The Rum Swizzler

Originally called a Bermuda Rum Swizzler, (for the Gosling Bermuda Rum!) the name got truncated with the inclusion of the Appleton Estate Jamaica Rum, but the change was worth it!

When Joe mixed this little beauty up for me, I was diggin' it with a powerful love!

It is just the right combination of rum and juices that really scratches me right where I itch!

The Recipe:

Into a cocktail shaker full of ice add:

-A 3-count of Gosling Black Seal Bermuda Black Rum,

- a 2-count of Appleton Estate Jamaica Rum,

- a 1-count of falernum

- 1 whole lime, (squozen and juiced!)

- a 2 count orange juice,

- a 2-count pineapple juice

Shake until frrrothy, (if possible, roll your r's in reading this. Thank you.)

Strain into a nice hurricane glass and garnish with a wedge of lime and a cherry.

Joe's notes: As the temperatures in the North East soared over the freezing point this past weekend, my palate began to crave a more tropical flavor. The Rum Swizzler, with both falernum and rum, fitted the bill quite nicely, (for further falernum recipes, type "falernum" in the search box on side panel of blog).

Rum and the images it conjures up, desert islands, buried treasures and swashbuckling heroes has been a favorite of mine since childhood. Now before you tag me as some sort of pediatric dipsomaniac or demented Ahab, let me explain.

When I was just a mere lad, dodging my way through the streets of Old Blighty, I would often offer up a few coins to the counter assistant in exchange for a bar of "Old Jamaica." Under the wrapper, embossed with a pirate ship, lay the treasure, a delicious dark chocolate bar crammed with rum soaked raisins.

Another childhood favorite of mine was the "Rum Baba". This was a light pastry similar to a brioche, speckled with raisins and soaked in a thick rum laced sugar syrup. Sitting in class with the front of my school shirt and tie heavily stained with the syrup, I would receive the customary smack around the back of the head. Do you think I cared?

Bus fare spent and pockets stuffed with rum and butter candies, I would happily walk the three miles home.

With age, however, I have put these childhood delicacies behind me. I am now enjoying my rum in its liquid form.

In fact, I am sitting in my Halloween Pirates of the Caribbean costume and drinking a Rum Swizzler out of a pewter tankard.

I hope the wife is not going to make me walk the plank.... Oops! Speaking of treasure....here she comes now.

Ahoy, me mateys!

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This wasn't my first choice for The Video of the Week, but it is so related, and done really well, (and after Joe's notes, I had little choice otherwise!)

Why is the rum gone?

The Pineapple/Guava Zombie

TIKI-TIME!

The single-digit temperatures, snow, ice and freezing rain this time of year, make me long for the islands with their undulating waves, tropical breezes, minimal attire, and, of course, rum. With this in mind, (and because main mixologist Joe is on vacation, AGAIN!) I decided to revamp a favorite number of my own.

Since posting 'MY MAI TAI' last, uh, whenever , I have been doing a lot of experimenting with various rum combinations here at my home bar. After some trials and error, (and a few willing test subjects,) I believe I have finally found the Zombie recipe I have been searching for.

The Recipe:

Into a cocktail shaker full of ice add:

- a 1 count of 151 Rum,

- a 1 count of Sailor Jerry Spiced Rum,

- a 2 count of apricot brandy,

- a 1 count of Parrot Bay Pineapple Rum,

- a 4 count of guava/pineapple juice

Shake "monstrously,"

- float Kraken Black Rum on top,

- garnish with a chunk of pineapple and a little paper umbrella, (mandatory!)

Chris's Notes: I mentioned above about "willing test subjects," allow me to elaborate on that particular evening!

Recently, (deep into my recipe experimentation,) the missus and I had some old friends over. We had pizza and shot the sh... uh, breeze about old times and whatnot.

Then, I tossed out, "Who wants to try my new Guava/Pineapple Zombie?"

Two of our guests, Ron and Joyce, claimed to be leery of hard liquor and would only try a small glass. One guest, Kenny, said how he LOVES Zombies and would definitely try one or two, and the other, Terry, couldn't as she was the designated driver.

I got to mixing. I made Ron and Joyce each a 10-ounce cocktail, each a scaled-down version of the original, with paper umbrella and all. (The paper umbrella IS mandatory, after all.)

Kenny and I both enjoyed our Zombies in their full-size, big-boy serving, pint glasses.

