I’ve been down this hurricane road quite a few times. Real ones — like Category 4 real. On an island.
In general a Category 2 wouldn’t even make me board up my windows in Bermuda, but that is no reason not to be prepared. Planning for a hurricane involves the usual making sure that you have provisions. That has been covered here and elsewhere. The one provision they don’t talk about is alcohol. One cannot have a proper hurricane party without some good hooch.
In Bermuda, historically we would have a Dark and Stormy. Below is the recipe:
- Ice
- 1/4 lime
- 2 oz Goslings Black Seal Bermuda Rum (plus a bit more)
- 10 oz of ginger beer, I prefer Barritt’s
Fill a big ass glass with ice. Squeeze the 1/4 lime over the ice and drop into glass. Pour the 2oz of rum and ginger beer into glass. My special touch is to get a straw and place it into the glass. Fill the straw with pure rum for a hurricane a-blowing rum blast on the first sip.
Problem with the Dark and Stormy is that it really needs ice. Ice after days two of no power is a very valuable commodity, perhaps impossible to find. At this point, you have limited options. Warm beer (blech) and cocktails don’t cut it for me. This is when I switch to red wine. If hurri-geddon is going to happen, I am going out with a Haute-Brion in my paws. My other go-to option is tequila. Blanco with lime to ward off scurvy.
To ensure you are not completely over-served, one must have some sustenance. I stick to peanut butter and jelly sandwiches during hurricanes. Good at sopping up the acid in your tum-tum. I save the good food for the kids as I am happy to sacrifice all for my children. Plus, kids are really good at telling if the milk has gone bad in your cooler. Makes them feel like they are included.
How will you be celebrating surviving the hurricane?
