Playing Around with Pink Pigeon Rum

     One of the new rum that I have come upon this year is Pink Pigeon, a very uniquely flavorful rum from Mauritius.   The rum gets its name from a pink pigeon that is indigenous to the area and no where else.  According to Wikipedia the pink pigeon is found on Mauritius in patches of forest in the national park region of the southwest, as well on Ile aux Aigrettes, a nature reserve off the southeast coast of Mauritius. Further plans to release populations of the pink pigeons in the east coast mountains are under way. 

     I discovered that this is a very difficult rum to use in cocktails, because of the very unique flavors, but I was able to come up with this one recipe that worked very well.

Candy Pigeon Burst

• 1 1/2 oz. Pink Pigeon Rum
• 1/2 oz. DeKuyper Butterscotch Burst
• 1/2 oz. Crème of Coconut
• Juice of 1/2 Lime

Place all ingredients in a shaker filled with ice and shake until chilled, pour into a Collins glass and garnish with a lime zest.

Give this one a try I think you will be pleasantly surprised.   ;o)

    

    

Sunset in Key West

     One of the biggest attractions for the visitors to Key West is Mallory Square and the Sunset Festival.    This attraction is always a lot of fun and filled with local artisans and characters to entertain you, but the headliner is mother nature and her light show as the sun drops into the sea each evening.   This is just one of the very different ways that she fills our eyes with wonder as she performs her magic at the end of each day.  ;o)

Cruzan Distillery and St. Croix

    The morning was a beautiful one as we waited for the arrival of the seaplane on St. Thomas.  We were headed for St. Croix and an opportunity to visit the Cruzan Distillery.   This was going to be a fun day, not just for the visit to Cruzan, but a seaplane ride and an opportunity to see St. Croix as well.    The plane scooted across the harbor and into the air and 20 minutes later we splashed down in Christiansted, St. Croix.

     The little village of Christiansted is one of those European look towns with historic buildings and narrow streets.   This is a  warm village with many shops and great little water front restaurants.    We managed to hire a cab for the day and off we went to visit the Cruzan Distillery.









     Upon arriving at the distillery we were taken into the welcome center and introduced to some of their fine products, the rum you know.  They later took us on a tour of the facilities.  First to the fermentation tanks, then to the still and the aging sheds.  This was a surprisingly small distillery, but it was able to produce a large amount of rum anyway.    I found it interesting that they were able to use the dregs of the distilling process to make cattle and poultry feed.  They were able to make use of most of the waste materials.  

    The real important part of the story is the rum, and they do make some very nice rums.  The majority of the product is put on tanker ships and hauled to Auburndale, Florida and flavored and bottled at the plant there.   Some of the rum is aged at the distillery and bottled here in St. Croix.  The flavored rums are great for punches and other tropically unique cocktails.  The Aged rums are wonderfully smooth and flavorful for more traditional cocktails and sipping.

    This was a fun and filled with interesting information and some really good tasting.  Plus the chance to visit St. Croix and a seaplane ride to get there and return.   The people of St. Croix were warm and very helpful for us on the trip, and I look forward to a return visit in the near future.  The rums were very good too.  ;o)

Too Much Fireworks and Rum

     Ever have one of those mornings after the holiday that you had to work on?   I'm having one today.    I spent too much time at the Hurricane Hole last night  drinking rum with some very rambunctious friends watching a great fireworks display or 3 or 4 displays.   It seems that a lot of people down here in Key West go buy great fireworks and set them off on the Fourth of July.  This makes for a fun evening away from all of the crowds jammed on the beach and lining South Roosevelt Blvd.

   Though it was a great spectacle last night I stayed up too late and maybe had one of two extra glasses of rum, I can say that I enjoyed the evening immensely.    I can say that I'm glad that 4th of July only happens once a year, and I don't have too may reasons to stay out until the later hours of the evening any more often.

    Anyway, I've got this edition just about completed and ready to head down to the Rum Bar for another fun day with all of the 4th of July party crowd.   I love the fact that so many people come down to the keys to enjoy this holiday, it is always a ton of fun.   Thanks one and all for making Key West you destination for fun and frolic, we love ya down here.   ;o)

Happy Fourth of July All

     This morning started with a small shower and then a beautiful sunrise.   How can it get any better, with fireworks and a lot of fun celebrating the 237th birthday of our wonderful country.   Enjoy this day in your own special way, and it starts over again tomorrow enjoying the long weekend of fun.  ;o)

Independance Day Cocktail Time

     When I think about a cocktail for the fourth of July, I think about three.  A Red, White and Blue cocktail, giving you three distinct flavors to choose from.


