Blue lagoon cocktail with orange and crushed ice.

Over the years, the Caribbean has provided many cocktail lovers and bartenders alike with numerous classic staples. From Mexican-based tequila cocktails to colorful Curacao masterpieces, the root of rum cocktails is firmly planted in Caribbean culture. Nowadays, cocktail creation has reached almost peak popularity with everyone looking to try something new and exciting.

If you’re new to Caribbean cocktails or are looking for new inspiration to experiment with, look no further. We’ve compiled a fresh list of cocktail recipes to try.

Let’s Get Started

All Caribbean cocktails have some needed preparation. Particularly if you’re aiming to ace these specialty drinks, you’re going to want to do some groundwork before you start. Start by  gathering all the alcoholic ingredients you need. For Caribbean cocktails, you’ll want the best of the best. Whether it’s a specific kind of rum straight from a particular country or a unique tequila, this can be the small variable that makes a huge difference. When purchasing, look into online alcohol delivery. Some can offer you specialty alcohol brands you may not be able to find in stores near you. Check to see what’s available in your area!

Next, gather your garnishes. Many Caribbean drinks require sweet fruits like oranges, pineapples and more. Make sure you have more than the base amount needed so you can munch while you mix.

Last but not least, be sure to have your bartending equipment handy! Cocktail shakers will be needed for most of these recipes so be sure to have them ready to go. Plus, ice makers, fancy glasses, and any other alcohol gadgets can help you out as you try out these new drinks

1. Pina Colada (Puerto Rico)

For the most classic of Caribbean cocktails, we had to start off with the luxurious Pina Colada. Originating in Puerto Rico over 60 years ago, this tasty rum-based coconut concoction is synonymous with a vacation in paradise. Between the delicious tropical and fruity flavors, and the ease in throwing the drink together, nothing says relaxation like a homemade pina colada.

Check out our recipe here to get started.

The Pina Colada is a creamy, coconutty, rum based tropical drink. Please drink responsibly.

2. Dark “N” Stormy (Bermuda)

Born and raised in the Bermuda area, the Dark “N” Stormy is a staple rum cocktail for those who really love a bit of spice. It is said that due to the area’s abundance of rum and sailors, this drink was a favorite among many locals for quite some time. It still is to this day. Similar to an American rum and coke recipe, a Dark “N” Stormy incorporates rum and ginger beer. Adding the two together with some lime juice to finish it off creates a refreshing citrusy flavor.

Full recipe here.

3. Rum Punch (Saint Lucia)

This recipe originates in one of the most beautiful countries in the Caribbean, Saint Lucia’s. The island’s colorful and natural terrain lends itself perfectly to a sweet and colorful cocktail, like this Rum Punch. Again made with a base of rum, this punch concoction uses some of Saint Lucia’s favorite fruits like oranges, pineapples, and limes to give a sweet and refreshing kick. If you’re looking for the perfect combo of taste and appearance, this is the drink for you!

Find step-by-step instructions here.

A fruity, exotic blend, it is considered one of the best tropical welcome cocktails.

4. Blue Lagoon (Curacao)

If you’ve ever set foot on a Caribbean island, you’re probably familiar with the crystal blue ocean water that surrounds as far as the eye can see. With this inspiration in mind, we introduce: the Blue Lagoon. Unsurprisingly, this concoction from Curacao incorporates Blue Curacao liqueur. And while you may think it would give a standard “blue drink” flavor, this recipe is focused instead on a lemonade taste. If you’re looking for something sweet for your next pool party or even a night at home, give this colorful drink a shot.

Find the full drink here!

5. Classic Margarita (Mexico)

Although Mexico isn’t always considered part of the Caribbean, we would be remiss if we omitted the classic Mexican margarita. This drink has risen to extreme popularity since its initial introduction in 1942. It consists of classic, pure tequila mixed with liqueur and juice. You can’t go wrong with a margarita that not only tastes good, but also looks good! 

See our recipe here.

A Mexican tequila based cocktail traditionally served with the appropriate lime and salt embellishments in a glass shaped like an inverted sombrero.

