What an awesome 13 weeks! Reckoning Party tomorrow!

...and here we are! 13 weeks have passed, and the Black Orchid Club has been such a complete blast. Tomorrow is the Reckoning Party, where all the prizes will be awarded and you'll see EXACTLY how many people really did have every single Black Orchid cocktail. I'll tell you one thing, it blows my mind. :)

Awards begin at 7:30pm, so be sure to be here tomorrow by then, and bring all of your cards. You must present your cards to win!

In case you need a checklist, here it is:

Week 1: Song of Delilah
Week 2: Valmont
Week 3: Rhapsody in Blue
Week 4: Pumpkin Delight
Week 5: Bora Bora Tea Punch
Week 6: Bavarian Yule
Week 7: Kiss of the Tiki
Week 8: Alta California
Week 9: Cape Verde Collins
Week 10: Taj Mahal Twilight
Week 11: Howard Street Cocktail
Week 12: Beseme Tamarindo
Week 13: Black Orchid

Wild Cards:

3am Atlantic
Girl From Alameda
Cherry Blossom Fizz
Island Bitters

We've also got DJ Otto for Otto's Grotto, and his special guest Johnny "Big Hands" Bartlett (The Phantom Surfers, The Barbary Coasters, Hillsdale Records), spinning wax for your dancing pleasure. AND it's Baby Doe's birthday!

Looking forward to a fabulous night all around.

I'll see YOU, TOMORROW, at the Island!

--Suzanne

Hau'oli Makahiki Hou! 2010 is here!

Hau'oli Makahiki Hou!

And here we are, in 2010. Hard to believe, as it all comes so quickly, but 2009 set in motion some wonderful things, and I'm looking forward to this year, and all the good it will bring.

I'd like to take a moment and extend my thanks to all of you. Thank you for reading along with my blog; thank you for watching the stream at Black Orchid Live; thank you for playing along with the Black Orchid Club, both in person and on Twitter; thank you for having such a good time with my puzzles and riddles; thank you for all of your wonderful compliments and encouragements; and most of all, thank you for the honor of allowing me to share my cocktails with you, and thank you for drinking them. Working at Forbidden Island is truly a dream come true for me, and getting to share with all of you is truly a highlight in my life. I'm honored to have the chance.

2010 is already looking to be a very exciting year. The Black Orchid Club will reach the end of these first 13 weeks at the end of January, followed by the Reconking Party on the 1st Wednesday of Feb, where we'll give out all of the prizes to our Black Orchid Club members, and basically have a great big bash. Afterward, I'll be moving into the commencement of the Black Orchid Sessions, where each week, on Wednesday, we'll have a focus ingredient - usually one of my homemade specialty syrups or liqueurs, but also sometimes focusing on a specific spirit - and a short menu of about three cocktails featuring that ingredient will be available. In addition, should you wish to, I will custom build a cocktail for you based on the focus ingredient and any other direction you give me... basically you'll tell me what you want, and I make it on the spot, using all of the premium fresh ingredients available at Forbidden Island. I guarantee you won't have an experience like this anywhere else!

It has been a few weeks since I've posted about cocktails from the Black Orchid Club, and so I'll recap the last few weeks of cocktails and cards:

Last week was the Cape Verde Collins. My inspiration for this cocktail came while I was living in Boston. I was throwing around the idea of using St. Germain in a Collins, because of how floral and delicate it is, while still being very present. It matches well with herbal gin notes. Around the same time, I had a great conversation with a friend about one of his recent trips to Cape Verde (one of many, for him) and how lemons there are intense and very sour, because of the volcanic soil. The image of a lemon tree growing inside the very fertile crater of a volcano never left me, and the two were put together into a delightful effervescent cocktail. The snow cone of crushed ice with Peychaud's and Angostura bitters lends depth of flavor... and of course, makes the drink look like a volcano with its branch of greenery!

Alta California
Legend has it that Spanish Missionaries brought the almond to California, and almond trees are known to have flourished in the gardens of California missions. This cocktail is made with my own homemade orgeat, creme de cacao, and heavy cream, with a shake of cocoa on top and rimmed with sugar and crushed almonds.

Kiss of the Tiki
A less complex cocktail, The Kiss of the Tiki is made with the clean flavors of peach and ginger, and Rhum Barbancourt from Haiti, with the sparkle of champagne on top and a candied ginger garnish. The inspiration for this cocktail came as I was telling a friend about the wonderful Ft. Lauderdale festival the Hukilau, and how in the tropical Florida night, tiki puts a spell on you. He was eating candied ginger as we talked.

In addition to these cocktails, several people have already solved the fortune cookie riddle, and earned their second wild card, along with the accompanying cocktail. Last week, I even had someone earn their wildcards by proxy - that is, they happened to be sitting next to someone who solved the riddle at the bar, and the person who solved it said the answer loudly enough to be heard by the people sitting next to him. When the new group heard the answer and saw the new wild card cocktail, they asked, "Is it okay for us to order it? We don't want to cheat! We overheard the answer just now, but didn't solve the riddle!" I told them, "All's fair in love, war, and cocktails."

If you're still working on the fortune cookie riddles, here are the three clues so far:

Love is Kewpie at Neptune

Four Score and Seven Years

Launching Clipper, China Bound (for easy use chopstick)

Come on in tomorrow for week 10 of the Black Orchid Club, another fortune cookie riddle, and Otto's Grotto (Otto Von Stroheim's DJ night). This month, Otto spins Bond style spy tunes. If you haven't solved the fortune cookie riddle yet, maybe you'll be lucky enough to sit next to someone else who does.

I'll see YOU at the Island!

-- Suzanne

Black Orchid Club Rules - one more time

We're halfway through week 6 and I just wanted to post the rules once more, just in case anyone wants a quick review.

