PreviousTropical cocktails
Rum-based island drinks
Pirates, who pretty much ran Nassau back in the 1700s, loved their rum and drank plenty of it. But it was a raw, fiery drink back then, much different from the subtly flavoured and aromatic libations enjoyed today.
Modern-day Bahamians love their rum, too, and it’s the main ingredient in many cocktails you’ll find around town, whether you’re relaxing in classy lounges or friendly native bars on the waterfront.
The most popular drink of all is the Bahama mama–a name created in the 1950s by composer Charles Lightfoot in honour of the nation’s celebrated calypso songstress, Maureen Duvalier.
Like the Bahama mama, the yellow bird also takes its name from a popular Caribbean song–a calypso tune based on a Haitian melody that became popular in the 1950s. The drink is a refreshing blend of citrus fruits and a mixture of rums.
Still another local cocktail, the Goombay smash, was created by the late Miss Emily Cooper, proprietor of the Blue Bee Bar at New Plymouth, Green Turtle Cay, Abaco.
Miss Emily invented the drink in the 1970s. Her original recipe remains a family secret, but there are many other versions being made throughout the islands. Miss Emily named the drink after a predominant Bahamian musical style.
Bahama mama
1⁄2 oz light rum
1⁄2 oz gold rum
1⁄2 oz dark rum
1⁄2 oz coconut liqueur
1 oz orange juice
1 oz pineapple juice
Goombay smash
11⁄4 oz gold or dark rum
1⁄2 oz coconut liqueur
3 oz pineapple juice
2 dashes lemon juice
1 dash simple syrup
1⁄4 oz triple sec
For both drinks, shake and serve over cracked ice in a tall glass. Garnish with cherry and sliced lemon or orange wedge.
New rum drinks
New cocktails are being created by talented barkeeps all the time, and there are several top-secret ones served up at the British Colonial Hilton’s classy new bar, Bullion.
One of the most popular is Rum bullion–a flavourful mix of dark rum, lime, pineapple and ginger. According to assistant restaurant and bar manager Steve Glasgow, the name is a nod to the pirate era.
“We were looking for a name, and we thought of the piracy and the rum-running that used to go on here. They used to hide gold bars in the rum.” Glasgow notes that the Hilton is located right on the harbour “where all that craziness happened.”
Also on the menu is the Bahama’s swizzle–a new take on the rum swizzle, the national drink of Bermuda. It fuses port, rum and falernum syrup (with flavours of almonds, ginger and cloves) to create a unique drink.
Whether you prefer a fancy cocktail decorated with a tiny parasol and colourful fruit or a jigger of liquor on ice with a splash of mix, you’ll probably choose rum–the spirit that personifies The Bahamas.
--
TropicalCocktails_DGJul10
Tropical cocktails
Rum-based island drinks
CONTACT INFORMATION
E-Mail: Click here
Internet: https://
Disclaimer:
Information in editorial and listings is subject to change at any time.