The Apples in My Orchard

This is not my first blog piece for today, but I guess I am just not ready to post what I wrote earlier. Now, it is late in the day and I am do not feel like posting a heavy piece of writing (>1,000 words).

So, in celebration of 5 o’clock on a Friday, I will post about cocktails. I just got back from Menards which is a home improvement store in the mid-west. There I found, by total accident, Ginger Beer made by Goslings.  I laughed as I scooped the six-pack up into my already full arms.

Ginger Beer is an ingredient in a Dark n Stormy, Bermuda’s national cocktail. I am not a huge rum fan but I do have Gosling’s Dark Rum in my cupboard which is a Bermuda staple. I cannot remember ever having a Dark and Stormy, even once during my three trips to Bermuda, including this past August. But, in the comfort of my own home, knowing I can potentially dump it down the drain after sipping the cocktail without wasting a ton of money (Remember, everything is expensive in Bermuda – wine, beer, and cocktails are no exception), allows me to feel adventuresome in trying this cocktail.

I looked up the recipe online from Epicurious – Yup, the ingredients are Dark Rum, Ginger Beer, and a lime wedge.

So, recognizing the Goslings label on the Ginger Beer (isn’t beer the same as ale, as in Ginger Ale?) I thought the soda was Bermudian, and what was referred to in recipes for a Dark and Stormy, the national cocktail of the Island of Bermuda.

Of course, I was disappointed when I realized that the Ginger Beer is not from Bermuda at all. I am sure it is just Ginger Ale, just like the Schweppes, Seagrams, or Canada Dry brands.  Just because it has a cute seal on the front, aptly named “Stormy”, does not mean it is better, or from Bermuda, or will make a more tasty rum concoction.

After all my excitement, I decided on waiting to try a Dark and Stormy for another day and instead reverted back to my heart helping glass of red wine – something Thorny, instead of Stormy.

Cheers.