Beginning Wednesday, November 4, 2009, you will be treated to a unique experience... you will be initiated into the Black Orchid Club, exclusively at Forbidden Island. On that Wednesday and for 13 consecutive Wednesdays, you have the opportunity to taste an all unique, all original, all new, and totally exclusive cocktail. Each cocktail will only be available on that specific Wednesday, and will never again be available at Forbidden Island. When you come in and order the special cocktail of the day, you will also be presented with a collectible card, specific to the cocktail. At the end of the 13 weeks, if you have been present for 9 of the thirteen weeks in a row (or at least have cards to prove it) then you will win a prize!

These are the details:

One card, per person, per evening.
Cards may be traded! So, if you can't make it in, send a friend! Also, remember that you only need 9 in a row to win, not all 13. However, if you do collect all 13 cards, you will win an even more exciting prize!

Placeholder Cards: We have a magic (and secret) number of first run cards each evening specific to that evening's cocktail. Once we have exceeded that number, the next person who orders the cocktail and all subsequent players will receive a placeholder card. The placeholder card has two known functions (and perhaps more). First, it shows that you were indeed present that evening, and if you present it the following week you will be given a second run edition of the cocktail card you missed. In addition, the placeholder cards may serve as additional trading cards. Their value is not yet known (but there is certainly a value to them). Hold on to them or trade them for cards you'd rather have; they are important either way.

Wild Cards:
Should you miss an opportunity to come in on a Wednesday evening, there are several chances to earn Wild Cards. Wild Cards may be used to fill in any holes in your 9 consecutive weeks, at no penalty. Clues about how to earn the Wild Cards will come from the bar, the cards themselves, and from clues on the new blog, Shakin' Rum and Pineapples... Tales from behind the bamboo stick at Forbidden Island: http://rumnpineapple.blogspot.com, as well as the Twitter feed for the Black Orchid Club: http://twitter.com/BlackOrchidClub. Be sure to follow them! Once you have solved the Wild Card riddles, you will be able to come in and claim your Wild Cards, and you'll be able to then order the Wild Card cocktails... which you can only try by knowing the answers to the riddles.

Dates: The contest begins on Wednesday, Nov 4, 2009 and runs each consecutive Wednesday through Jan 27, 2010.

Prizes: Anyone who presents cards that represent 9 consecutive weeks out of the 13 in the game period at the Reckoning Party will automatically win. Wild cards may hold up to three places in the 9 with no penalty. Persons having all 13 cards (with no wild card replacements) will win an even better prize, and those retaining all 13 named game cards and all wild cards, even more so! Persons with less than 9 consecutive cards, and or persons with interesting combinations of cards may also be considered for prizes.

Reckoning Party: Prizes will be awarded at the Reckoning Party, Feb 3, 2010.

Good luck!

Tomorrow Marks Week 5 of the Black Orchid Club!

Thank you to all of you who are continuing to make the Black Orchid Club a success… I’m having a blast sharing these cocktails with you, and sharing my game with you.  I hope you’re having as much fun as I am!

This week’s Black Orchid Club coincides with Otto’s Grotto, Otto Von Stroheim’s DJ night at Forbidden Island, and Otto is going Latin for the Holidays.  He promises to play lots of Herb Alpert (my favorite!) and get December swingin’ with only the best Mid-Century Latin grooves.  

In addition, this week is a very special week for those of you working on the puzzles, so be sure to bring in all of your cards.  Trust me, you’ll be glad you did!

I’ll see YOU, TOMORROW, at the Island!

--Suzanne

Week 2: Tonight!

Tonight is week 2 of the Black Orchid Club. Don't forget that if you have a placeholder card from Week 1 (i.e, you didn't get a Song of Delilah card), you can come into the bar tonight and pick up your second run of the first week's card - just show me your place holder when you order. Also, along with tonight's cocktail and card, you will get a special sneak peak of the card for Week 4! Don't miss it!

I'll see YOU at the Island!

--Suzanne

Tomorrow...

T-Minus One Week to the Black Orchid Club!

Beginning Wednesday, November 4, 2009, you will be treated to a unique experience... you will be initiated into the Black Orchid Club, exclusively at Forbidden Island. On that Wednesday and for 13 consecutive Wednesdays, you have the opportunity to taste an all unique, all original, all new, and totally exclusive cocktail. Each cocktail will only be available on that specific Wednesday, and will never again be available at Forbidden Island. When you come in and order the special cocktail of the day, you will also be presented with a collectible card, specific to the cocktail. At the end of the 13 weeks, if you have been present for 9 of the thirteen weeks in a row (or at least have cards to prove it) then you will win a prize!

These are the details:

One card, per person, per evening.
Cards may be traded! So, if you can't make it in, send a friend! Also, remember that you only need 9 in a row to win, not all 13. However, if you do collect all 13 cards, you will win an even more exciting prize!

Wild Cards:
Should you miss an opportunity to come in on a Wednesday evening, there are two chances to earn Wild Cards. Wild Cards may be used to fill in any holes in your 9 consecutive weeks, at no penalty. Clues about how to earn the Wild Cards will come from the bar, the cards themselves, and from clues on the new blog, Shakin' Rum and Pineapples... Tales from behind the bamboo stick at Forbidden Island: http://rumnpineapple.blogspot.com, as well as the Twitter feed for the blog, http://twitter.com/RumNPineapple. Bookmark these! Once you have solved the Wild Card riddles, you will be able to come in and claim your Wild Cards, and you'll be able to then order the two Wild Card cocktails... which you can only try by knowing the answers to the riddles.

All in all, we have 13 weeks, 15 all original cocktails, 15 trading cards, great prizes, and much much more!

Good Luck everyone!

I'll see you at the Island!

--Suzanne