6. Painkiller (British Virgin Islands)

This drink derives from the British Virgin Islands, a stretch of islands in the Caribbean known for its historical connection to England. The “painkiller” name comes from local lore claiming that a few glasses will make you forget your all your pain. Locals and vacationers of the area enjoy it as they swim back and forth between their boats and beach-side bars, a tradition you can still take part in today.

What makes this drink unique is the usage of darker rum rather than lighter variations of rum that are recommended for the previous concoctions. This is a nice mix-up if you’re a fan of dark rum!

Full recipe here.

7. Aruba Aribe (Aruba)

Using Coecoei, a local Aruban liquor, as a base, this drink is a unique rum and vodka combination that puts it in a class of its own. It can be combined with any of your favorite fruit juices like pineapple juice, cranberry juice, and orange juice. This rich, red cocktail is a yummy, fruity option that you should consider trying!

If you’re able to acquire Aruba specialty liquors, this recipe should be a no-brainer!

Check out the full recipe on the official Visit Aruba blog!

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You probably have worn a piece in the Caribbean Apparel line and not even know it. Or you may have seen someone or have had a friend who has donned one of the cultural slogan-laden jackets and shirts of the line. Truth is, the Caribbean Apparel is among the fastest growing brands among young folks and is especially popular with the urban market.

Legrand Gandhi Lindor, the man behind it, likes it that way. Born in Boston of Haitian parents, Lindor graduated with a Bachelors degree in Finance and Real Estate Investments/Development from The George Washington University before receiving his Juris Doctor and a Masters of Business Administration at the University of Connecticut.

At one point, he thought he could somehow combine his love of different cultures, and his knowledge of entrepreneurship, finance and business law and parlay all three fields into a business. Lindor truly wanted to form a company that would focus not on just one country, but many in a way to help create cohesion or at least an understanding of different cultures starting with the Caribbean islands.

But many new entrepreneurs dream about mixing all their passions together, and sometimes the results fall considerably below their expectations. Would this venture of Lindor’s work? Six years after it officially launched—Caribbean Apparel the company Lindor founded—still stands. From Grenada, to the Virgin Islands, to Barbados, and to the flagship Haiti collection, Caribbean Apparel helps consumers celebrate their identity and cultural self-expression.

Lindor discussed his entrepreneurial journey, the fashion business, and what comes next for his eponymous brand.

Q & A

Kreyolicious: When did it first occur to you that starting a company selling Caribbean-themed and Haiti-themed apparel would be profitable?
Well, ever since my undergraduate days my friends and I would go to the various West Indian Festivals —DC, Miami, New York, Boston—and we would spend our money on various things, apparel being one of them. That is when it first occurred to me that in the future we could make money selling higher quality apparel with more thought intensive designs. Being a business major I figured why not have fun and make money at the same time at these festivals. I finally put that into practice in my third year of my JD/MBA program when the opportunity arose. I put a plan together and sold shirts at the Annual National Haitian Student conference in 2007 which was hosted at Penn State University. I went to the event with about forty shirts or so and sold out in thirty-minutes. While I started with the t-shirts, the process of making jackets for Haiti was well under way which we debuted in the fall of 2007 with the Haiti Flag Jacket, Haiti 1804 Jacket and the Limited Edition white Haiti jacket for females and Blue Haiti jacket for men.

It was more about giving our people good quality clothing to wear not just during Kanaval—Carnival—but everyday and a way to express our cultures in ways that people may not know about: for example our Toussaint L’Ouverture shirt or our Haiti shirt which has Est. 1804—meaning established 1804 as some young Haitian-Americans don’t know the history of Haiti—but only what they see on television—which normally isn’t anything positive. So our whole motto, Unity. Culture. Pride. ™ is coming from a different angle—being all inclusive and high quality designs on high quality apparel. We love hearing stories from our customers about positive reactions that others give them when they are either wearing one of our jackets or shirts.

Kreyolicious: Caribbean Apparel™, a rather simple name we think. Was it difficult to come up with?
Not really. We first started as LGappareL®—with the LGL representing my initials. We then wanted to create a brand name that would be more descriptive of what we do and focus on right from reading or saying our brand name. It gets the point across and simply a hot concept that many people have caught onto in a rather short period of time.

