportunity to visit an out of country airport liquor shop, pick up a bottle of this one.

    Bacardi Gran Reserva Masetro de Ron was inspired by a recipe passed down through the generations of master blenders at Bacardi and uses  slow-filtering of the blended rum that has been aged up to three years.  The filtering is accomplished through the use of a coconut shell charcoal, creating an extremely smooth rum.    The rum has some fruity, floral and vanilla notes along with a nuttiness and some notes of oak as well.  The  taste is mellow, with slightly sweet notes.  

     Mike Birch, Bacardi Global Travel Retail, said: “The global super premium white spirits segment has grown strongly over the past decade and, backed by the unique quality and heritage of the Bacardi brand and its market-leading position in the category, we are seizing a clear opportunity to upgrade existing white spirits shoppers into the super-premium white rum segment."

     “We are confident that this stunning innovation with Bacardi Gran Reserva Maestro de Ron will set the pace globally for growth in the rum category and inject new levels of excitement among consumers that will ultimately lead to premiumisation of the rum category as a whole.”

     This is a significant step for Bacardi into the realm of premium white rums, Bacardi Gran Reserva Masetro de Ron joins the Facundo Rum Neo launched last November as fine premium white sipping rums.  ;o)