Gilligan's Island

The "research team" of Kerry, Cheryl, and your humble author took to the road this week. Our explorations brought us to a local Japanese restaurant in Downtown Salem call "Asahi," where manager and resident Mixologist, Jerri, treated us to one of her signature brews, the Gilligan's Island, (and I will try to not let my fixation on the show, or my torrid, (and entirely fictional,) romantic past with actress Ginger Grant impede my write-up!)

The Recipe:

Into a cocktail shaker full of ice add:

- 2 count Malibu Coconut Rum,

- 2 count 99 Bananas banana liqueur,

- 6 count pineapple juice

- A splash of cranberry juice

- Shake "Gingerly!"

- Strain into a large glass filled with fresh ice

- Garnish with a slice of orange and perhaps a cherry,

Original recipe by Jerri @ Asahi Japanese Restaurant, Salem, MA

Bartender's Notes: Especially at this time of year, when it's cold and dreary, a little tropical getaway is so nice. This is a refreshing drink that can give you just a little taste of that.

Chris's Notes: Asahi's lack of an actual bar area was more than made up for by sitting at one of the Japanese Habachi tables, watching my food get flipped around and cooked before my eyes. I felt a little backwards, though, as the Gilligan's Island tastes exactly what I always imaged Mary Ann's Banana Cream Pie to taste like, and here is me eating, I mean drinking it before dinner. This would, therefore, be an awesome after-dinner refreshment, not too strong, but with a really different and tasty flavor.

"So rich! If it were a republican it would perfect!"

MY Mai Tai

Hey! This is my debut as "Guest Mixologist" on this blog, (I'm so excited!)

I hope you dig my own entry into The Greatest Drink in the World... This Week!

~ C:

One of my favorite mixed drinks of all time is the Mai Tai. There are many recipes for this “Elixir of the Gods,” and they vary from place to place, (and I have done a fairly extensive search looking for my faves, by the way!) But I decided to do a little "work," and create my own recipe. It took me most of the summer to finally get the perfect balance of the flavors I liked, but I am very happy with it, (and I am drinking one as I write this!)

My Mai Tai Recipe

The hooch:

1 ounce Bacardi White Rum

1 ounce Captain Morgan’s Parrot Bay Mango Rum

1 ounce Captain Morgan’s Parrot Bay Coconut Rum

1 ounce Triple Sec

1 ounce Amaretto

A splash of Myers Dark Rum

The Juices:

1 ounce Rose's Lime Juice

A dash of Rose's Grenadine

5 ounces of Pineapple juice

The Mix:

-Mix the white rum, the mango rum, the coconut rum, the triple sec and the Amaretto together with the lime juice and pour into a 16-ounce pint glass full of ice.

-Add the pineapple juice and stir.

-Pour a dash of grenadine so that it settles down the bottom.

-Float a splash of Myer's Dark Rum across the top.

-Garnish with a chunk of pineapple, a maraschino cherry, and or a slice of lime, and of course, a paper umbrella.

The straw hits the grenadine first giving a burst of sweet with just a pinch of rum taste. This changes soon and all of those flavors beat the sweet bejesus out of your taste buds. And just when the drink is almost dry, and the ice has melted a bit, the Myer’s Dark jumps in for a last minute “Pop!” MMMmmm, good!

Recipe by: ME! Chris Toler, Blog Author & resident souse!

Chris's notes: It is by no means a traditional mix, (the original had no pineapple juice!) but one straight outta my own melon. And it does what it sets out to do, too; give a great, all-over summery feeling in a Polynesian way!

And it tastes like pure, tropical sunshine in a glass!

Okole maluna!

- Chris

Caipirinha

In honor of their winning the bid for the 2016 Summer Olympics, this week's entry is Brazil's national cocktail, the Caipirinha, (pronounced "kie-purr-REEN-yah,") made with a spirit called cachaça, (pronounced "kah-SHAH-sah,") which is distilled from sweet sugarcane juice, and is very similar to rum. This is Joe's favorite drink!

The Recipe:

Into a chilled 16 ounce, pint glass:

- Add one whole lime, quartered, and muddled with a teaspoon of simple syrup, (or a teaspoon of light brown sugar,)

- Add a generous 5 count of Cachaça, (a Brazilian sugarcane-based spirit,)

- Fill with crushed ice,

- Top with a spritz of soda,

- Garnish with a wedge of lime.

-Recipe by Joe the Bartender, Passage to India Restaurant, Salem, MA

Bartender's Notes:

As a mere lad, working the pubs of London, living on warm beer and cheese & onion crisps, Joe met a young barkeeper from Sao Paulo who introduced him to this drink, thusly changing his life forever, for the better.

With this posting, we hope to pass this life-changing moment on...

Saúde! -Chris

Saint Margarita

For this blog's first entry, I am going with the "Saint Magarita."

This drink is a total refresher, unique in it's flavor, and possibly the best summer drink ever. Similar at first to your garden-variety Margarita, this drink takes a sharp left turn with the inclusion of St-Germain, a French liqueur made from elderflowers! (I have had this liqueur straight, too, and it really is a very delicate flavor; an accessible 40-proof pour that makes for the perfect bridge between the lime and the tequila. Nice.) The final product is a beverage that is extremely delicious and refreshing.

But margarita drinkers be warned; this is simply better.

The Recipe:

Starting with a chilled 16 ounce, pint glass,

- add 1 whole lime, quartered and squeezed,

- add 1 teaspoon of simple syrup, (more or less to taste,)

- add 1 four-count of St-Germain

- muddle the lime, sugar, and St-Germain,

- add 1 three-count Jose Cuervo Gold Tequila

- mix with bar spoon,

- fill the glass with ice,

- mix it a little more,

- add 1 "sploosh" of soda,

- garnish with lime.

- ENJOY!

Recipe by Joe The Bartender, Passage to India restaurant, Salem, MA

Bartender’s notes:

The original recipe calls for Silver tequila, but Joe prefers Jose's Gold tequila for a fuller tequila flavor!

Chris's notes:

This drink is pure yumminess. Like a big ol' glass of sunshine!

SALUD! -Chris