Kreyolicious: You’ve been running Caribbean Apparel™ for years now. Do you have any advice and tips for someone who might be wanting to take up a similar venture?
The advice would be to love what you do and do it well. Things are not always easy and there are many more behind the scenes work that gets done that many people don’t see or realize because all they see is the end product. Also, don’t get discouraged. Learn from mistakes or failures to improve upon what you are doing and don’t let someone tell you that you cannot do something; use it as fuel for your fire within.

Kreyolicious: What are the daily going-ons of running Caribbean Apparel™? Are you the type that wakes up at 5 a.m. and goes home at 9 p.m.?
Daily, we are in thoughts of how to make more designs and countries. We are continuously contemplating new designs with our Creative Director and partnerships with others to expand our brand. Also, we are learning more and more about the apparel and printing industry. We have expanded our business to custom print and embroider for others, whether it be student groups, entertainment bands, family reunions, companies, etc. I am more of the type to wake up at 9 and go to bed at 3 a.m. [Smiles]

Kreyolicious: As you began running Caribbean Apparel™, what was the biggest challenge you faced as a shot-caller?
The biggest challenge of being a decision maker is to listen to others and their ideas and even if I may not personally feel it is the best look or what have you, it may make more business sense to go in that particular direction. We have so many ideas that the actual hardest thing is figuring which direction to go in next in terms of expanding our business.

Kreyolicious: You have so many selections. Do you have a bestseller?
Currently, our best seller is our L’Union Fait La Force and Nègre Maron design—Unity Makes Strength. I believe this is our greatest concept shirt and the Haitian motto is a powerful phrase and to combine with the Nègre Maron statue—which is a staple in Haiti and symbolized freedom and the power of working together—is a design that has resonated with all types of people, not just Haitians.

Kreyolicious: Does your company partake in any Haiti-related activities?
Caribbean Apparel™ is constantly working with various companies and organizations who help people help themselves. We like to work with organizations that focus on health and education, not just in Haiti but throughout the Caribbean. We have been invited and have attended many events for non-profits including fashion shows, fundraisers, etc. We have been invited by the Haitian Embassy in Washington, DC for a few events over the years, we have participated in a fashion showcase in Haiti. People can keep up to date with what we are involved with on our website, where we post on our blog events that we have
participated in or will participate. We have also help sponsor events as well.

Kreyolicious: What’s next for the line?
Next for us, is to create more countries and then to start our production in Haiti to create jobs. From there, our other goals and ambitions will come to fruition.

You can visit Caribbean Apparel’s website and view their selections here.

Miami Caribbean Code, the tech conference that bridges Miami to the rest of the Caribbean, is taking place on June 24th in Miami. Check out this interview with techie Henry Beaucejour, who will be one of the speakers at the event. Beaucejour is the editor of Haiti Tech News, and the Chairman of Haitian Caribbean Information Tech Council (Hacarabtech). Get a first-person handle on the conference through his eyes!

Kreyolicious: Tell us about yourself and what drew you to tech?
Henry Beaucejour is a dreamer, a visionary. I fall in love with anything related to technology. Understanding that technology is the backbone of organizations and companies around the world, especially developing countries. A couple of years ago, as I emigrated from Haiti to the United States, I found myself in a situation to bring [about] some changes. What drew me [to tech] was the passion to innovate and look at a better future for the youth. Our young people represent the future of this generation.

Kreyolicious: How did you get involved with Miami Caribbean Code?
I got involved after a briefing with Firmin Backer, one of the co-founders of the Haiti Renewal Alliance, a non-profit that promotes business development and investment in Haiti. Once Firmin Backer was in it…with his expertise in technical innovation, strategy development, along with his history in investment management, I thought it was something special.

Kreyolicious: Why do you think attending an event like this is important?
An event like this will allow the attendees to have a better exposure [to] and better understanding [of] how technology can bring people together…How technology can change the world to make it a better place to live as human beings, and also how new technology is being used to save lives.

Kreyolicious: What do you think attendees will learn from your session?
I am certain [that] after those attendees leave the session, they will change their minds, be more awakened to the vision that I have been sharing to the world for years in newspapers, different articles and social media. And they can also learn about the experiences of Haitian radio hosts Carel Pedre and JUNO7 who used Twitter and [other] social media [platforms] to inform the world about the earthquake and the cholera outbreak which ravaged their country, Haiti.

