Let’s Talk about Mixology, Part 64

by Amer A. Vargas

Blue Hawaiian Cocktail

Following a great beginning of the new year, we continue “cocktailing” to entertain our palates and have fun discovering new, eye-catching concoctions and delicious flavors.

On this occasion, we will review the Blue Hawaiian cocktail (not to be confused with the Blue Hawaii, which is a different cocktail using sour mix instead of cream of coconut) as presented by our colleagues at The Spruce Eats on their website. And funnily enough, depending on how the light falls on this cocktail, it may look green to you instead of blue!

The Blue Hawaiian is a delicious tropical drink, as you can see from the ingredients we use to make it. These are, for one serving:

• 1½ oz./ 45 ml. White rum
• ¾ oz/ 22 ml. Blue Curaçao liqueur
• 2 oz./ 60 ml. Pineapple juice
• ¾ oz./ 22 ml. Cream of Coconut
• And a pineapple wedge as well as a maraschino cherry for garnish.

And this is how you prepare it. To start, in a mixing glass filled with ice cubes, pour the rum, the blue curaçao, the pineapple juice and the cream of coconut. Stir well until you get a homogenous mix. Then strain into a highball or Collins glass filled with ice cubes. Finish by garnishing as proposed or another garnish of your choice.

The result is a sweet, tropical-flavored cocktail that most people enjoy; but if you (or the drinker) are not so keen on overly sweet tastes, you can add ½ oz./ 15ml of fresh lemon juice to balance the sweetness and make it taste tangier.

There are other variations of the cocktail. You can, for example, make a frothy Blue Hawaiian by shaking the ingredients in the cocktail shaker, or prepare a Frozen Blue Hawaiian by blending the ingredients in a mixer with crushed ice until you get a smooth brew.

Whichever you choice, happy February!

Mr. Vargas is the Institute’s President—feel free to contact him via email, AmerVargas @ modernbutlers.com

The Institute is dedicated to raising service standards by broadly disseminating the mindset and superior service expertise of that time-honored, quintessential service provider, the British Butler, updated with modern people skills, and adapted to the needs of modern employers and guests in staffed homes, luxury hotels, resorts, spas, retirement communities, jets, yachts & cruise ships around the world.

Let’s Talk about Mixology, Part 63

by Amer A. Vargas

TEA AND CIDER PUNCH

Happy New Year, dear readers!

Now that the cold months of winter have definitely arrived in the Northern hemisphere, this month we will devote our cocktail article to a warming brew to help kickstart the new year with our engines already running and well heated.

This recipe, suggested by Kate Merker and Taylor Murray in the January 2020 issue of Countryliving.com, mixes the sweetness of reduced apple cider with the  warming attributes of the alcohol in bourbon added to hot tea — it’s designed to revive frost-nipped fingers, toes and noses after a day out in the cold.

Preparation is very simple, although it takes about 45-50 minutes as you are about to see.

These are the ingredients you will need to prepare 6 servings:

• 50 oz./1.5 liters of fresh apple cider
• 8 English Breakfast tea bags (but avoid using “plastic” teabags; remember this article?)
• 1 sliced lemon
• 4½ oz./135 ml. bourbon

The first thing you need to do is bring the apple cider to a boil in a large saucepan. Then, lower the heat and let simmer until it has reduced to about half the volume (this normally takes 35 to 45 minutes).

When the apple cider reduction is ready, remove it from the stove and add the tea bags and the sliced lemon. Steep for 4 minutes.

Finally, discard the tea bags and stir in the bourbon. And it’s ready!

Serve in nice mugs, preferably pre-heated, so as to keep the brew hot for a longer period of time.

We wish you happiness and all the best for an amazing 2021. Cheers!

Mr. Vargas is the Institute’s President—feel free to contact him via email, AmerVargas @ modernbutlers.com

The Institute is dedicated to raising service standards by broadly disseminating the mindset and superior service expertise of that time-honored, quintessential service provider, the British Butler, updated with modern people skills, and adapted to the needs of modern employers and guests in staffed homes, luxury hotels, resorts, spas, retirement communities, jets, yachts & cruise ships around the world.