Tag Archives: vanilla

Cocktail Time: Sailor Jerry Rum

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Whether sat on a sun-kissed beach as the crystal waves break on the beach, or lounged in a dimly lit cocktail bar absorbing the ambience, Sailor Jerry rum has a classic vibe that’s both bold and smooth. The bottles are unmistakable: adorned by the traditional tattoo work of Norman “Sailor Jerry” Collins – and the taste of the rum is pretty unforgettable too.

I was first aware of Sailor Jerry rum when it was a regular prize for the star letter in Bizarre magazine. The brand cultivated something of a counter culture feel, assisted by that classic artwork. When I first tasted the drink, I was instantly smitten by the taste.

There are dozens of ways to enjoy your Sailor Jerry rum, but this is my favourite: mixing with cola. For me, it has to be full fat Coca Cola, other brands or diet versions just don’t cut it.

To prepare, simply add 2 measures of rum (1 if you prefer) to a highball glass and add ice. Then top up with the coke, and enjoy.

I was lucky enough to pick up some limited edition Sailor Jerry plastic tumblers to drink my rum from. Plus a while back, the bottles were packed with promotional posters. I even acquired a promotional CD a while back in my local, featuring some great Rockabilly and Punk bands. These items are ideal additions to any home tiki bar and have helped build my loyalty!

You can check out plenty more Sailor Jerry rum recipes at their website here.

Platinum Al’s Virtual Hot Tub urges you to drink responsibly.

Soundtrack: The Cramps, Reverend Horton Heat.

Cocktail Time: Kraken Rum

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Many a weary old seadog has told a tale of the fearsome sea monster, the Kraken. A huge, tentacled beast, legends say it can tear a ship apart and drag sailors to a watery doom. Only occasionally venturing from the deepest of ocean depths, the Kraken is never the less dreaded by seafarers – the legend of this behemoth is ancient and terrible.

Also, Kraken is brand of spiced rum that’s actually really nice! I haven’t composed one of these drink based blogs for a long while, so with party season upon us, let’s celebrate this enjoyable spirit.

Release the Kraken!

Kraken is a spiced rum and can be mixed many ways, my favourite being with coke (full fat, of course). Ginger beer is also a god option. Kraken has a taste reminiscent of vanilla and caramel, mixed with cola it has a sweet but deep taste that’s a refreshing variation on the typical rum and coke. There are many other recipe suggestions on the Kraken website – check it out here.

I’m not on commission for this, sadly. Hope you enjoy, and drink responsibly.

Soundtrack: anything by King Kraken.

Food Quest: Piccolino, Chester

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Piccolino, Chester

It was a hard slog of a shopping trip, but luckily there was a safe haven awaiting us.  Despite the crowds outside, a warm welcome would be found at Piccolino; a chance to recharge and enjoy some great food.

I’ve been to Piccolino before, but not for a while, so this lunchtime treat was very satisfying.  The staff were very helpful and we immediately felt relaxed.  All four of our party – including a six year old with fussy tastes – were looked after very well.

Here’s a brief over view of the food I enjoyed.

As it was lunchtime, we didn’t bother with starters as such, but ordered some garlic bread to share.  This Pane All’Aglio was served with tomato and basil – essentially a tomato sauce – and was delicious.  Especially popular with our youngest member.

For my lunch proper, I ordered Fusilli Puttanesca Con Pollo – a pasta dish, with chicken, tomato, olives, chilli, anchovies and capers.  I was looking forward to this dish, and I wasn’t disappointed – it was superb.  Not just any old thrown together pasta meal, this was exquisite.  I was very impressed, even better than expected.

Mrs Platinum Al ordered a pasta dish also – Farfalle Al Salmone (probably just because it had my name in it).  Joking aside, this was also very good – I had a sneaky try to confirm.  I would happily order this meal myself on my next visit, if not for the fact that my Fusilli Puttanesca Con Pollo was so damn fine.

The little ‘un had a cheese and tomato pizza – that’s a Margherita to us professionals – and she destroyed it.  The pizza proved very popular indeed.

I’d had a cheeky beer (Moretti La Rossa – excellent), and decided to splash out on a dessert.  This was not a mistake, no sir.

I was tempted by some ice cream, and made a radical choice.  Despite not being much of a fan of coffee, I chose the Affogato – Amaretto, espresso and vanilla ice cream.  This was presented more like a cocktail than a pudding, with the ice cream covered in Amaretto and a shot of espresso to pour over the top.  This was an amazing dessert – I still have dreams about it now! img_20161008_143441512

A fabulous time was had by all of our party at Piccolino.  The food was divine and service perfect.  To top it all, our little girl had a great experience and we’d happily return for more family fun.

Food Quest Test

  • Food: Enormous choice and delicious
  • Drink: Plenty to choose from, need to try more next time!
  • Service: Professional, friendly, hard working
  • Cost: Very good value for quality food

Piccolino, 33 Pepper Row, Pepper Street, Chester CH1 1EA

01244 312123

Check out he Piccolino menu here.