One of the key ingredients to having a true TRAVEL THERAPY destination is making sure there are unique and new things to discover. When it comes to finding the best in the Caribbean, a resort’s cuisine and signature cocktails always factor in and need to rock!
To find out how CuisinArt Resort & Spa has gone beyond the usual umbrella drink & rum punch I spent some time with James Denis, the properties innovative food and beverage manager.
We decided to set up a little cocktail tasting so James could show me how to make the top five signature cocktails at CuisinArt and I could see step by step how each cocktail was created and then sample each one. I know, it’s a tough job but someone has to do it, right?
One of the first things that stands out when you look at CuisinArt’s unique cocktail menu is how many signature Caribbean cocktail drinks are made with fresh herbs and products from the resort’s special hydroponic garden. For example there’s a Hydroponic Cucumber & Sage Martini and a Hydroponic Cherry Tomatotini.
When you see all the fresh ingredients from the garden used to make the cocktails you know you’re in for a real treat.
Watching James whip up the different cocktail recipes I quickly learned a lot of attention goes into making these island cocktails taste fresh and unique. For the Mojito about a half of cup of fresh mint from the garden is muddled into each drink, for the Tomatotini three cherry tomatoes are used as a garnish and it goes on and one.
James says to get a variety of options each member of the bar staff was asked to contribute their ideas for cocktail recipes and the results run the gamut from drinks that are sweet tangy to even spicy.
For a twist on the traditional rum drinks, James and the staff have created seven different infused rums. One of my favorites is the spiced ginger rum that’s made with cloves, cinnamon, white pepper, honey and sugar.
For a cocktail drink recipe that’s off the charts James showed me how to make CuisinArts Island Citrus Rasta drink that’s actually three separate drinks layered one on top of each other. This means you have to have three blenders and three sets of different ingredients to make just the one drink where you start with a mint mojito then layer with a mango daiquiri and top off with a strawberry daiquiri. The perfect cocktail for that person who can’t decide what to order!
Another things I loved about CuisinArt is that they actually offer a happy hour right now and that’s pretty rare for a top resort in the Caribbean. Right now from 4-5p.m. it’s buy one get one free for the cocktails down at the beach bar. Love this!
My favorite?
It’s a tough call. To help cool you down, the frozen mojito is awesome. To jump start your day the Tomatotini totally works. To lounge by the pool the Rasta is a fun one to try and the Pyrat Punch, served in a hallowed out pineapple, is always a crowd favorite. I also really enjoyed the Spiced Ginger Rum and Blood Orange Rumtini and the Hydroponic Cucumber and Sage Martini. Just so many choices and so little time….
Besides creating amazing cocktails and helping plan the properties delicious cuisine ( a whole different story) James is a passionate sommelier and has set up CuisinArts popular wine tasting classes that are held three times a week. There’s a beginner class and an advanced option, so there’s something for everyone. The classes are held in the resort’s new wine cellar where you’ll find more than 3,600 bottles of fine wines in every price range starting at around $60 all the way up to $4,000 a bottle.
The whole idea is no matter what beverage you prefer a fine wine or an island cocktail to sip by the pool, CuisinArt prides itself in taking its choices to the next level so you can experience something new. I mean, after all you’re on vacation. What better time to experiment and enjoy!
Cheers to that!
For more: www.cuisinartresort.com
Stay tuned from some of the signature cocktail recipes from CuisinArt that James has graciously shared so you can try making some at home while you’re planning your next TRAVEL THERAPY vacation!
And to help you pick the trip that’s right for you be sure to pick up a copy of my new book TRAVEL THERAPY: Where Do You Need to Go? featuring more than 100 unique and inspiring destinations based on what you’re going through in life! For a special discount at amazon.com and free shipping just click HERE.
