We have been so busy exploring Pine Island, Cape Coral, and Fort Meyers that there is no blog post for this week. but we have been working hard to find the best cocktail with a view! We’ve tried Rum Rummers, Goombay Smashes, Hurricanes, Mojitos, and more, but don’t worry, we’re always safe and never drive if we’ve had too many.
After extensive research, we decided to go straight to the source and visit the Wicked Dolphin Distillery in Cape Coral. Wicked Dolphin is the first distillery in Florida since Prohibition and they make rum in small batches from local ingredients. If you are in the Fort Myers area, you should definitely go check them out. The tours are free, as are the tastings. We picked up two bottles (but wanted more) and have created a couple of cocktails that we thought that you, our dear readers, might enjoy (we certainly have)! In all of the recipes below, we are using Wicked Dolphin Rum, but you could use your favorite as a substitute. We bought everything we used and they didn’t give us anything for free… but hey Wicked Dolphin, give us a call and we’ll pick up anything you’re willing to donate for the mention!
If you are not familiar with cocktail mixing, you should know that a jigger is the standard measure. The hourglass-shaped bar mixing tool holds 1 1/2 ounces on the large side, which is a shot; and 3/4 of an ounce on the small side, which is half a shot. There are variations and not all jiggers are created equal so you should do a “reality check” with your jigger to know its volume. Most home bartenders are not too worried about it and when making our drinks, I rarely measure, which can be dangerous!
Our first creation we decided to call the Pine Island KOA Breeze. In a pint glass, combine 1-1/2 ounces of coconut rum, 3 ounces of orange juice, and ice. Shake to combine and top with Cranberry Sprite (you could also use 3/4 ounce of cranberry juice and top off with Sprite). Garnish with orange slices and a sugared cranberry if you have them (we didn’t).
Next up is the Pine Island Storm. We made this one out of necessity since we ran out of Cranberry Sprite (it’s only available during the holidays). Begin by chopping up a fresh pineapple and covering it with coconut rum and let it marinate in the fridge for at least 24 hours. In a shaker, combine 1-1/2 ounces each of the pineapple infused coconut rum and black rum with ice and 3 ounces of orange juice. Shake until frothy. Pour over ice and top with Sprite and pieces of the drunken pineapple (and some maraschino cherries, if you have them). Give the glass a float of more dark rum to make it happy! The picture below is actually a double because we were doing laundry and were not very close to the RV.
The last cocktail we created we called the RumSlide. Combine equal parts black rum and Bailey’s Irish Cream with ice. Shake until frothy and pour over ice. If you want to take it to the next level, swirl some chocolate syrup into the glass first!
We hope you enjoy the fruits of our labors here on Pine Island and if you have other favorite rum cocktails, let us know in the comments. You don’;t have to be on the beach to enjoy a few moments of island life!
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