The Red Cocktail

 

· 1 ½ oz. Vanilla Rum

· 1 oz. Spiced Rum

· ½ oz. Pomegranate Liqueur

· ½ oz. Lime Juice

· 1 ½ oz. Pineapple Juice.

Place all ingredients in a shaker filled with ice, and shake until chilled.   Strain into a pint glass filled with ice.     Garnish with an orange and a Cherry.

 

The Blue Cocktail

 

 

· ½ oz. White Rum

· ½ oz. Blue Curacao

· 3/4 oz. Fireball

· ½ oz. Pineapple Juice

Place all ingredients into a shaker with ice and shake until chilled, strain into a rocks glass and serve as a shot.

 

 

The White Cocktail

· 1 ½ oz. Abuelo 7 Year Old Rum

· 3/4 oz. Siesta Key Spiced Rum

· 1 1/2 oz. Pineapple Juice

· 1 1/2 oz. Crème of Coconut 

Put all ingredients into a Cocktail glass filled with ice, shake, top up with Barritt’s Ginger Beer and garnish with an American Flag

 

Try one of all of these fun fourth of July Cocktails for your patio party, they will bring things to life and refresh you on a warm afternoon.   Remember that the Fourth of July is to celebrate the independence of our country and a day for fun.  Keep you alcohol related fun off of the highways.  If you have had any to many, call a cab or get home by some means other than driving.  I like having my readers and don't want to loose any of you.  ;o)

 

 

The Color in Your Rum: Where Does it Come From?

Burnt and Unburnt Barrel Stave's

     The color of rum, it is what draws you in and makes you really want it.  In the case of the white rums a yellowish tinge will generally turn you away from, but why?  The yellow is the color that rum turns when it has spent a short period of time in an oak barrel that is unburnt.  This is a indication of the natural flavoring, but it is filtered out to make the white rums clear.  The only problem is that it filers out some of the flavor as well.  The darker colors are brought about by charring the barrels before filling them with the rum.   Only time in the barrel will give the rum it's natural glistening color that the true rum lover desires.   The longer it spends in the barrels the darker it tends to be.


Caramel E150A Color

    However, some rums are filtered and then artificially colored with caramel colors that are produced for the purpose of coloring everything from soda to rum to whiskey.    Some times they are added to improve the color of aged rums that didn't quite make expected color, and other times they are added to make unaged spirits look aged.

     The really good thing about the E150A Caramel Color is that has been given a clean bill of health both in the United States and in Europe.  These colors really do nothing except improve the "eye appeal" of the beverages that they are put into.

     It seems that a few of the "bulk rum" producers have found that the United States palate is easily appeased with very young rums that have had vanilla, sweeteners and color added rather than the high quality naturally finished rums.    This is why when you go to many parts of the country as I did last week you will only find mostly these bulk rums in the bars and very little else.  They are cheap and fit the palate of a large number of people.   

   Give me a glass of fine aged rum that has no additives that has been aged in a variety of barrels to attain the flavor and I'll pay the few extra dollars.  The real flavor is re
ally worth it and the purity of these rums is really noticed the next morning when the impurities and the sugars kick in when you wake up.   I think Ernest Hemingway had it right when he told Constante at the El Floridita to double the rum and leave out the sugar in his daiquiri, "It will only make me sick".     Here's to some fine barrel aged rum and a relaxing time to enjoy it.  ;o)
 

 

Rum in Classic Cocktails.

     Rum is such a versatile spirit, it can be put in many of the classic cocktails replacing Bourbon and Vodka.   I'm going to try and offer you a couple of ideas today for you to try.  Then take some of your own favorite cocktail ideas and work rum with them.




Zafra Manhattan

• 2 oz. Zafra 21 Year Old Rum
• 1 oz. Italian Dry Vermouth
• 2 Dashes of Bitters

Place all the ingredients in a shaker filled with Ice and stir until chilled and strain into a chilled Martini glass and garnish with a cherry and an orange zest.





