It is the boys birthday and rather than spending a bunch of time writing something nice for y’all, I’m gonna phone this one in while they are gone to get pizza. So, without superfluous words or ado of any sort, won’t you join me now as we stand and make the Mundo Perdido.

Yep, that’s a Cthulhu Tiki mug. Why am I making a drink in this for an 11 year old’s birthday? Well, since he was little he’s had a fascination with this particular elder god. Don’t ask me, I didn’t hand him Lovecraft, he just stumbled on a picture and fell in fascination. You should’ve seen me explain his drawings to the preschool teachers. So, when he saw this mug for sale, he hounded me until I finally bought it. Yes, it has a chamber in the head for dry ice and yes that is hella cool, as the kids say. If you want one the fine folks at Storm Crow will be happy to take your money in exchange for this awesomeness. 

We have had this one on the shelf for awhile waiting for the right drink or a special occasion and tonight we have both. The boy is also a dinosaur fanatic and after spending the afternoon at the Middle Tennessee Museum of Natural History talking shop with the geologists and paleontologists mixing up a “Lost World” seemed like just the thing. So, we turned to Martin Cate’s “Smuggler’s Cove“ for this Jeff “Beachbum” Berry Tiki classic. 

Grab your tins and pop in 1 1/2 ounces of black rum, I chose Hamilton Jamaican Black; 1/2 an ounce of apple brandy, I went with Laird’s Bottled in Bond; 3/4 of an ounce of freshly squeezed lemon juice, 1/4 ounce each of cinnamon syrup and Demerara syrup and 3 drops of Bittermen’s Elmekalule Tiki bitters. Add ice and give it a shake to “Madness“ by Muse. When well chilled pour into Cthulhu’s neck, add some dry ice and water to his head pop in a straw and serve.

Well that’s, lovely. Similar to the Jet Pilot’s little brother, the Sky Pilot, but better. It’s boozy but smooth, reasonably well balanced, I’m giving it a thumb’s up. It’s not an everyday sipper but it’s good enough, though that may be the madness talking. 

So there you go. A decent drink in an awesome receptacle, just to see the boy smile as the smoke began to roll. Like me, he is easily entertained sometimes. This is one of those and as much as I’d like to hang around and drop some pearls of wisdom, I promised I’d watch the 1998 Godzilla with him. Yeah, the Matthew Broderick one. That’s how great a father I am. Luckily, I’ve got a drink to help me get through it. Stay safe, stay hydrated and stay sane, my friends.