Issue link: https://digital.copcomm.com/i/35876
DEPARTMENT HEADER drınk Going to the dısh and the “Laugh together”: Chef Dave Caldiero and Mixologist Dave Power at Town. photos by Marco Garcia lose your eyes and take a sip of your favorite rum cocktail. Can you hear the waves crash, smell the ocean and hear the rustle as the palm trees sway? Rum is a spirit that will instantly transport you to island life. Whether you are drinking a 10 Cane Mojito or a Don Q Daiquiri, rum is a spirit that is truly meant to make you feel relaxed. One of my best girlfriends, and Hawaiian native, Chandra Lam, shared with me her favorite Honolulu restaurant, Town. At Town, Chef Dave Caldiero and Mixologist Dave Power work together to create delicious dishes and drinks using local ingredients. I asked this surfi ng duo how they best love to work with rum and to share a few of their island menu creating insights. Grab a Mai Tai and get comfy in your hammock as The Drink and The Dish takes you to Honolulu. C Bridget Albert: Dave and Chef, what local exotic fruits are you able to source for your menus? Dave Power and Chef Caldiero: We are lucky; most citrus we can get year round. Mangoes in the summer and mountain apples in the spring! We have a small garden with a fi g tree, a poha berry tree (gooseberry), and a volunteer citrus tree on the property. BA: Dave and Chef, what is a mainland ingredient that you both wish was easier to access on your island? Dave and Chef: Fresh-picked cherries and stone fruits, please! BA: Dave, excluding classic tiki cocktails, how do you enjoy mixing rum? And when is rum a challenge to mix? Dave Power: I don’t make too many Tiki drinks at Town, and when I do they are true to the originals. I make house-made ingredients when appro- priate, such as orgeat and grenadine. I also spend a lot of time trying to make drinks that go with food. Rum is great because it is so versatile. White rum and other unaged-agricoles can be fantastic with their funky harsh notes. When you start aging those rums they play well in traditional whiskey drinks. Then there is dark rum, demerara and some of the newer cordial-like rums, like Zaya, which can be fun and fl avorful in fresh cocktails. 112 / the tasting panel / july 201 1 BRIDGET ALBERT HEADS TO A FAVORITE HONOLULU HOTSPOT Town