Brugal Especial Extra Dry Cosmo

• 2 oz. Brugal Especial Extra Dry Rum
• 1/2 oz. Cointreau
• 3/4 oz. Cranberry Juice
• Juice of a half Lime

Place all of the ingredients into a shaker filled with ice and shake until chilled, strain into a chilled Martini glass and garnish with an orange zest.




     These are some good examples of cocktails that can be made with the better rums out there without destroying the fine flavors of the rum.   There are many more of these out there that you can try.  I'll keep working on some of these ideas working with fine old classic cocktails and working rum into the mix.   Enjoy these ideas for now, there are more to follow.   ;o)

June's Super Moon Rise

    June is coming to an end and a super month it was.   The skies have spoken in light all month long.  There have been beautiful sun rises and sunsets, but the rise of the super moon was pretty spectacular as well.   Sunset Marina seemed to be the magic spot to see the solar and lunar events this month.   ;o)

Rum Cocktails from Refined Rums

     There seems to be a change in the category of rum going on today.  There is a shift from the simple white rum and cola or fruit juice cocktails of yesterday to a much more sophisticated cocktails made with what was considered a sipping rum in years gone by.     I have been getting involved is some of these ideas myself and been very happy with the results.  The concept of making rum cocktails with the likes of Mount Gay XO, El Dorado 15 Year Old , Abuelo 12 Year Old, Papa's Pilar 24 year Dark and Diplomatico Reserva Exclusiva as well has netted some very surprising and wonderful results.  I'm not talking about mixing these with coke of something that will cover over the flavor, but making cocktails based on the old standards like the Old Fashion or the Manhattan.   Many of the bourbon based cocktails of old can be made with these fine quality rums with great success.


     I did a tasting at the Rum Bar in Key West that was very successful based on Mount Gay XO.   I used the XO Rum in many of the better bourbon cocktails, producing a fine Old Fashion and a Manhattan that were a step above the bourbon recipes for flavor and depth.   This is only one example of how the rum category is expanding and maturing.  There is a segment of the spirit's following that is wanting the more sophisticated and higher quality rums in addition to cocktails made from these rums.   They don't seem to be afraid to pay for the more expensive rums either in order to get the taste they are craving.

    I find this as a very enlightened trend that will carry the category forward and away from all of the artificially flavored and colored  "Bulk Rums" and into an era of legitimate quality aged rums.  This is the step and the direction that the category really need to be moving toward and away from the "Pirate Grog" of years gone by.   Don't be afraid to try making a cocktail of two with some of your "sipping rums", you will be pleasantly surprise with the quality of the results.   One note when working with the better rums, remember that they have a flavor of their own, and mix only things that will complement the rums characteristic and not clash with them.  You don't want to use mixers that will bury the flavor of the rum either.  ;o)

You Wonder Why I Love Key West?

    If there is any doubt in your mind about the beauty of a tropical sky near sunset, look at what I got to enjoy last night as I walked down the dock.   This is one of those nights where you glance up and the whole world is afire with the beauty of sunset.   I find mother nature's watercolor pictures so beautiful and jus take my breath away as I see such beauty   This wonderfully clean air and the clouds make for some very impressive sky's both in the morning and the evening.   The smooth water acts like a mirror to reflect the sky's colors and doubling the picture and the impression of the sight.   I hope you enjoy seeing this sunset as much as I did as I walked home at about 8:30 pm last night.  ;o)

Island Cocktail Time

     This is the time of year for one of those tall and cool cocktails full of fruity flavors and fun.   I went digging through some of my cocktails and found this one I think you might enjoy on the patio tonight.

Bahama Bob's Tiki Island

· 1 oz. Bacardi Oakheart Spiced Rum

· 1 oz. Banana Rum

· 1 oz. Coconut Rum

· ¼ oz. Pomegranate Liqueur

· 1 oz. Pineapple Juice

· 1 oz. Cranberry Cocktail Juice

Place all ingredients in a shaker filled with ice, and shake until chilled.   Strain into a pint glass filled with ice.    Garnish with an orange and a cherry.    

Give this on a try, you won't be disappointed, it is really refreshing and naturally sweet without any added sugars.  ;o)

Thoughts on Traveling

    I returned from Boston last evening after a whirlwind trip to Boston and Raynham.  It was wonderful seeing my mother for a while and having an opportunity to go out for dinner and all.   The thoughts are on what it takes to travel around and all of the logistics necessary to make a trip come together these days.  