A unanimous cheer from all tasters. Ron and Joyce enjoyed the drink enough to get another two each. The loved how the guava/pineapple concealed much of the 151's power, but you could still taste the flavor.

Kenny? Kenny absolutely dug it! He downed his and asked for another! A self-proclaimed Zombie connoisseur, he found this particular balance of flavors, juices and spirits to scratch him right where he itched!

Well, as our reminiscing drew to a close, and all of the Zombies were metered out, we said our "good evenings," and let the night end.

Ron and Joyce, who were our overnight guests, slept like the very dead, and then deep into the following morn. Terry called that following morning and confided that she needed to make a few unscheduled stops along the way home for Kenny to, uh, toss out some of last night's pizza.

The moral of this week's story: Beware the subtle power of the Zombie!

The Guava/Pineapple and the 151 are both intensely powerful and work very nicely together. But know your limits with this drink, kids.

Or the Zombie will bite you.

Chris

P.S. If Ron, Joyce, Terry, or Kenny read this: That was a great night, let's do it again soon!

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The token video this week is, appropriately enough, The Brains with 'More Brains!'

A little horror-themed Psychobilly to accompany your mixing!

BRAINS!!!

The Screaming Me-Me

This week's cocktail recipe comes from a long time supporter of TGDitWTW, who decided to share a cocktail that got named after herself, The Screaming Me-Me!

Thanks, Me-Me!

The Recipe:

Prepare freshly-squeezed lemonade:
1 cup lemon juice, strained
1 cup sugar
1 quart water

Prepare iced tea (unsweetened) -
Orange pekoe/Black tea blend (or whatever your preference)

- Fill a large ice tea glass with ice,

- Pour in a mixture (½ & ½) of lemonade & tea, (your basic Arnold Palmer.)

- Leave about 1-1/2 to 2" of head space.

- Top with thinly sliced orange, lemon & lime slices, pineapple chunks, (if desired) and cherries.

- Slowly pour 1½ to 2 oz of Kraken Rum, over the top of the fruit, (The original Me-Me suggests Myers Rum!)

MUY IMPORTANTE: Do NOT stir, let the rum simply work its way to the bottom on its own.

Chris's Notes: So, last summer, my sister Kerry I went out to Colorado and New Mexico visiting friends and family and looking for roadrunners. We had more than our fair share of tequila and green chiles. So when on that rare occasion of looking for a non-alcoholic beverage that captured the local flavors, Kerry reminded me of the Arnold Palmer.

Kerry used to live in Arizona and was familiar with this drink, I was not. I had my first at Albuquerque's Owl Cafe, and I dug it. I also immediately knew that there was plenty of room for experimentation with this as the base, and I brought my bag of ideas home to Joe at the Passage.

I had at first considered a whiskey component, when Passage regular, Diane, from the neighboring Lobster Shanty, told of a cocktail called "Arnold Palmer's Day Off," which took the iced tea & lemonade mix and introduced flavored vodkas.

Other suggestions were bandies about, but, as things often do, the Arnold Palmer-based cocktail slipped to a back burner, where it sat for a couple of months.

Meanwhile, on the Greatest Drink in the World...This Week's facebook group, a message from longtime friend of the blog, Me-Me, suggested sharing a cocktail that was named after her and was currently being served in an San Antonio bar.

How could I say no!?! I quickly copied out her recipe, thanked her profusely, and eagerly dashed off to see Joe...

Joe's notes: Chris has been banging on for some time now about making a cocktail using the Arnold Palmer as a base, (lemonade and iced tea mixed,) so it came as no surprise when he strode into the Passage Lounge gripping his drink recipe like the Holy Grail .

"The Screaming Me Me!" he declared. "One of the followers on the blog sent me this!" His face was contorted like some crazed T.V. evangelist! I prised away the sheet from his hands, "Lets give it a go," I said.

The original recipe called for Myers Rum, but I chose to use one of my favorites, Kraken Rum. The result was very good, and the Screaming Me Me was a screaming success in the Passage Lounge that evening.

On a completely unrelated note: Someone once said that there are only seven story lines in the world, and that every book ever written is a combination of those original seven plots. Now I don't know how true that is, but it got me to thinking about if the same could be said about cocktails. If this was so, then how many original cocktails are there?

Going off on that tangent, someone could make a computer program that contained every drink ingredient in known existence and randomly combine ingredients to make an never ending drink list. Now that would be an app I would buy!

