Day 30: Finding Neverland
"Second star to the right and straight on til morning." Take a moment and breath it in friends, and welcome to day 30. I really can't believe it's been this long all ready. Sometimes, this "new normal" is beginning to feel a bit too normal. I miss it, i truly miss seeing your faces from behind my work station. I miss deciphering what type of liquid therapy you'd prefer, hoping to take away the worries of your day with the tools I have before me. Those of us who usually make your drinks are struggling without those dark, quirky places you frequent for cocktails and revelry. We feel so lost without cracking ice, shaking, stirring, measuring, and laughing, not just because of a financial burden, but because it was our Neverland.
In 1904, then public had their first look at Peter Pan, or The Boy Who Wouldn't Grow Up during the show's London premiere. Most of us are familiar with the story. Peter Pan, the flying boy who never grows up, leads his misfit crew of Lost Boys, and they all stay children befriending fairies and fighting pirates.
I imagine a lot of bartenders can probably relate to this idea. So many of us found this world, because the rest of society either didn't accept us or just didn't make sense. We became the lost boys, lost girls, and lost persons living in our own Neverland, ready with a joke, a drink, or perhaps just a friendly ear. The music sounded better, everything was beautiful and delicious, and we were here to take your pain away and help you forget. Our homes were your playground, and we loved being your host.
I think this idea of being away from those homes, which became the first place some of us felt like we belonged, is possibly more damaging than the financial repercussions. Money is, though important, something we can obtain. There are many avenues for finances, but we gravitated towards this world for a sense of something else. We became liquid peripatetics, seeking adventure in a glass, but now the lights are off and those glasses are empty. It's almost like these lost boys need their homes, because they're, well, lost.
Finding Neverland
2oz Aged Bardados Rum (I used The Real McCoy 12 year.)
.5oz 151 Proof Guyanese Rum (I used Hamilton 151)
.5oz Banana Liqueur (I used Giffard)
1oz Cantaloupe and Pineapple Puree
.5oz Black Pepper Syrup
.75oz Lemon
3 dashes Angostura Bitters
Cobbler Shaker as vessel, because this one is for the bartenders
Whip shake or spindle mix and pour unstrained.
Top with crushed ice.
Garnish with banana leaf, flower, and fruit slices.
Cantaloupe Puree
Cut 1 medium sized cantaloupe into 1 inch cubes and add to blender.
Add 4oz pineapple juice and blend until smooth.
Now you're off to Never Neverland. While you enjoy your drink, think about everyone who wishes they could make this cocktail for you right now. We are still out here, and we can't wait to see you again from the other side. I hope all of you who've lost your homes find a way to fly back, and I hope we can all find our Neverland once again.
I know I'm ready to fly away.
Keep Shaking.
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