Jamaican Breeze

One of my favorite rums, and I have many, is the Appleton Estate Reserve 12 year old rum. It is made by Jamaica’s oldest continually run distillery sitting on the oldest sugar estate. It is the rum I use in Mai Tais and is also a very smooth sipping rum. The taste is what I think of when I think of rum. It mixes well in cocktails where you want to be able to highlight the taste of the rum. Below is one such cocktail. The Jamaican Breeze is perfect for a soft summer evening.

Jamaican Breeze
Ingredients:

• 1 slice Fresh ginger
• 1.5 oz Appleton Estate Reserve Rum
• 2 oz Pineapple juice (fresh is best)
• 0.5 oz simple syrup
• 1 dash Angostura Bitters (optional)
• Lime wheel

Instructions:

1. In a shaker, muddle the ginger.
2. Add the remaining ingredients and fill with ice.
3. Shake it like you mean it.
4. Strain into a rocks glass filled with fresh ice.
5. Garnish with a lime wheel.

Caipirinha

I finally bought a bottle of Cachaca. With me loving rum and limes, this was a must so I could try the national drink of Brazil. The Caipirinha is the national cocktail of Brazil made with Cachaca, lime, and sugar.Until recently, it was unknown outside of Brazil. But now it is so popular that the International Bartenders Association has designated it an Official Cocktail. It is very simple to make and very refreshing. I can definitely see myself drinking lots of these on the deck this summer.
Caipirinha

Ingredients:

• ½ lime cut into quarters
• 3 tsp granulated sugar
• 2 ounces cachaca
• 1 cup crushed ice
• Sugar Cane stick

Instructions:

1. Get an Old Fashioned glass.
2. Cut the half lime into quarters.
3. Put the lime into the glass.
4. Add the sugar.
5. Muddle thoroughly until sugar is dissolved.
6. Add the Cachaca and crushed ice.
7. Stir with sugar cane stick.
8. Leave in sugar cane as a garnish.

Cuba Libre

Cuba Libre or Rum and Coke, whatever you like to call it, is refreshing. First off, you need to get some Coca-Cola from Mexico. Its distinct taste we remember from our childhood is a must in this drink. And of course, please always use fresh lime juice. The final choice is the rum. I think white rum is the best choice here, but there is still a choice. Sweet or dry. Appleton White Rum from Jamaica is smooth with notes of vanilla, but not too sweet. This rum makes for a very mellow rum and coke. Flor de Cana Extra Dry is just that, and it plays well with the lime juice to make a lighter tasting rum and coke. Whatever your preference, this is a classic cocktail that has stood the test of time.

Cuba Libre

• 1.5 ounce white rum
• .75 ounce fresh lime juice
• ice cubes
• 4.5 ounce Coca Cola from Mexico

1. Add rum to a high ball glass
2. Add lime juice
3. Add ice cubes
4. Fill with Coca Cola
5. Stir

Sip and be refreshed!

Santa Maria Tri Tip and Ginger Mojitos

I am craving ginger today. It all started last night, but I am not sure why. Maybe because I have been staring at a hunk of ginger root in my fruit bowl for about ten days now. Did you know you should not store ginger root in the refrigerator? It goes bad quicker, turns black and green, yuck! However, in the dry air of Colorado, it does tend to shrink and shrivel in the fruit bowl. But it does not get gross. Anyway, I am craving ginger. And beef. That lead me to Santa Maria Tri Tip. Yeah I know that really does not have ginger in its marinade, but I put it in there. For years I have been buying the pre marinated Santa Maria Tri Tip at Tony’s Market. I decided to make my own. It really is just salt and peppered tri tip rubbed with garlic and marinated in soy sauce. That lead me to thinking about teriyaki sauce. I recently read the cookbook Guy Fieri Food and it had a great recipe for Teriyaki Sauce. That worked wonders on the tri tip!

So last night I cooked up some of Guy’s teriyaki sauce, but I did not strain out the yummy bits. I put the tri tip in a gallon freezer bag and put half the marinade in with it overnight. Tonight I grilled it, sliced it, and served it with some fried rice. Since I was still craving ginger, I decided to have some ginger mojitos! The recipes for the teriyaki sauce and ginger mojitos are below. Both are a great way to end the week.

Teriyaki Sauce

Adapted from a Guy Fieri recipe

Ingredients:

• 1 Tbsp Vegetable Oil
• 2 Tbsp minced garlic
• 2 Tbsp minced ginger
• 1/2 tsp red chili flakes
• 3/4 cup green onions, thinly sliced
• 1/2 cup mirin
• 1/2 cup soy sauce
• 2 Tbsp dark brown sugar
• 2 tsp water
• 2 tsp cornstarch

Instructions:

1. In a small sauce pan over medium high heat, heat the oil until shimmering.
2. Add the ginger, garlic, and chili flakes.
3. Stir constantly for one minute.
4. Add the green onions and mirin.
5. Cook to reduce the liquid for three minutes.
6. Stir in the soy sauce and brown sugar.
7. Simmer over medium heat for five minutes stirring occasionally.
8. In a small bowl combine the cornstarch and water.
9. Slowly pour into the pan and stir to combine.
10. Simmer over medium heat for three minutes stirring occasionally.
11. Remove from heat and cool.
12. Can be stored in refrigerator for up to a week.

Ginger Mojito

Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 ounce White Rum (I like Appleton Estate White for mojitos)
• 1 1/2 ounce simple syrup
• 1 1/2 ounce fresh squeezed lime juice
• 1 1/2 ounce ginger liqueur
• 2 ounces club soda
• Fresh mint leaves
• 2 cups crushed ice
• Large ice cubes
• Highball glass

Instructions:

1. Fill highball glass half full with ice cubes.
2. In the bottom of your cocktail shaker, put a handful of mint leaves.
3. Add lime juice, simple syrup, ginger liqueur, and rum.
4. Add crushed ice.
5. Shake it like you mean it for at least a minute.
6. Strain into glass to 3/4 full.
7. Top with club soda.
8. Garnish with sprig of mint.
9. Sit back, sip, and enjoy!