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This week's "Barely-Related Video" has it all: A blond "Pete Rose"-style haircut, an only-rudimentary grasp of the English language, and some totally funky cheerleader dance moves!

"I Want To Love You Tender " by Armi & Danny.

Dogwatch Punch & The Dogwatch Doubloon

What's in a name? Well, in naval/maritime lingo, the work shift from 4:00 PM to 8:00 PM is called the Dog Watch. This also happens to be the perfect time to enjoy a nice summer beverage.

Or two. Here now, in our first DUAL posting, are Dogwatch Punch and The Dogwatch Doubloon.

Dogwatch Punch

The Recipe:

Into a cocktail glass add:

- a quarter of a large orange, squeezed,

- a 2 count of falernum

- Muddle, (and muddle like you mean it!)

- fill glass with ice and add a 4 count of The Lash Spiced Rum

- Stir

-garnish with a slice of fresh orange.

Absolutely Delish!

Dogwatch Doubloon

The Recipe:

Into a 16-ounce pint glass add:

- a quarter of a large orange, squeezed,

- a 2 count of falernum

- Muddle, (and put your back into it this time!)

- fill glass with ice and add a 4 count of The Lash Spiced Rum

- Top with Dr Pepper , (about 4 ounces)

- Stir

-garnish with a slice of fresh orange.

Yumminess!

Chris's Notes: We at Greatest Drink In The World... This Week love a good challenge, but this was an AWESOME one. It was also quite difficult, though.

Way back on June 17th, (Hey! Icelandic Independence Day!), Greatest Drink in the World...This Week presented the award-winning recipe for the Chai-tini , made with Voyant Chai Liqueur, to much applause. As a result of this, Mr. Robert Back, the creator of Voyant, asked us for some cocktail recipes for a new product, The Lash: an aged, spiced rum.

Of course, we jumped at the opportunity.

However, we ran into the strangest of hurdles. The rum tasted so good on its own, that we had a hard time developing a taste that came remotely close! Trial and error, and trial and error, (Work, work, work!) and eventually some flavors started to come together. More of a variety than an improvement, we came up with the above two recipes.

True, the similarities between the two drinks is obvious, but it should be noted, that they were developed simultaneously, and neither was was a spin-off of the other.

To clarify what I mean, let's say that The Lash Spiced Rum is the television show, "Happy Days." Dogwatch Punch and The Dogwatch Doubloon, although created from this original source, share similar elements but have completely different characteristics, like Laverne & Shirley and Mork & Mindy, and will appeal to different people.

To continue with this metaphor, there was much trial and error in developing these two shows, er, cocktails, but we believe they each have the potential to be hits!

I guess that since Happy Days was itself a spin-off, that would make, in this metaphor, anyways, "Rum" represented by Love; American Style!

But I digress...

In any case, (and by no means do I wish to compare the quality of these television programs with that of The Lash or either of the submitted cocktail recipes,) but like those sitcoms, each drink appealed to different tastes. Of the eight members of our tasting panel the evening these cocktails were created, three preferred the Dogwatch Doubloon, calling it "more refreshing," and "so different." The other five, (myself included,) found the Dogwatch Punch to be less sweet, and an better all-around cocktail. Both, are some type of delicious, though.

Joe's Notes: One evening not long back, Chris arrived at the bar armed with a bottle of The Lash Spiced Rum. I filled a number of shot glasses along the bar for our panel of experts to sample. Every one was very enthusiastic. Billy, our guest "expert" for the evening, holding out his shot glass like Oliver Twist said it was probably one of the best rums he had ever drank!

I also was very impressed with the Lash. The Lash hails from the West Indies, where it spends four years in oak and is then aged with spices, some actually settle in the bottle, bourbon vanilla extract, and other flavors. The result is a rum with a strong cinnamon, nutmeg, and vanilla character. ( Ref: Drinkhacker.com)

As I have said, I was very impressed with the Lash. In fact, I even questioned Chris on why he wanted me to make a cocktail out of this.

My point being that the people who produce The Lash have obviously worked very hard in getting the flavor and quality just right and now I was going to come along and change it.