Henry Beaucejour being interviewed on his favorite subject…tech!

Kreyolicious: From what you can observe, why is tech so important in the Caribbean and Latin America?
As I said in the beginning, this is a vision. I hope other leaders in the Caribbean and Latin America share that vision to make those places a reference where Microsoft, Google, and others to come and recruit the best programmers and developers.
The Caribbean—and especially my homeland Haiti—needs foreign and local tech investment and technological knowledge diffusion. Creating the requisite infrastructure—from [a] techno park to better interne—would be significant steps. Jacmel, for example, with [its] arts community, walkable architecture and beautiful beaches, might be an attractive place for concentrated technology hub and a tech incubator. Haiti can create a special economic zone to attract foreign companies, with the aforementioned conditions. In return for any incentives, tech giants companies can open doors in Jacmel or Cap Haitian and employ or train local Haitians. I wish the same for beautiful islands Aruba, Jamaica and Trinidad and so on.

CLICK HERE to go on the Miami Caribbean Code website to keep up with the movement and to purchase tickets to this year’s edition of Miami Caribbean Code.

If you’re an entrepreneur, hacker, or consider yourself a techie of any sort, you should make it a point to attend the Miami Caribbean Code, a regional tech summit taking place June 24 in the Miami Design District. Think about it: you’ll have the chance to check out the stunning city of Miami and surrounding areas (say…Little Haiti, Fort Lauderdale, Miami Beach), while mingling and networking with business-minded folks.

Check out my interview with Haitian-American entrepreneur Eveline Pierre, one of the co-founders of the event!

Kreyolicious: What made you launch Miami Caribbean Code?
We launched Miami Caribbean Code as we believe the Caribbean and Miami should be cross regional partners and that the technology sector is the best creator of innovation and wealth.

Kreyolicious: Why Miami of all cities?
Miami’s strategic geographic position, has led to it’s title: “Gateway of the Americas”, which includes the Caribbean. In addition, Miami’s demographics has the largest amount of Caribbean nationals and 50% of all households in the State of Florida are headed by a Caribbean national. So, the Caribbean Market is here in South Florida, and the emerging region has great potential for innovation, entrepreneurship and growth.

Kreyolicious: Why do you think technology and technology use is growing so fast in regions of the Caribbean?
Today, technology is affecting every sector of the economy. As an emerging region, the Caribbean has its own unique opportunities to implement technology and innovation that can help foster diversified economic growth in the region. In addition, as other countries experience exponential advancements in technology, there is the urgency within the Caribbean to address the growing digital divide that can impact the regions competitiveness. Technology is now the paintbrush that is changing our society today. In this context, technology is more of a socio-economic tool that can empower the Caribbean community to propel it’s business sectors by becoming producers of innovation rather than just consumers. Technology is providing accessibility to the Caribbean Community to become a stakeholders in it’s economic well being, locally and regionally.

Kreyolicious: Moving forward, do you see Miami Caribbean Code Week having editions in other parts of the Caribbean?
We are planning some announcements during the conference and we definitely believe in cross- border partnerships in the Caribbean region.

Kreyolicious: How can attendees expect to benefit from the conference?
The attendees can expect to gain valuable insights on what the market needs of the region are, and how Tech can facilitate new business opportunities and solutions in the market. Attendees will also benefit from the networking opportunity that can lead to potential regional collaborations.

Check out a snippet from a previous edition in the video below…

Miami Caribbean Code Regional Tech Summit (MC2) from Eveline Pierre on Vimeo.

CLICK HERE to visit the event’s website!

CLICK HERE to keep up with the Miami Caribbean Code on Facebook!

CLICK HERE to purchase your ticket to the event!

