And So It Starts

AND SO IT STARTS

2 oz Lost Spirits Navy Style Rum

0.5 oz Velvet Falernum Liqueur

1 oz Pineapple Gum Syrup

1 oz Orange Juice

0.25 oz Lime Juice

Shake all ingredients vigorously with ice in a cocktail shaker. Strain into a rocks glass over fresh crushed ice. Garnish with an orange wheel.

I think this cocktail means more to me than I’d like a cocktail to mean.

I think some hesitance in sharing this drink was because it was going to sound more like an expert from my journal than a cocktail recipe. But. Hell. I’m going to do it anyway.

When I created this back in March, I found myself stuck when I wanted to sit down and share it. I remember having it in my hand while I stared at the recipe, completely unable to write down why this libation. It didn’t seem to matter that in my mind I knew exactly why I created it and how it made me feel–there was nothing there.

It’s a strange but very real feeling when you connect a drink to a part of your life.

I really don’t care if this sounds weird. It really doesn’t matter to me if you have or haven’t had a drink connection. All I’m saying is that I think imbibing can have a funny way of taking you somewhere. It can have a remarkable power of changing the course of your day or even taking you on a deep dive into something of your past you didn’t know you had forgotten.

This drink stems from this magical world called: Yeah Field Trip. One could say it’s a camp/retreat/conference for people who are in a creative field that want to learn, create, soul search, and become. But really, to describe what Yeah Field Trip is and why I care so annoyingly much about it…is somewhat impossible. It’s like when people come back from Burning Man and try to explain the life-changing-ness of it all. It’s just one of those things you have to experience yourself to truly know. Unfortunately, if you haven’t experienced Yeah Field Trip…you can’t. It no longer exists. This last time attending this year, was in fact the last time. And I think my denial and heartbrokenness from this fact has made it hard to accept what this cocktail is for me. And now, it’s only if you’ve been, you would understand. And yes, I do realize this does very little for you in this story.

But.

Truth about this cocktail is this: I created this the night after being back from that trip. Why it’s taken me forever to finally share it, is because this drink represents so much more than just something delicious to consume. It turned out to be some kind of telescope to a part of my soul. In all it’s emotion and cheesiness. It’s a drink that reminds me of feeling like I had traveled to some far, foreign land, only to feel instantly at home. A piece of an unfamiliar feeling of mysterious and trusting warmth, comfort, and understanding. Something that reminds me of the carelessness of past mistakes and a reminder that there’s still a lot to learn. A cocktail that brings be back to this place full of people who get it and inspire me to be and do more. And most of all, a reminder of that feeling–of not feeling alone. I think feeling alone is something we’ve all experienced in some way or another. I’ve never met someone who hasn’t had that “ it’s just me” moment at least once. To whatever level that may resonate with you–to have that feeling of connection can be like sigh of relief. It’s one that makes you close your eyes as you lean your head back thinking, “Yass, finally.”

I go through a journey with this cocktail and I can’t say it’s always the same. But it is one that takes me somewhere good, real, and awakening. Now saying that, even though it’s a very moving drink for me, I don’t mean it to one to binge on in hopes of keep reliving these things. It’s just one to be just a one drink. A one refresher and reminder when I need it. A drink that seems to know me and what I’m about. And that’s all.

“And So It Starts” is a cocktail of rum, pineapple, orange, tanginess and warmth. A drink that’s meant to be a beginning of a story and one only you can write. I’ve obviously already taken it for a spin to have some inkling to know where it’s going, but I encourage you to give it a try and see where it takes you. Maybe it’s a new adventure for you. Maybe you love it and make it all the time. Maybe you get to know me a little bit more through it. Maybe it tastes weird. Maybe you hate it. Maybe it just a nice drink and that’s all it is. Maybe you just read this and never try it. All possibilities are possible.

And yes, that orange wheel is supposed to be like a sunrise or some kind of meaningful shit like that.