Farm to Bar: Tiki Time
Rum's the Inspiration for This Week's Drink, the Mele Kalikimaka.
In my opinion, Santa Barbara’s next great spirit of choice will be rum. Rum bars are some of the funnest joints in which to enjoy a cocktail, and I mean, have you ever seen a tiki lounge? Rum was the original American booze. Barrels of molasses shipped up from the Caribbean, distilled, and then aged by some of the most famous families of all US history.
My ode to the sweet sweet nectar of the isles is called The Mele Kalikimaka. Muddle a quarter of a farmers market guava (Goodland Organic’s has perfect ones right now) with 1/2 oz lime juice and 1/2 oz simple syrup. Add a dash of orange bitters and 2 oz of your favorite rum. Shake with ice and pour into your favorite tiki mug and cheers to this perfect December weather.
Patrick Reynolds is an Independent Foodie Award-winning bartender and creator of the Wildcat’s weekly Farm to Bar cocktail hour. Find him behind the bar at the Wildcat every Tuesday, mixing what’s fresh.