     First is the ride to the airport for your departure, usually a friend of a taxi, but this is a simple phone call, and you are at the airport with plenty of time to spare.  

     But before all of the doing happens there is all of the planning that has to happen.  This is the better part of a morning spent on the computer setting up your air tickets, rental cars, hotels, rides and all of the other things that you need to
happen in a specific order for you to get where you are going and be able to function after you arrive.   The computer and the Internet are magic for getting all of this done, you and do in a couple of hours what use to take a better part of a day to accomplish.  

    Now that you have arrived at your destination it is off to the rental car agency and pick-up your ride for the trip, I'm a Avis One member, so this is easy I go over see my name and it is off to my car.   This is only the beginning of the fun.  Finding your way around a strange big city like Boston become a great tour of the downtown, the uptown and then the parking lot ( the freeway).  after about two hours of so I'm in the sleepy little town of Raynham and at my Mother's house.  



     After a wonderful time of chatting, wandering the grounds, and having dinner, it was off to Boston again and my hotel room for a good rest.  The day that started in Key West at 5am is finally coming to an end at midnight in Boston.  

     It is 6am now and I'm returning the rental car at Logan and hopping on the shuttle back to the terminal and clearing the security point so I can get to the gate and aboard the plane to go home.  

     My arrival in Miami was welcome, but my luck was fading.  I arrived at gate D5 and was leaving from D60 for the flight to Key West.   This is about a mile or so from the arrival gate to the departure one.  Oh well I just stroll down though the crazy people and shops and arrive with about 15 minutes to spare.   I get a bottle of water and it is boarding time for the final leg of the journey.

     I hop into the cab at Key West Airport and the short ride to Sunset Marina and home.  It doesn't take me long to unpack and change clothes to
head out top the Hurricane Hole for some chill time.  This is a great country that lets you move about as quickly as we can and arrive safely home after the adventure.    So glad to be back home, it is really hard to find a place that I am happier in than here in Key West.  ;o)

Amazing Day, Mom and Boston

Looking to the grove past the barn 

     An amazing thing happening in modern day travel, Internet aboard the plane.  Here I am at 37,000 feet enroute to Boston and writing  this part of the blog from my seat in the plane.   I find it very interesting how technology keeps advancing.   If this spreads, I'll be able to run a business from my seat in the airplane traveling to my favorite islands to sample more rums and meet with more rum people.   Could not pass on this opportunity to blog in the air.

The House from the street

    I finally have arrived in Raynham, Mass, The old family farm still looks warm and inviting.  It was nice to wander around the grounds again and see all of the open space and how all of the trees have grown since my last visit.   The old homestead built in 1840 is looking fit as ever.
Mom has really done an amazing job of keeping the place up over the past years.  

Carol Leonard "Mom"

     I was able to take her out to dinner and a very nice evening of dining and conversation that was very enjoyable.   Mom is doing very well, still able to get around and take care of the farm and herself.  She is an amazing woman that has so much drive these days even though she has just passed 92 years young.     She has the drive and as her neighbors put it "stubbornness" to keep doing for herself even when help is being offered.   She really believes that a body in motion stays in motion and a body at rest stays at rest.   She feels a need to do as much for herself as she can and this keeps her going.   I think that I know where I get my drive from, and I hope it carries me as far as it has carried her.   Thanks for all the support and help through this lifetime.   ;o)

Off to Boston This Morning

     Another travel day today, headed to Boston to Visit the Ernest Hemingway wing of the JFK Presidential Library.   Hoping to get some more information related to Hemingway’s life while he was at Finca la Vigia and where Pilar went in her travels.   This should be a very enlightening experience, especially after my visit to his house in Francisco de Paula last September.    

     It will be a chance for me to also visit with my mother while I am up there.  I haven’t seen here in a couple of years and it is time to stop in.  

     I’ll fill you all in on Tuesday what I have found out and should have a lot of good information to give you then.   ;o)

White Bay, BVI

   White Bay off of Jost Van Dyke in the British Virgin Islands is one of the most beautiful bays anywhere and a place I hopefully will be able to return to this winter. 

