Indie Squid Kid

Filmed in Blairgowrie, Victoria. Not sure what species this is.

(Via Sacred Squid)

In ancient times, sailors were constantly losing track of their drinking vessels. If you set down your tankard of grog for even a second, it was very likely to be absconded (sometimes inadvertently, sometimes not) by one of your fellow mariners. This problem grew exponentially during the cocktail parties which were thrown at regular intervals on long voyages. It was at one such ship-board soiree that an enterprising seaman (whose identity, sadly, has been lost to history) first grabbed a handy cephalopod and wrapped it around his cup as a way of easily distinguishing it from those of his shipmates. This venerable (and completely made-up) tradition lives on in this set of colorful cocktail charms from the kitschmeisters at Accoutrements.

These cute little plastic squids (not quite anatomically accurate, but that’s OK) come in a mix of red, blue, green, yellow, and, as you can see below, they perch on the rim of your glass, looking as though they just climbed out of your drink.

Here you see a cocktail squid in action on the Bloody Mary I made myself tonight. (We were having omelettes for dinner, so it seemed only appropriate.) I would normally have used Kraken rum for a demo like this, but, tragically, we finished off our bottle last month!

One could also use these charms on a wine glass…say one full of The Tentacle 2008 Syrah. However, it doesn’t appear that Accoutrements makes these anymore, so if you want to obtain your own shimmering rainbow school of tiny plastic cephalopods, Ebay may be your only option.

Eight Arms Cellars is winemaker Iain Bolton, who specializes in wine handcrafted from organically/sustainably grown grapes. One of his current offerings is The Tentacle:

This one really wraps it’s arms around you! It’s big and juicy with bright fruit flavors, a spicy palate and a dollop of vanilla on the end. This Syrah is best enjoyed with a hearty meal. Beware! Once you are caught in the tentacles of this wonderfully delicious Syrah, you may have trouble pulling yourself away.

The Tentacle is $12 a bottle, and to purchase it, or find out more about it and Eight Arms, visit www.eightarmscellars.com.

I have to admit that I don’t have a very sophisticated palate when it comes to wine. However, I know two things: 1) I enjoy a good Syrah, and 2) THERE IS AN OCTOPUS ON THE BOTTLE.

If any ISK readers live in the Bay Area, you should totally pick up a bottle of this and report back! Good idea, right?

Cthulhu has a new favorite beverage!

I first heard about The Kraken™ Black Spiced Rum this past October, and, as you may recall, I shared a trio of viral marketing videos which expounded the mystery and awesomeness of both the booze and its tentacled namesake. Kraken Rum hasn’t made its way to North Carolina liquor stores (yet), but my friends Mur (yes, this Mur) and Jim brought me back a bottle from her recent trip to Maryland!

I really like the the old-fashioned style of the bottle and the cool woodcut-esque label illustrations that look like they could have come out of some old book of maritime legends. (Cthulhu also approves!)

Here are some detail shots of the bottle art work:

We all know that the cephalopd depicted on the bottle is NOT Architheuthis dux, right? OK then, moving on.

So, how does it taste? Pretty damn good, if you ask me. Ryn and I recorded our initial tasting, and thoughts thereon, as part of the newest episode of the Random Signal podcast. You will obviously want to listen to the entire show (hint, hint), but, if you are really short on time, we discuss the rum pretty much right at the half-way point.

Does anyone have any suggestions for clever names/recipes for mixed drinks that include Kraken Rum? So far, we’ve come up with the “Kraken Libre” (= rum + Coke) and the “Stormy Kraken” (= rum + ginger ale), but there have got to be some better ideas out there! Leave a comment or email me at indiesquidkid@gmail.com!

If you want to find out more about The Kraken Black Spiced Rum, visit them online at www.krakenrum.com.