Day 87: Queen of the Desert
Bernadette broke into the noisy dribble, as she'd had enough of listening to the same talking over and over. "No, I'll join this conversation on the proviso that we stop bitching about people talking about wigs, dresses, bust sizes, penises, drugs, night clubs, and bloody Abba!" Tick just laughed and replied, "Doesn't give us much to talk about then, does it?"
Welcome again, my thirsty readers. I needed a pick-me-up this morning, so I decided to watch one of my favorite movies, The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert. I wasn't feeling particularly down, but rather feeling flamboyant, and I felt like some relatable context would be nice.
Back on Day 57, which seems so long ago at this point, I mentioned the film To Wong Foo, Thanks for Everything! Julie Newmar. Before we had that, we had Priscilla, and the world was better for this. Following the same style of story, we have a trio of drag performers taking a long road trip, on the way to a performance. Running into similar trouble along the way, the group teaches small town folk about the power of acceptance. Did I mention it's downright hilarious?
This was one of those "coming-of-age" movies for me. No, I don't perform drag, but I always felt a connection to these fabulous entertainers. Drag queens always have an extra flair of extravagance, even when it's not really called for. There's an over the top, bigger is better mentality to these shows, and I don't think anyone understands that quite as much as us tiki bartenders.
Every night it's a show. We try and entertain you, bringing flamboyance with huge garnishes, flaming bowls, smoke effects, and it all takes place in an environment that feels like somewhere else. Our hope is to transform your mundane day into something mind-blowing. Maybe more bartenders should take some cues from drag. That sure would make things a lot more fun.
Queen of Desert
.75oz Mezcal (I like the sharpness of an Espandin, but try out different types. See what you come up with)
.75oz Aged Guyanese Rum (It's pretty sweetened, but El Dorado 12 really fit the bill here, adding the right amount of richness the drink needed)
.75oz Peach Liqueur
.5oz Campari
.5oz Cinnamon Syrup
.5oz Lime Juice
.5oz Grapefruit Juice
Cocktail Coupe
Shake and strain into chilled glass.
Garnish with pineapple half moon and pineapple fronds.
The world has been a tad crazy lately, and it's been hard to keep up with everything. In case you didn't know, it's June, and that means it's Pride Month. Nothing screams pride like letting your inner flamboyance loose. Go ahead, let that freak flag fly. Do that thing you were always too embarrassed to, fearing the scorns of other. We've got your back. We look after our own. Have a great day friends, and keep shaking.