Phraya Rum from Thailand

     Phraya Rum from Thailand is an idea founded on the basic elements, Fire, earth, air and water.   This is a time honored Asian belief and the essence of all creation.   Made in the Nakhom Pathom, regarded as the site of the first city in Thailand, it has bountiful resources of sugar cane and a perfect climate for the deep maturation of this fine rum.   The rum gets its name from the Choa Phraya River which flows through the heart of Bangkok, the capital of Thailand.

     The rum is aged by a “deep maturation” process in warehouses that are over cool lagoons.  This slows the aging process and gives the rum a unique and distinctive depth.  The rum is aged between 7 and 12 years and only the barrels with the very finest rum are selected for blending.    This rum offers an enlightened glimpse into the ancient traditions of Asian rum making.

    This rum offers a vibrant golden amber color with flashes of copper appearing in the right light.  There is a bouquet of honey and vanilla and hints of spices and raisins on the nose.  The palate senses creamy butterscotch and fruit as it passes over the tongue, leaving a very desirable smoothness behind.  The finish is delicate and lingering with hints of spice and a creamy vanilla flavor.   This is rich full flavored rum with a delicate balance that I really enjoyed.

     The elements of fire in the oak barrels the rum is aged in, the Earth that the sugar cane is raised in, the air around the lush tropical environment in which the rum is made, and the soft and natural water of the Ta Chin River.  These elements make up the enticing flavor of the new Phraya Rum giving it the spirit of Southeast Asia.  ;o)

The First Day of Summer

     Today begins summer here in the northern hemisphere, It is a warm and beautiful day here in Key West.    This is the start of the quiet times down here.  Season is over and it is time to kick back and relax a bit.    Time to get out on the water and do some drifting through the shallows with my camera in hand, maybe just explore some areas I haven't gotten into before.  Any way this is the start of a new and fun time.

     Today is the longest day of the year, and we start loosing a bit of daylight every day until December 21st the shortest day of the year.     This should be a great day at work, we have a great group of people here in town and the day yesterday just flew by.   The Rum Bar is always fun, especially when I have a good fun group of people in town like we do this week.

     Start the summer off right with a fine evening on the patio or the boat, but get out of the house and have some fun today.   It is that time for you to fire up the bar-b-que and fix a fine rum cocktail and hit the chase lounge or the pool.

Summertini

·         1 ½ oz. Bacardi Oakheart Spiced Rum

·         ½ oz. Butterscotch Schnapps

·         ½ oz. Lime Juice

·         Top with Barrett’s Ginger Beer

Place all ingredients except the Ginger Beer in a shaker filled with ice and shake until chilled.    Strain into a chilled martini glass, top up with Barrett’s Ginger Beer, and garnish with a lime.

 

     This is a simple and tasty summer cocktail that is really refreshing and works nicely on the patio or the aft deck of the boat.   ;o)

What does it Mean to Wear a Mount Gay Red Cap?

   The Mount Gay Red Cap, one of the most prized possessions of anyone that owns one, but how do you get to possess one?   I got mine cruising on America 2 during the Quantum Key West races.  The only way to get one is be handed one by the people from Mount Gay Regatta series at the completion of the day on the water. 

     The Hat is a symbol of accomplishment and prized by sailors around the world  that have raced in Mount Gay sponsored regattas.   The hats are awarded upon completion of the course at the end of the day.


     There has been a long association of sailing with Mount gay Rum going back to the 1700's when Barbados was one of the hardest trips for a sailor to make and return to Europe.  They had to prove they had reached Barbados by bringing back a barrel of Mount Gay Rum.    The long association was continued in the 1970's with the advent of the Mount Gay sponsoring of regattas world wide  and the priced "Red Cap".    It is the sign of a real sailor even today and a prize that anyone that has received on will never let loose of.  I sure prize mine.   ;o)

Thoughts on St. Lucia and her Rums

     The tiny island of St. Lucia in the southern Caribbean is a lush place of beauty that is loaded with natural resources that make rum production a must.   This island is home to some of the fine rums of the world, putting brands like Admiral Rodney and Chairman's Reserve on our shelves.   The St. Lucia Distillers Group make a wide variety of products besides the fine rums, a product list that can fill an entire table.

