Cocktailing 101 With Tommy Bahama
Let the cocktails masters at Tommy Bahama’s show you how to mix it up!
Let’s see a show of hands. How many of you LOVE a refreshing and delicious summer cocktail? That is just what I thought, almost unanimous. That really wasn’t meant as a trick question. But who doesn’t love a bright, light, refreshing cocktail on a beautiful Florida day? Summer may be just about over. But, the beauty of living in Sarasota means we can enjoy summer cocktails pretty much year-round and not feel the least bit guilty.
The marketing of food, drinks, lifestyle, and just about anything else that you can think of is a science. Inexact, but a science, nonetheless. Human behavior, likes, dislikes, and so much more go into crafting the perfect image. So, it just makes sense that the perfect brand to launch a cocktail cookbook made for warm weather would be Tommy Bahama. I mean, what other name evokes the casual, laidback attitude as well as Tommy Bahama? It only follows that the perfect math equation for the season is this, Tommy Bahama + delicious cocktails + summer = carefree seasonal enjoyment!
In case you can’t quite picture this (I can’t imagine that is the case), let’s take look at an example.
That my thirsty friends is the Mango Habanero Margarita. Yes, you read that correctly. The sweetness of mango, the spice of habanero pepper all spun up in a new take on the iconic vacation drink. It’s a perfect example of what the summer lifestyle should look like distilled into a rocks glass. Of course, you can also add the beach (or another relaxing locale of your choosing), some music, and your pick of companions to the picture. Beginning to understand how the equation works?
Do you need another example? It just so happens that I’ve got one for you. Let’s have a look…
Most of us, at one point or another, have made or attempted to make a batch of sangria. But, damn, why doesn’t my finished product look as refreshing as that? It is possible that it has something to do with professional photography or maybe just a better recipe?? I’m not really sure which. It’s obvious though that this example was so ideal that Tommy decided to use it for the cover photo of the book!!
Making the perfect summer cocktail is both an art and a skill. The skill comes in being able to execute the recipe for the drink. Seems easy enough. The art is the style with which you do it. There’s no ideal interpretation for the art portion. The skill portion on the other hand is very measurable. Does this taste like it’s supposed to? Granted there’s a range here. But, if your gin and tonic tastes like a rum and coke, let’s just say it’s possible that you may have missed the mark.
At this point you’re probably thinking enough already, I’d like to try my hand at one of these cool and delicious refreshers. Great, I’ve got a little homework assignment for you. I present to you your challenge, the Mezcal Pink Flamingo!
There’s the recipe. Seems simple enough, four easily attainable ingredients and instructions that total two complete sentences. Anyone can make this drink! So, it’s obvious that you have the “skill” to pull this off. The only question is can you capture the art of it? I have full confidence that you can.
Once you’ve made and enjoyed this soon to be classic cocktail. Please snap off a few photos and send them to us. Or, better yet post them in a comment. We would love to see how your version turns out. Can you do better than Tommy??
If the warmer weather has you feeling lazy and you can’t quite imagine yourself gathering the exhaustive list of ingredients and reading through the lengthy recipe, just relax. We have a plan B. We’re lucky enough to have a Tommy Bahama’s Restaurant (300 John Ringling Blvd., 941-388-2888) right here in Sarasota. It’s located on St. Armands Circle. They have a great selection of handmade seasonal cocktails. This is exactly how easy this is going to be for you. Drive or walk there, order cocktails (and maybe some food), sit back, and enjoy!
Here are some links we thought you might be interested in:
Tommy Bahama OpenTable reservations
St. Armands Circle Association
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