Post #703641 by Hurricane Hayward on Thu, Jan 2, 2014 8:20 PM

Quickly catching up here. My nose has been buried in "Potions of the Caribbean" as I battled a nasty holiday flu. But from what I've been reading, it sure beats yellow fever, dysentery and malaria. I HAVE been treating it with rum, however.

@ Sunny&Rummy: Wow, that's quite a Christmas stash. Your family certainly has you pegged.

@ TikiSan: I would definitely recommend the Bum's ice cone mold to anyone who wants to make a proper Navy Grog. It takes some getting used to, as mentioned above, but it's quite nifty. I have one of my usual exhaustive reviews in the works that will compare it head-to-head vs. the old pilsner glass method and also reveal a new recipe. I'll post a link when I finally get that one wrapped up.

I too am trying to pace myself as I make my way through "Potions," not unlike a night at The Mai-Kai. You don't want it to end. I'm also making an effort to try the drinks as I go along, enjoying them along with the text and visuals. Plus, I need to slow down and take notes for an upcoming interview with Mr. Berry.

I've completed four chapters and around a dozen new cocktails that I hadn't tried before. Once I get off the cold meds, I'm sure I'll ramp that up a bit.

The highlights so far:

• Planters Punch (the simple version on page 73) and Daiquiri (Improved, page 83). If there's one overriding influence I'm getting from the book so far, it's a much better appreciation for simplicity. The early versions of these classics, when made correctly as Jeff spells out, put many more complex creations to shame. It's easy to see why they were so influential. And some of the stuff he dug up on the daiquiri I don't think has been published anywhere before.

• Donn's Myrtle Bank Punch, which easily topped Vic's version in a head-to-head comparison. It has all the hallmarks of some of his other classics (Jamaican rum, honey mix, grapefruit juice, bitters) but as usual has a slightly different spin. Vic's version just came off as unbalanced and heavy on the maraschino and LH 151. Seems like it would make a better short, strained cocktail.

• Hitler's Jitters was a surprise, another simple daiquiri with a unique twist (creme de cacao).

• Petit Punch Vieux was one of the better, if not the best, Ti Punch recipes I've sampled. Once again, simple and elegant rule the day.

I hope Jeff's reputation as a "Tiki guy" doesn't keep a broader base of readers from checking this out. I would rank "Potions" right up there with any current book on craft cocktail history. It should be considered a must-read for anyone seeking to go back to the roots and learn the foundation of what's going on today.

Chapter 5 is next, so I'm sure the best is yet to come ...