Cooling Caribbean COCKTAILS Text by Mauri Elbel Photography by Malinda Nelson on Location at Gibney Beach Villas

86 l ST. JOHN MAGAZINE ISSUE NO. 4 C Though it’s inevitably 5 o’clock somewhere, there is no need to coordinate the urge to imbibe with the hour on the clock when on St. John. Just reset your watch to ... island time. Whether you are lying on one of the island’s pristine beaches, snorkeling through its tranquil waters, splashing on its sandy shores or just simply ex- isting in paradise, you may find it hard to resist the urge to sip something sweet and soothing when the air turns sultry. And what better beverage to quench your thirst than a refreshing rum cocktail – a sweet drink derived from sugarcane in a process that has evolved to perfection over several centuries in the Caribbean. cooling caribbean COCKTAILS Text by MAURI ELBEL Photography by MALINDA NELSON on location at GIBNEY BEACH VILLAS Today, you can’t get from Cruz Bay to Coral Bay without encountering countless venues boasting their own variations of luscious rum-inspired liba- tions. With the freshest ingredients supplied by nature herself – everything from tangy limes, sweet coconuts and juicy mangos all the way to Carib- bean-distilled rum – it would be torture to your taste buds, as well as your temper, not to try at least one. So when you start to feel the heat emanating from those intense island rays, find yourself a shady spot and treat yourself to a tried-and-true Caribbean concoction guaranteed to cool you down. Follow these guidelines to create a few of the best drinks that can be found on St. John – we’ll leave it to you to decide how much rum to add. ISSUE NO. 4 ST. JOHN MAGAZINE l 87 LIME & COCONUT — Lime & Coconut is a tangier, more localized version of the Piña Colada. It’s one of the most refreshing drinks on any day, guaranteed to breeze your cares away and leave a smile in their wake. If you are on island, add some fresh coconut meat and milk to your concoction and sip straight out of the shell. Otherwise, the small bits of fresh lime and another one to slice for garnish will provide just the right amount of limin’ to take you back to St. John, even when you are far away. RECIPE: Combine coconut rum, Rose’s Lime Juice, cream of coconut, a slice of lime (including the rind) and ice in a blender until smooth. SUGGESTED SIPPING SPOTS: The Lime Inn, The Beach Bar BBC — Banana. Bailey’s. Coconut. Need we say more? RECIPE: To make this creamy concoction, combine Bailey’s, light rum, cream of coconut and a really ripe banana with ice in a blender. Again, for more authen- ticity, use fresh coconut and transform its shell into a glass. SUGGESTED SIPPING SPOTS: Banana Deck 88 l ST. JOHN MAGAZINE ISSUE NO. 4 RUM PUNCH — Some would say you haven’t experienced the Virgin Islands if you haven’t sampled a rum punch. You prob- ably had your first encounter with the fruity drink as soon as you arrived at the airport on St. Thomas. Those mini-tasters were only a prequel to the larger and livelier versions awaiting you on St. John. You’ll find a dozen different recipes to create this Caribbean concoction, but you really can’t go wrong follow- ing the one below. RECIPE: Mix light rum and dark rum with grenadine and lime, pineapple and orange juices. Serve over ice and garnish with freshly grated nutmeg and a maraschino cherry. SUGGESTED SIPPING SPOTS: Miss Lucy’s, Caneel Bay Resort ISSUE NO. 4 ST. JOHN MAGAZINE l 89 BUSHWACKER — This is a chocolate shake for grown ups. The Bushwacker takes a smorgasbord of liquors from behind the bar and somehow makes them taste like a chocolatey, coconuty, coffee-esque delight. But beware: this drink can leave the average chocolate-lover feeling rather bush-wacked. RECIPE: Combine equal parts of dark rum, vanilla rum, Frangelico (or Amaretto), Kahlua, Bailey’s, vodka and dark crème de cacao (or another chocolate-flavored liqueur) with ice in a blender until creamy. Drizzle the inside of a glass with chocolate syrup and garnish with fresh grated nutmeg and a maraschino cherry. SUGGESTED SIPPING SPOTS: Westin Resort (poolside), Woody’s Seafood Saloon 90 l ST. JOHN MAGAZINE ISSUE NO. 4 PAINKILLER — A concoction guaranteed to cure all that ails you. A delicious blend of dark rum (Pusser’s or Myers’s are best choices), orange and pineapple juices, cream of coconut and fresh nutmeg. RECIPE: Mix the juices together in a shaker, pour them over ice, and be as liberal or conservative as you want with the dark rum. Contingent on how much pain you want to kill, float your painkiller with 151-proof rum. And don’t forget the essential toppers: freshly: freshly grated nutmeg, a maraschino cherry and slices of fresh orange for garnish. SUGGESTED SIPPING SPOTS: The Beach Bar, Sweet Plantains ISSUE NO. 4 ST. JOHN MAGAZINE l 91 MANGO COLADA — With plenty of mango trees — and rum — on St. John, it seems this heavenly beverage is what nature would recommend drinking. RECIPE: Blend together dark and light Cruzan rums, mango liquor, cream of coconut and the juiciest mango you can find with ice in a blender. If mango liquor is not at hand, add a little fresh lime and pineapple juices to give this marvelous mango mix that extra piz- zazz. SUGGESTED SIPPING SPOTS: Morgan’s Mango DARK ‘n’ StorMY — The Dark ‘n’ Stormy, a trademark Bermudian cocktail consisting of two ounces of Gosling’s Black Seal rum and ginger beer poured over ice, has rolled its way from trendy stateside bars to Australian rugby sta- diums, where Queenslanders enjoy Bundaberg Rum’s pre-mixed version of the drink in easily portable stub- bies and cans. But the best thing about the Dark ‘n’ Stormy is that it doesn’t matter in which corner of the world you are sipping, which local version of dark rum is on offer, or what the weather is like. Rain or shine, this thundery thirst-quencher is just as easily enjoyed under the Ca- ribbean sun as it is anywhere else on the map. RECIPE: In a highball glass, pour dark rum over ice and add a generous dose of intensely cloudy ginger beer. Top off your ominous beverage with a squeeze of fresh lime to heighten its flavor and add a refreshing citrus twist. SUGGESTED SIPPING SPOTS: Gecko Gazebo, The Quiet Mon, Skinny Legs, The Parrot Club 92 l ST. JOHN MAGAZINE ISSUE NO. 4 MOJITO — What aloe vera does to sunburn is what the mojito does to the sun-soaked soul. This refreshing Cuban classic crosses over quite nicely into the rest of the Caribbean. RECIPE: Carefully crush fresh mint leaves and slices of the juiciest lime you can find in the bottom of a tall glass with a little ice. Cover the greenery with sweet simple syrup and add ice, light rum and club soda before giving a gentle stir. Enjoy. SUGGESTED SIPPING SPOTS: La Tapa, Joe’s Rum Hut (where more creative versions like mango or pineapple mojitos can be found). ISSUE NO. 4 ST. JOHN MAGAZINE l 93 .

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