This reminded me of a time many, many years ago when I worked in 5-Star hotel in London. One evening the cocktail waitress came to the bar and ordered a 25-year-old, single malt scotch in a tall glass filled with ice and topped with ginger ale. Horrified that anybody would murder a good scotch that way, (yes, I'm a drink snob,) I picked up a bottle of bar blended whiskey and made the order. The waitress returned three more times that evening with the same order, each time I substituted the 25-year-old single malt with the bar scotch. When this butcher of scotch was leaving for the evening I stopped him and asked how his evening had been. He said that he had had a good night and that every thing was good, and promised to return soon. At this point I told him what I had done, and he was not happy. He said that as long as he was paying, he could order whatever he wanted.

What do you think? Just because you can do something does that give you the right to do it?

Let me know what you think,

Joe the Bartender.

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For you Miami Vice fans, this week's "Barely-Related Token Video" is None other than "Rico Tubbs" himself, Phillip Michael Thomas, doing "Just The Way I Planned It."

And no, it is not even remotely related, but funny.

The Zombie

On The Greatest Drink in the World... This Week's facebook page, there is a section for readers to request a specific drink. So far, only two drinks have been requested; a Bloody Mary, (see the "Bloody Molly,") and The Zombie.

This week we are pleased as Planter's Punch to be honoring that request.

The Recipe:

- a 2 count Bacardi White Rum

- a 2 count Mount Gay Rum "Eclipse"

- 1/2 of a lime freshly "squozen"

- a 1 count of Apricot Brandy

- a "sploosh" of of Pineapple juice

- a shot of falernum

- Shake 'monstrously'

- Strain over fresh ice

-Top with Kraken Black Spiced Rum

- Garnish with a marischino cherry and a wedge of lime

- Little paper umbrella optional, (but HIGHLY recommended!)

Joe's Notes: The Zombie is one of those cocktails that has a number of variations as to its ingredients. This is partly due to the secrecy of the inventor of the Zombie, Donn Beach. (There is even some discrepancy on whether he did, in fact, invent this drink.) He refers to one of the ingredients as "Donn's Mix" and never divulges what that mix actually is. Many bartenders will wave their cocktail shakers and bar spoons about fervently laying claim to the best zombie, and at the same time dismiss others Zombies as "inferior concoctions"

Our Zombie, that we are entering into the GDITWTW library has, as always, both quality, and fresh ingredients. The use of Falernum is one of Donn Beach's original ingredients that I believe is an essential part of the drink.

A word on Zombies and other monsters...

During a debate at the House of Lords in London on the existence of monsters and where they could have possibly come from. (Yes, this really did take place!) The Earl of Halsbury said this, "I have always thought that just as a mother, when baking bread, leaves a little of the dough over in order that the children can make funny little men with raisins for tummy buttons and put them in the ovens and bake them alongside the cake or bread for the day. So possibly on the day of creation, a little of the divine power was left in reserve for the lesser cherubim and seraphim to use and they were allowed to make funny little objects."

Chris's Notes: Thank you, Joe. I now fear British politics more than I do the undead.

But, as far as this week's drink, The Zombie, is concerned, I am very excited. I have mentioned in previous posts my love of Rum and Juice combinations, (HECK! Toss in Nachos and Peanut M&Ms and you'd have my 'Four Basic Food Groups!') and The Zombie is no exception.

Now, there are a number of people throughout history whom I hold in high regard for their contributions to society; The Earl of Sandwich, The creator of the first bikini, and, (a personal hero of mine,) Donn Beach, A.K.A. Don The Beachcomber .

Don the Beachcomber was a rum connoisseur and THE man responsible for the The Vicious Virgin, Three Dots & a Dash, Navy Grog, The Dr. Funk, the Mai Tai, (a personal favorite,) and The Zombie, among many, many others.

According to legend, the drink was created for a friend of the Beachcomber's who was going on a trip by airliner. The friend, in his blissful ignorance, had three of these results-oriented mixes before departing and claimed to "be a zombie for the entire flight!" Hence the name.

The juices apparently hide the amount of alcohol to such an extent that, in an early example of a CMA, restaurants limited Zombies to only two per customer.

Of course, I couldn't let this post go without a couple of Zombie movie clips! Enjoy, (and thank you, cherubim and seraphim for your "funny little objects!")

- Zombie definition from "Ghost Breakers"

- Zombie vs. Shark from "Zombie,"

- The Shaun of the Dead movie trailer,

- "Zombiekill of the week" from 'Zombieland'

And lastly,

- The 'Fido' movie trailer.

And of course, a 'related' (finally!) token music video! (Living Dead Girl by Rob Zombie!)