The cocktail is the Ancient Mariner, from Beachbum Berry's Grog Log. This was the first time I've made it, and I think it's destined to become one of my faves. The hint of Allspice gives it an almost seasonal flair, perfect for these cold, late-Fall evenings.

3/4 oz. Fresh-squeezed Lime Juice
1/2 oz. Grapefruit Juice
1/4 oz. Allspice Liqueur (Berry Hill)
1 oz. Dark Jamaican Rum (Myer's)
1 oz. Demerara Rum (El Dorado 5-year)

Shake with crushed ice and pour into double old-fashioned glass filled with crushed ice. Garnish with lime wedge and mint.

Posted by MrBaliHai at 3:52 PM | Permalink | Comments (4)

While the rest of the male population of Wisconsin is out stalking the forests for venison this week, I decided to forgo the ritual slaughter and make a pilgrimage to Hot Sam's Antiques in Lakeville, Minnesota. Hot Sam's is a 5-acre roadside paradise of strange and useless items, or according to 80-year old owner, Gladys Hood, "Everything from the tasteless to the priceless." I'm still kicking myself for forgetting my camera, but you can get a taste of the wonders I gazed upon there by checking out Max Sparber's Flickr set. Sam's is truly a wonderland of abandoned clown vehicles, circus wagons, railroad cars, and other weird folk-art objects. Well worth the 200-mile round trip from my home.

I chatted with Gladys for a while, and found her a most gracious and funny host. Afterwards, I went foraging through the piles of cultural detritus that littered every nook and cranny of her establishment. When I finally surfaced for air, I hauled away 3 fine Exotica LPs and a nicely carved wooden Tiki, inscribed faintly with the name, "Lorne G." on the bottom. I'm having fun imagining that it was carved by legendary actor, Lorne Greene, who perhaps whittled it in his trailer during breaks on the set of "Bonanza" or "Battlestar Galactica".

Posted by MrBaliHai at 7:47 AM | Permalink | Comments (4)

A couple of finds from recent outings:

Posted by MrBaliHai at 12:51 PM | Permalink

Google is hosting an archive of mostly-unpublished Life Magazine photographs dating all the way back to the 1750s. As you might expect, it contains some amazing images. This 1960 shot of a 75-year old woman sipping a "Husband Killer" cocktail at `The Islander' restaurant in Los Angeles, and Nixon at a luau in Hawaii are my faves thus far.

[Link: LIFE photo archive hosted by Google]

Posted by MrBaliHai at 3:41 PM | Permalink | Comments (3)

2 1/2 oz. Tequila Reposado
2 oz. Dark Rum (1 oz. Meyer's, 1 oz. Cruzan Blackstrap)
1 oz. Tiki-Ti Mix ( 1/2 oz. Curacao, 1/4 oz. Orgeat Syrup, 1/4 oz. Demerara Cane Sugar Syrup)
1 oz. Fresh-squeezed Lime Juice
1 oz. Passion Fruit Syrup (Trader Vic's)

Cut lime wedge and squeeze into tall tiki mug or large snifter filled with ice cubes. Blend all ingredients with 1 cup of crushed ice for 5 seconds. Garnish with Maraschino cherry speared to pineapple wedge.

Posted by MrBaliHai at 6:25 PM | Permalink | Comments (2)

3 oz. Mango Nectar
1 1/2 oz. Fresh Orange Juice
1/2 oz. Fresh Lemon Juice
1/2 oz. Cointreau
1/2 oz. Cognac
1 oz. Rhum Agricole Blanc
Dash of Angostura Bitters

Shake with ice cubes and pour into chimney glass. Garnish with orange slice.

Posted by MrBaliHai at 7:11 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)

I was so impressed with my handiwork, I decided a commemorative cocktail was in order, so I dug around in an old box of fishing tackle, pulled out my tattered copy of Beachbum Berry's Intoxica!, and riffed a bit on the Demerara Dry Float recipe. A few minutes later...voilà!...Mr. Bali Hai's Fisherman's Float was born. Here's how you make one for yourself:

2 1/2 oz. Fresh Lime Juice
1 Tsp. Fresh Lemon Juice
1 1/2 oz. Passion Fruit Syrup
1/4 oz. Demerara Cane Sugar Syrup
1 oz. Trader Vic's Authentic Spiced Rum
1/4 oz. Lemon Hart Demerara Hart 151 Rum
1/4 oz. Luxardo Maraschino Liqueur
1 dash Fee Bros. Orange Bitters

Shake all ingredients - except for the 151 - with ice cubes and strain into a double old-fashioned glass filled with crushed ice. Carefully float 151 on top.

Garnish with a fishing lure hung from the end of a bamboo skewer.

Posted by MrBaliHai at 6:53 PM | Permalink | Comments (2)

[Link]

Posted by MrBaliHai at 5:34 PM | Permalink