’Tis a fine time o’ year to be talkin’ like a pirate. Arr!
Fer the uninitiated, Sept. 19 be designated International Talk Like a Pirate Day.
This underrated but joyous holiday was created in 2002 by John “Ol’ Chumbucket” Baur and Mark “Cap’n Slappy” Summers. Though it originated in Florida, it didn’t take it long to sail to Columbus, and the Jolly Roger has been planted here each fall since.
If it’s a celebration of pirate culture ye desire, ye might take a voyage to the Santa Maria in downtown Columbus, which hoists the mainsails for its annual Talk Like a Pirate Weekend Sept. 21-22.
But for all the Santa Maria’s good points as a seafarin’ vessel, she has no bar on board. So should ye be seekin’ a pirate libation that even a landlubber can enjoy, plunder at liberty from the list that follows; I’ll not force ye to walk the plank. All recipes are courtesy of the official International Talk Like a Pirate Day website, www.talklikeapirate.com.
Just don’t get too loaded to the gunwalls. Ye don’t want to end up on the wrong end of the cat o’ nine tails.
American Grog
1 oz. dark rum
1 tsp. sugar
2 cloves
Dash lemon juice
Stick of cinnamon
Combine rum, sugar and cloves in a mug, then add lemon juice and cinnamon stick. Top with hot water.
Battering Ram
¾ oz. dark rum
¾ oz. light rum
½ oz. bourbon
Orange juice
Pour liquor over ice in a highball glass, then fill with orange juice.
Caribbean Smuggler
¾ oz. dark rum
½ oz. triple sec
1 oz. orange juice
1 oz. margarita mix
½ oz. simple syrup
3 oz. lemon-lime soda
Pour the dark rum, triple sec, orange juice, margarita mix and simple syrup into a cocktail shaker half-filled with ice cubes. Shake well, then strain into a hurricane glass almost filled with ice cubes. Top with lemon-lime soda and stir briefly. Garnish with a lime wheel and an orange flag.
Dark and Stormy
2 oz. dark rum
8 oz. ginger beer
Pour rum over ice, add ginger beer and stir.
Rum Runner Island Style
1 oz. dark rum
1 oz. light rum
½ oz. blackberry brandy
¼ oz. banana liqueur
1 splash grenadine
1 splash lime juice
Pour liquors, grenadine and lime juice into a blender with 1 ½ cups of ice, and mix until thick. Pour into a hurricane glass, garnish with a cherry and serve.
Garth Bishop is editor of CityScene Magazine. Feedback welcome at gbishop@cityscenemediagroup.com.
