Thursday, January 17, 2013

Bahamas

Billy Joe's

Dry Dock - Freeport Bahamas

Wednesday, January 09, 2013

Doctor Dean's Drink Lab


Doctor Dean's Drink Lab

I am very close to having the fully stocked bar of my dreams. I just picked up a couple of bottles of seven year old Havana Club Rum for $25 each! I think my life is now complete. Here is my latest inventory going into dry dock in Freeport Bahamas.


TEQUILA

Espolon - 100% Blue Agave Blanco (2) ($9 each!)
Casa Mexico - 100% Blue Agave Blanco
El Destilador - 100% Blue Agave Reposado (1.75L for $9!)
Don Roberto - 100% Blue Agave Reserva Plata
Dona Engracia - Ketzally Almendra (Almond)

MEZCAL
Fandango - 100% Green Agave Reposado

SPIRITS
Bombay Sapphire Gin
Jim Beam Bourbon
Remy Martin VSOP Brandy
Raynal VSOP Brandy (2)

LIQUORS
Bailey's (Biscotti)
Hpnotiq
Mai Tai - Ready to Drink 
Grand Marnier
Sanson - Panamanian Sherry with Vitamins!

MIX & SYRUPS
Jose Cuervo Lime Margarita Mix
Agave syrup
Cacao Liqueur
Peach Bitters
Orange Bitters
Worcestershire Sauce
Chimay authentic Tobasco Sauce
Simple syrup
Orgeat (Almond) syrup
A box of Mexican key limes!

JUICES
100% pure orange juice
100% pure pineapple juice
100% pure mango juice
100% pure strawberry juice
coconut water (plain, passion fruit)
Clamato juice

MEXICAN GLASSWARE
Margarita glasses (2)
Martini cocktail glasses (2)
Tequila glasses (2)
Pint glasses (4)

RUM
Myers's Dark Rum - Jamaica
Bacardi 8 years - Bahamas (2)
Bacardi Select (Black) - Puerto Rico
Rum Palmera - Aruba
Ron Abuelo 7 years - Panama
Cruzan aged white - St.Croix
Cruzan - Coconut 
Cruzan - Pineapple
Cruzan - Mango
Captain Morgan Spiced - US (3)

I also have an entire drawer full of coffee from every Central American port including Costa Rica, Panama, Nicaragua, Colombia, Guatemala, and Mexico. Plus I have artisinal chocolate from Mexico and the fantastic chocolate shop in Antiqua, Guatemala called the Chocolate Museum. It is worth the visit just to meet Carol the beautiful store manager with skin like milk chocolate and a smile that could melt a dark chocolate heart. My cuban cigar inventory is getting pleasantly out of hand as well. I'd rather have a nap than do the inventory for that one so I'll just post the pictures.

Here's a drink I have been working on. It's called the Mexican Mai Tai. The Mai Tai is a very misunderstood drink. It is supposed to be a strong but balanced rum drink with accents of lime and almond. The orgeat (almond syrup) gives the cocktail a fantastic cherry smell which in my opinion makes it the best smelling cocktail around. In honour of this beauty I have tried to craft a Tequila based version.

MEXICAN MAI TAI

2oz Almond Tequila (Dona Engracia Ketazally Almendra)
1oz 100% Blue Agave Blanco Tequila (Casa Mexico)
2 tsp Agave syrup
1 tbls Grand Marnier
juice of one key lime
juice of one large lime

Add all ingredients to a cocktail shaker with large ice cubes. Place half of the spent lime into a double old fashioned glass. Fill it with cracked ice and garnish with a pineapple slices skewered with a maraschino cherry and an umbrella. Shake the cocktail vigorously for a minute or more until frost develops. Strain and enjoy. Slowly.

One more recipe.

Here is a fantastic recipe that I got (sadly) from the website of a now defunct Tiki shop in Vancouver. I'm not sure who the author of the recipe is. I have made this several times on the ship and it has been a huge hit.

THE MIEHANA

(for 2)
2 oz fresh squeezed lime juice
2 oz orange juice
2 oz pineapple juice
2 oz Grand Marnier (or Cointreau)
2 oz Cuban Rum (Gold)
2 oz Coconut Rum (Cruzan or Parrot Bay)

That's a lot of limes if you make it in a large batch. I have used half limes and half sour mix with great success. This drink is deadly. It is very strong yet goes down very easily. You have been pleasantly warned!

Cheers.









Cuban Goodness