Inspiration is said to strike in unusual ways, and the story behind the inspiration of Welcome to the Jungle cocktail at Bluebird Kitchen is definitely one for the books.
“I remember going on a long hike through the Cascades one balmy summer day,” says Fred Jones IV, bar manager at Bluebird Kitchen in Bellmore. “I saw a red-tailed eagle snatch a field mouse from the tall grass of the valley and proceed to tear its breakfast to shreds in the air, and for some reason, I thought about Toucan Sam and Froot Loops, and all of a sudden — boom! Strawberry- and kiwi-infused rum flashed through my mind, and one year later, here we are.”
Welcome to the Jungle’s ingredients include lime juice, Velvet Falernum, Amaro Nonino Quintessentia, agave syrup, and Regans’ Orange Bitters No. 6.
“The foundation for Welcome to the Jungle is a rum infusion we make in-house using El Dorado 3-Year Silver Rum, kiwis, strawberries, and rosemary,” he says. “We slice the strawberries and kiwis into rings and tear up the rosemary leaves and infuse the rum for a week. The rum-infusion process alone sets this drink apart, and it’s a credit to our Bluebird bar team that they take the time, effort and care to make sure the flavor profile is on point.”
Bluebird Kitchen’s cocktail program is centered around 1980s rock and roll songs. “You can’t have an 80s theme without Guns N’ Roses, so naturally, this drink is called Welcome to the Jungle,” he says.
The Welcome to the Jungle is a spring take on a classic rum tiki drink; it’s refreshing and tropical fruit forward.
“The guests love this drink,” he says. “It has a spectacular color and a flavor profile that you can’t find anywhere else but Bluebird Kitchen in Bellmore.”
Bluebird Kitchen is located at 2405 Merrick Rd., Bellmore. It can be reached at bluebirdkitchenli.com or 516-962-9600.
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