I’ve never done this before. Post a follow up episode directly after the one in question. It’s arrogance, really. For never have I had the wherewithal to recognize my deficiencies within so close a timeline of releasing an episode. The author thinks too highly of himself. The author also speaks in third person like a douchebag.
What happened is this - in researching prohibition and Bill McCoy and the origins of the Rum Rummer drink I became too ensconced in trying to force a through-line. The Rum Runner episode ended up being a mish-mosh of loosely correlated facts and stories that indeed made sense and are true, but lacked the cohesion I strive for as a decent storyteller.
Not only did I fail in relaying a captivating story, but I also omitted, of my own fault in being trapped in my vacuous head, that most important notion of the Rum Runner. The legacy of the drink itself and its relation to us, the beachgoers.
I spoke of Bill McCoy and his misadventures, the U.S. prohibition on alcohol that led to his rise, the recipe, ingredients, and my thoughts on the drink. What I left out was that despite my opinion on the drink I, nor anyone else in this space, can deny its indelible place in the culture of beach bar drinking.
I’ve done a moderate amount of travelling compared to some of ya’ll out there and a fair amount to still some others. However, my heart will always lie fossilized in the beach bar & grille’s of Florida where I spent my formative years and where I still call home though I currently reside in the beautiful state of Tennessee. I can’t speak for places I don’t know about, but in the sunshine state and the close Caribbean the Rum Runner cocktail is somewhat of a staple.
There are Tiki bars. Traditional Kapa’a wallpaper adorned with bamboo and Tahitian artifacts or post mod 2nd wave artwork. The places that serve 1930’s style Tiki drinks as close in proximity to Donn and Vic’s masterpieces as we can surmise. But, if you grew up or spent any time in the southeast U.S. you know about the other kind of Tiki bar. An outdoor “hut” style pagoda topped with thatch roofing and usually on the deck or pier overlooking some body of water. You may’ve heard reference to a restaurant having a dining room with indoor bar as well as a “Tiki Bar” out back. These are what Martin Cate referred to as “Florida Tiki Bars”. Which I personally find quite offensive. As if we on the east coast don’t know real Tiki. May I remind Martin of the Mai Kai?
Suffering Bastard, Permanent Vacation, Aku Aku. Just a few of the world class traditional Tiki Bars in Central Florida. Not counting Mai Kai in Ft Lauderdale, Tiki House in Key West, Tropics in Cocoa Beach. Or, take a road trip north to Georgia for Bamboo Room or Trader Vic’s. So, yeah. We know Tiki. We also know that a beachside Tiki hut is not trying to be that.
There’s actually some history to this, as well. We’ve discussed before but, a quick recapitulation. Native Americans in the territory known as Florida traded goods to early Spanish colonizers from small makeshift lean-tos they called Chickee, or Cheekee huts. Over time and with the advent of Tiki culture in the 20th century these trading posts morphed into shops which morphed into bars which borrowed the similar sounding name of “Tiki Huts”.
Now, all that to say this; in the Tiki or beachbar culture of the east coast tropics the Rum Runner is a menu staple the same way Mai Tai’s are on the west coast. In the same way as the Hawaiian Mai Tai is not a Trader Vic Mai Tai but has taken on a life of its own as a popular drink, the Rum Runner on the waterfront bars of Florida is a rock the way Peter was to Jesus. Not divine, but the next best thing. And, we all accept it.
We haven't talked about boat drinks in awhile, but this is a perfect example. My favorite Rum Runner is from Coconuts on the Beach in Cocoa Beach and they do a version frozen and swirled with frozen pina colada. This might be TMI, but I had a daughter when I was 16 years old. Now, she’s grown and has a beautiful daughter of her own. My parents are still alive. Therefore, I get to see my father all the way down to my granddaughter and there is a vast difference. I would never love my grandaughter less because she’s not exactly like my dad. So, why should I hate on boat drinks because they’re not “real” Tiki drinks?
I don’t care for the traditional 1970’s Rum Runner because of the exorbitant amount of artificial flavors due to liqueurs. But, by the pool or the beach or on a cruise? Hell yeah, I’d drink one. On the rocks or frozen. For the same reason I eat asparagus with steak. I don’t hate asparagus, but I don’t love it. I’m not going to a fast food joint and asking if they can sub asparagus for my fries. But, alongside a ribeye with some mushrooms and potatoes … asparagus is a wonderful addition to the flavor palate. Thus, when in Rome, or at the beach, have yourself a Rum Runner then walk into the crashing tide just about where the breaks are and let Mother Ocean toss you around a bit. It’s good for the soul.
In some way perhaps I subconsciously chose this drink for the end of summer because I am missing home and pining for one last beachside daliance. It’s funny because I’ve been home to the beach twice this summer and spent many days poolside here in Nashville’s blazing sun. But no matter how much summer I indulge in I always find myself longing to feel the cold freeze of a Rum Runner in my hand as I step off the wooden deck of Coconuts onto scorching coffee & cream sand hopping from beach blanket to beach blanket till my feet feel the cool relief of Atlantic water.
Because, maybe I’ve never mule’d booze across the Florida straits, but when it comes to dashing from the Tiki bar to the ocean across a hot beach with a drink in my hand I’ll always be … a Rum Runner.