Signature drink: First trial

For years, I've wanted a signature drink for Burnt Sugar Blues, and tonight I tasted an excellent contender!   At the Depot Brewery, I asked bartender Paul Wheeler if he liked making up new drinks.   Ready for fun, he said, "Sure!" and listened to my wish.

I said
(1) the band's name is Burnt Sugar Blues;
(2) I like chocolate; and
(3) the drink ought to have a burnt sugar taste, maybe like caramel.

He thought for a moment, then shook together a combo of Baileys Irish Cream, Kahlua, and DiSaronno with half-n-half to make a sweet frothy delight that goes down soooo easy ~~ smooth and smokin' ~~ just like our sound!

Is it luck or is it fate that Mr Wheeler chose liqueurs I've had on my own shelves at home?   Maybe he's psychic.   That would explain a lot.   It would especially explain the coffee part of Kahlua ~~ because although I didn't mention coffee, the lyrics of the band's name song, Burnt Sugar Blues, include coffee (along with chocolate, sugar, burnt sugar, lollipops, and honey).

As I sipped, I sorted through the symbolisms . . . .

Before I put my feet up to experiment with symbolic drinks, I cut a rug with George Hrebar while collecting cover charge at the door for the band, Dr Blade's Blues. The other two dancers shown here in the foreground are Thomas Selleck and Jennifer Nelson.  (photo by James Moore)

Blues ~~ 

Irish whiskey is renowned for drowning sorrows.   I guess the Irish have a lot of sorrows to drown.   Anyway, Irish whiskey seems related to pick-me-up times with pick-me-up friends, like the blues are.

(As a total tangent, my name "Welty" traveled through Ireland on its way from Switzerland to North America.)

Chocolate ~~ 

From the Baileys Irish Cream website, I learned this: "The distinct style of Baileys is derived from a unique proprietary cocoa extract recipe giving Baileys its chocolate character and essence."

Three hundred some flavors accompany coffee's aroma, so Kahlua's contribution includes chocolatey impressions, too.

Burnt Sugar ~~ 

Sugar cane itself is the basis for the rum in Kahlua, along with roasted arabica coffee beans.   Roasting coffee develops yet another aromatic carbon ring of burnt sugar.

Veracruz, where Kahlua is grown and blended, is on the Gulf coast of Mexico, where Spanish, African, and Caribbean cultures have coexisted for centuries.   Burnt Sugar Blues puts Afro-Cuban and Latin rhythms with midwestern roots, so I feel a correspondence there.

All liqueurs involve transforming sugar resulting in a carbon ring giving the impression of burnt sugar, some more than others.   Disaronno's legend claimed it was an 'infusion of apricot kernel oil with "absolute alcohol, burnt sugar, and the pure essence of seventeen selected herbs and fruits"' (although in spite of its past as an "amaretto," no almond is included.)

I like the impression of herbs and fruits.   It sounds like a tonic with those essences.

Caramel ~~

Half-n-half, along with Baileys cream, smoothes the flavors into a luscious caramel.   Caramel is, after all, just perfectly browned sugar and cream.



For next time, I'll try it with the ice strained out after shaking, just because I'm a no-ice kinda drinker.   I'll report further experimentations as they happen.

Cheers to great beginning!

Our mascot Bodhi

Bodhi offers cards to listeners
photo by J.Y.Welty

Bodhi in profile
photo by J.Y.Welty

This is our mascot Bodhi, which means "Buddha-nature".   Bodhi is the final goal of a Bodhisattva's career.   Plus the name has a natural ring for a card-carrying blues master.   "Blues is the healer," says John Lee Hooker, who ought to know, and healing is the bodhisattva's work.

~ other resonances ~~~

Bo D . . . echoes of bluesman Bo Diddley
Bodey . . . ominous
Bodey . . . the waiting kind who bides the time

Notice that Bodhi has big hands for serving cards and for reaching out to people and has big feet for good under-standing, and also for stomping the beat to music, especially while we have no drummer.

Bodhi has no head ~ no ego ~ it was lopped off by Kali during a moment of the goddess's wrath.   Let that be a warning to any who would burn sugar: confronting Kali at the charnel grounds ends one way ~ her way ~ as she threads a new skull on her already long garland of past conquests.

Whew!   I guess you could say I have some strong feelings about burnt sugar.

I got the little squirt last year as a birthday gift.   After roughing out the background of our logo with orange and yellow fire, I looked around and saw these bright orange acrylic gloves and boots sitting on my table and figured they would coordinate perfectly with the orange/yellow firey logo on the next version of our wallet cards.   Now it can nestle among chocolate chips and sit right next to our tip jar to offer a warm welcome and farewell to listeners.

Which reminds me: I'm seeking a tip jar.   I'd like to use a cookie jar or a honey pot (reminiscent of the HUNNY pots that Winnie-the-Pooh used).  

July 3 giglet-party

Announcing our next Open Mic giglet at Cafe Paradiso:

Wednesday, July 3, a ten-minute spot between 8 pm and 9 pm.

We've been drummerless for a few weeks so we arranged songs with no drummer ~ some original, some cover, all smoky sweet.

Chocolate chips for everyone!

At our last rehearsal, Russ said, "How about we do Open Mic on Wednesday after next?"

We all agreed, and when I got home and looked at my calendar, I noticed that Wednesday was July 3, my BIRTHDAY  ~~  a happy way to celebrate!   I'll bring chocolate chips for everyone.

Cafe P is at 101 North Main Street in Fairfield, Iowa.   A $2 donation helps keep nights like this happening at the cafe.

* * * Update: July 1
I'm now calling this kind of performance a gigletto: a tiny little gig. 

Shakin' All Over

lollipop (or sucker)
first & fourth verses
photo ~ Gregory Bastien

Shakin' All Over was the name of the first song we played for Open Mic last night  ~ Russ, Mike, and me at 8:10 pm.


"Shakin' all over" also describes my initial state of nervousness on the stage.   I put a positive spin on it, thinking, Well, maybe actual physical shakes might add to the emotional authenticity of the song.   I heard my voice shaking as I sang the opening lines, but it wasn't as obvious to other listeners as it was in my ears at the time.

chocolate
second verse

Burnt Sugar Blues was the second song we played.

The second verse was inspired by a headline: women say chocolate trumps sex.   Holy cocoa, Batman, not for me!

honey
third verse

Winnie-the-Pooh was my muse for the third verse.   Really.   The honey-lovin' bear inspired wonderfully wicked ways to indulge in honey.

Writing about honey and chocolate makes my sweet tooth ache.   Lucky for me I have a jar of honey in the cupboard, so I'm dipping in and trying not to get the keyboard sticky.   Mmmm, yum...