     Admiral Rodney is the flagship of the St. Lucia Distillery Group, and as it should be.  This is a very nice high quality rum that averages 12 years of age that will become close to 15 years as older rum become available for the blender.     The rum is aged in Jim Beam, Jack Daniels and Buffalo Trace Barrels and then later blended for flavor.     This is a very bright amber rum with a complex and inviting aroma.   The palate reveals a sweet caramel and chocolate  flavor that is highlighted by notes of spice oak brought about by long aging.   The finish is of an exceptional length and balances out the entire experience.


     The Island of St Lucia is a paradise and the rums are of the same high quality.   This was a really great day that I got to spend visiting the island and the very innovative distillery.   ;o)

Drinking and Your Weight

     This is a subject that I live with every day, both as a barman and as a person that lives on a "Weight Watchers" diet.     I still enjoy my rums, but these days I'm either drinking straight rum with a couple of cubes of ice, or rum mix
ed with diet tonic and lime.   Both of these cocktails are only two points on my old style "Weight Watchers" program.   Though I'm on a maintenance portion of the program after losing some 50 pounds three years ago.    Watching what I drink and eat at the bar is a huge portion of the program.

   I read an article by Karen Ansel, R.D. for Fox News yesterday that really put a lot of this into perspective.     " Here's what we know: Your average drink-beer, wine, martini, pick your poison-is usually a combination of carbs, sugar and ethanol (pure alcohol). When it goes down the hatch, it makes a pit stop at your stomach, where some of the alcohol is absorbed through the lining and into your bloodstream, giving you that initial buzz. The carbs and sugar go the traditional digestive route, while ethanol, a toxin, is diverted to the liver.

 

This is when that innocent little drink starts messing with your internal fat incinerator. Ethanol has no nutritional value, so your body burns it off first. That means any remaining calories in your stomach-whether they're from the margarita or the chips and guacamole you had with it-will likely be stored as fat.

 

It seems that people who drink moderately on a regular basis will be less likely to gain weight from the "useless calories" that are being taken in from the alcohol.  It was also noted that moderate drinkers tend to eat more healthy than heavy drinkers do.   Keeping to a steady moderate amount of alcohol and a healthy diet, you can actually loose weight if you done dive into the french-fries and chips at the same time. 

 

    I found this to be an interesting article, http://www.foxnews.com/health/2013/06/14/drinking-alcohol-to-shrink/  combined with my own experiences of loosing the weight and maintaining it in the past three years while living in the drinking capitol of the world.   It is truly a combination of eating properly and drinking "unsweetened cocktails" in moderation without munching the weight back on.  ;o)

 

 

Monday Cocktail Time with Rhum Barbancourt Pango

    Rhum Barbancourt Pango is one of the truly wonderful mixing rums.  The flavor is superb and natural tasting, providing a great base for many cocktails.

Pango Dessert

• 2 oz.  Crème of Coconut
• 1 1/2 oz. Rhum Barbancourt Pango
• 1 oz. Rhum Barbancourt 3Star 
• Splash of Pineapple Juice

Place all of the ingredients into a shaker filled with ice and shake until chilled and pour into a Collins glass.  Garnish with an Orange Wheel and enjoy.

     Make this for an afternoon patio treat by the pool or out on the water, it really works to help chill out in the afternoon.  ;o)

Thinking about a Habana and Dinner for Two

    Habana is loaded with quaint little restaurants like the one at Tienda de Habanos.  This is a wonderful place with an atmosphere that never seems to quit.   It is no wonder that Ernest Hemingway made it his home.

Season Coming to an End and Headed into Summer Mode

   The season here in Key West is starting to wind down and we are moving into the Summer mode.   This just means that I can have a few more conversations with my customers.  I'm not literally slinging drinks, but rather being able to spend a little more time with each creation and more time with the people that will be enjoying them
.   In the years past, summer was really dead, but any more it is just a slowing of business, the combination of the economy are keeping people in the US instead of traveling abroad.    The security problems in some of the foreign countries have helped Key West as well.  Key West's reputation for being safe and fun has made this little paradise a year round destination in recent years.

    It is also a time when the waters are less crowded and I get to go out and spend some time on the beaches and sandbars of the islands with some quiet privacy.   All and all is a very wonderful time of year down here in the Keys.   Hope you get to experience the "off season" in the Keys and get to know what the Keys are really about.   Let the sun set on you in Key West and you will never for get the beauty and fun of this quirky place at the southernmost end of the highway.    ;o)