Saturday, June 27, 2009

Blue Zombie's?

The Beachbum found a real deal on some Zombie Mix but wonders why Blue? I have to agree, why not green, or even red?

Many of you will look at that and your immediate reaction will be one of eye-rolling or shoulder-shrugging. You will react at first very negatively because of any of a number of things, the Blueness, the Barcardi name, the price on the shelf, something about it will immediately put you on edge.

Here's the rub, you will most likely be reacting to the wrong part of the idea..... the Fail of that product is not immediately visible because the Fail part is the 'general public.' The Fail is the fact that someone is trying to turn drinks into a commodity. 'They' are trying to turn what was once the highest public art into the lowest common denominator and squeeze out every possible bit of profit and gain from it.

Don't believe me? Take a look at the Beachbum's link above. Or this one talking about a prepackaged "Premium Vodka" flavored Martini. (personal note, they don't even bother to capitalize Martini as the proper name that it is.) And there are countless more on the shelfs of your local suppliers just sitting there trying to get in the gullet of some early drinker (I mean experience, not age).

These kind of prepackaged, premixed, pre-made or any other verb you can add a Pre too, are slowly eating away at the art of the cocktail. We can't stop them so this is not a call to arms. What we can do is keep making the best cocktails we can. We can keep blogging about good recipes and show up the bad products as the Fail that they are when it comes to cocktails. We can go down fighting!

And, now that I have myself all worked up, I am going to go and make a cocktail out of my morning coffee. This should be a fun day!

Monday, June 22, 2009

Hello. My Name is Inigo Montoya....


Inigo Montoya
Originally uploaded by chipandandy
Yes, that Inigo Montoya..... from Rob Reiners Princess Bride.

Inigo is the newest addition to our household. She is about a year old and just came home from the pound today. They said she is mostly Rat Terrier but suggest some beagle because of her tricolor coat. Her ears, on the other hand, look like she should be able to fly.

The cat is pissed, but should get over it quickly because so far Inigo has shown no interest except the usual puppy-like "what is that?"

Wednesday, June 17, 2009

Mr. Moai Mourns Mouthlessness

Note to self..... when designing props for events, include mouth holes at least large enough for straws.

Thanks to Patty and Ted for the wonderful shot from the Home Tour!

Tuesday, June 16, 2009

Home Bar Tour....


glhbt09
Originally uploaded by Johnny Dollar
Some of you are just coming out of the rum-induced mental fog of the weekend, the rest of you will just have to read long and nod like your in on the joke....

Last weekend was the Hukilau and a whole bunch of people came around for the event. Specifically a huge group of my FOM Fellows were in town for said Hukilau and the Local Lodge decided to host a Home Bar Tour. Hire a bus, drive around to three different host homes, serve some food, some drinks, and generally have a blast!

I will share this with you..... Hire a Bus! There is nothing better for this kind of party! Well, any kind of party. I think we are going to hire a bus for all of our parties from now on. It is fantastic! The bus arrives, the party is on and everyone is laughing and eating and drinking and having a good time. Then the bus returns and the party moves on. You aren't stuck with that one couple that insists on staying until the food or drink are gone while telling you awkward stories about the last key-party they attended.

And, as if you needed proof of this idea.... Check out the pix from this year and last.

And thanks to Johhny Dollar for a great shot of Mr Lobster Pants shilling his Professor Lipskirrel Healing Tonic!

Monday, June 15, 2009

Working at the Mai Kai.....


Andy in the Mai Kai Bar
Originally uploaded by chipandandy
The Eighth Annual Hukilau was this past weekend, a three day event that culminates in a big party at the Mai-Kai Restaurant in Ft Lauderdale. This years events included a seminar entitled "A Mai Tai Paternity Test" by Beachbum Berry.

Said event was at the Mai-Kai on Friday afternoon, treating the guests to not only an informative show from the Bum but a very welcome respite from the afternoon heat.

Since the show was in the afternoon, well before the Mai-Kai normally opens, there was a question of staffing the bar to make the two specific cocktails the Bum was presenting. Since we consider the Bum to be one of our friends (he may not consider us the same after our 'special presentation at the end) we volunteered to help out.

As you can see from the huge smile on Andy's face, the ability to simultaneously help out the Bum AND work in the most magical of magical places for a pair of Rummys like ourselves will be one of the stories we tell your grand kids when we get old(er).

If you missed the Hukilau, you'll just have to live vicariously through pictures until next year. Until then.......

Beachbum Berry's Mai Tai One On....


Mai-Kai Restaurant and Polynesian Dinner Show
3599 Federal Highway
Ft Laduerdale, Florida
www.maikai.com

Hukilau Polynesian Festival
http://www.thehukilau.com/2009/

Friday, June 5, 2009

I know that many consider the cocktail umbrella as the Kiss-of-Death to most cocktails. I do too, at least when I am out at a bar.....

But, after much testing and thinking (and drinking!), I want to stand up for the lowly little bits of paper on a stick!

Dismiss the Cocktail Umbrella No More! (insert evil laughter and menacing sound effects here!)

Why, you ask? Simple! Most Tiki drinks are rum based. Rum is an aromatic liquor, and usually come in a reasonably high proof. As a reasonably high proof liquor, it has a tendency to evaporate. That process is what makes 151 flammable.

So what, you are saying as you contemplate the flammability of the average cocktail umbrella......

Let us examine the lowly cocktail umbrella from a different perspective.... Join me in my lab......


(thank you http://www.wellfed.net for the picture)

First, from the perspective of a drink. An 'internal' perspective..... We have established that Rum, and most high proof liquor, is basically a volatile substance. Since that volatility is usually why we are imbibing the stuff anyway, why would you want to let any of it escape? The lowly little cocktail umbrella works as a shield, or cap if you will, to keep the interesting bits in the cocktail. And, what happens when you drink from the cocktail protected by our cocktail umbrella? You tilt it to the side allowing all of the goodness trapped underneath to rise up into your waiting nostrils. Nothing wasted!

From an external perspective (the weaker case for the umbrella).... Spring has sprung and many of you are moving your cocktails to the outside of your homes to enjoy the increasingly fine weather. I myself have already had a couple of weeks of sitting by the pool enjoying a cocktail or three. And, here in south Florida our sun is pretty intense even in the spring. All of the solar energy is wonderful for the pool, but hard on the ice in my cocktail. Just as I sit under my umbrella, my cocktail is sitting under its umbrella. OK, this is a pretty lame excuse for the cocktail umbrella........

Tease the Cocktail Umbrella No More! Dress your cocktails without fear or shame! Never snicker or make snide comments again about the little blue umbrella in your drink. It is there to help! To help you have the best damn cocktail alcohol can provide!

And Yes, this is a drunken post. And, as soon as I send this I am going back to the bar, I mean Lab! Lab! Thats it, my LAB.... to finish my research!

And, for those of you wishing more conversation on this subject, my limited research found this.... this...... and this.....