Day 86: Island Calling
“Every island to a child is a treasure island.” P.D. James wrote these words in her book, The Lighthouse, and they always stuck with me. When we are young, the entire world is an adventure, but as we get older, it all seems so ordinary. Those are the moments when we get that wanderlust, and the islands begin calling.
Dear thirsty readers, I'm craving adventure. For the past 86 days, I've been sitting in front of this computer, sharing a drink each day. It's been my hope to shed a small amount of light in your worlds, since I can no longer do so from behind a bar. Those days are coming to a close, and I'm looking forward to the next adventure. What will this new journey look like?
I fell in love with the bar and restaurant world, because it was an escape from the ordinary. Inside each one of these places, lies it's own special little world, full or drama, adventure, and a bit of a show every night. When everything closed down, it was like these special islands of ours began to sink into the sea. Some would never re-emerge.
I was watching this Pixar short the other day called Lava. In the film, there's a lonely volcano in the middle of the sea. This volcano longs for a mate, singing his song of love every day for thousands of years. Eventually, he begins to sink into the ocean, as he becomes extinct. Unbeknownst to him, there's a lovely female volcano, who's been listening to his song all along, waiting to emerge from the sea.
The other volcano emerges too late, and her singing volcano is now where to be found. She sings her own song, which begins to reignite the lonely volcano. Her love gives him life, and he re-emerges from the deep to join her. At the end, they sing their song together, and both volcanoes are brighter and stronger than ever, showing that love can overcome.
I thought about our own islands, the ones we've lost with the onset of the pandemic. They have been singing their songs, hoping someone would come and love them again. For some, it's too late. The toll of being closed for months has been too much. For the others, this is the time to emerge from the sea. I only hope the guests who enjoyed our islands can hear them calling. Will you answer?
Island Calling
1.5oz Multi-Island Rum Blend
.75oz Lime-Orange Oleo
.75oz Lime Juice
.75oz Pineapple Juice
1 dash Absinthe
2 dashes Peychaud's Bitters
6 drops Ube Extract
Cocktail Coupe
Shake and strain into chilled glass.
Garnish with trimmed tea leaf and orchid.
Lime-Orange Oleo
Peels of 12 Limes
Peels of 2 Large Oranges
1 cup raw sugar
Cover peels with sugar and allow to sit covered at room temperature for 24+ hours.
Add .5 cups hot water and stir until all of the sugar is separated from the peels.
Strain and serve.
"I have a dream
I hope it will come true
That you're here with me
And I am here with you
I wish that the earth, sea, and the sky up above
Will send me someone to lava."
I hope they send plenty of people to us, when it's time to make the show happen in it's entirety. I'm itching to make you some tasty libations once again. Will you answer the call? Will you join us in this new world? It won't be long now, but until that time does come, I'll keep writing, and you keep shaking.