He was an officer in the Haitian Army under Alexandre Pétion against Henri Christophe. He was declared President of Haiti on 4 April 1843 and forced from office by revolutionaries on 3 May 1844.
Hérard was chief among the conspirators who ousted President Jean-Pierre Boyer during the 1843 Revolution. Soon afterward, General Hérard, who had the loyalty of the army, seized control of the government and declared himself President of Haiti.
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Il était officier dans l’armée haïtienne sous Alexandre Pétion contre Henri Christophe. Il a été déclaré président d’Haïti le 4 avril 1843. Les révolutionnaires l’ont démis de ses fonctions le 3 mai 1844.
Hérard était le principal des conspirateurs qui ont destitué le président Jean-Pierre Boyer lors de la révolution de 1843. Peu après, le général Hérard, fidèle à l’armée, prend le contrôle du gouvernement et se déclare président d’Haïti.
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Li te yon ofisye nan lame ayisyen anba Alexandre Pétion pandan li te kont Henri Christophe. Li te deklare Prezidan an Ayiti sou 4 avril 1843. Revolisyonè yo te fòse li kite pouvwa a 3 me 1844.
Hérard te chèf nan mitan konspiratè yo ki te ranvèse Prezidan Jean-Pierre Boyer pandan Revolisyon 1843 la. Yon ti tan apre sa, Jeneral Hérard, ki te lwayote lame a, te pran kontwòl gouvènman an epi li te deklare tèt li Prezidan an Ayiti.
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#haiti #hayti #ayiti #charlesherard #henrichristope #jeanpierreboyer #boyer #haitianrevolution #presidentofhaiti #alexandrepetion #revolution #army #haitianarmy #1843 #generalherard #general #chief #army #selfproclaimed #presidentavie #dominicanrepublic #haitians #government #pouvoir #power #caribbean #westindies

1.Despite humiliation and pressure from foreign authorities, especially the United States and Germany, Haiti remained calm during his reign.

2.During his governance new railways were constructed to connect major towns to the Haitian capital.

3.In 1900, Simon Sam’s government signed a treaty with France for reciprocity. In 1902 the US also signed a treaty with Haiti on naturalization.

4.His cousin, Vilbrun Guillaume Sam, was also a President of Haiti for only five months in 1915.

5.There were reports that Victoire Jean-Baptiste, his mistress, had much influence on his leadership.
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#haiti #hayti #ayiti #simonsam #1804 #istwa1804 #istwa #history #facts #president #haitien #caribbean #westindies #pressure #railroad #us #1915 #naturalization #france #victoire

On this day of March 29th 1818, Anne Alexandre Sabès, also known as Alexandre Pétion died. Pétion named the general Boyer as his successor; he took control in 1818 following the death of Pétion from yellow fever. After Henry I and his son died in 1820, Boyer reunited the country under his rule. Bolivar is celebrated in the Latin american countries for the help he provided to Simon Bolivar in freeing many latin american countries.(Source:Wikipedia / Picture credit: John Carter Brown Library, circa 1807-1818 / Bust by: Christian Oviedo)
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Se te yon jou 29 Màs 1818 Anne Alexandre Sabès, dit Alexandre Pétion te mouri. Pétion te nonmen Boyer jeneral la kòm siksesè li; li te pran kontwòl nan lane 1818 apre lafyèv jòn te kòz lanmò li. Apre Wà Henry I te vinn mouri ak pitit gason li kèk jou apwe nan lane 1820, Boyer reyini peyi a anba rèy li. Yo sélébre Pétion nan anpil peyi panyol pou èd li te bay Simon Bolivar lè li tap chèche libére peyi panyol amedik di sid yo! (Soùs: Wikipedia / Kredi foto: John Carter Brown Library, circa 1807 / Stati: Christian Oviedo)
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#haiti #hayti #ayiti #istwa1804 #istwa #1804 #alexandrepetion #alexandrepétion #petionville #petion #bolivar #simonbolivar #colombia #latinamerica #america #panamerica #sud #haitians #bogota #venezuela #yellowfever #hispaniola #haitianamerican #haitiancanadian #caribbean #african

Joseph Davilmar Théodore (1847–1917) was President of Haïti from 7 November 1914 to 22 February 1915. Born in the town of Ennery in the northern half of the country, he began his career in the military, and organized the cacao farmers of the north in the revolt against President Oreste Zamor. His inability to pay the farmers as he had promised for participating in the rebellion soon led to his resignation in favor of Jean Vilbrun Guillaume Sam. Vilbrun who ousted him, was his delagate in the North, he was also previoulsy sentenced to 15 years of forced labour for his implication in the consolidated bonds affair. Théodore served as the President of the Senate of Haiti in 1910s.

It is under his governement that the US marines, “to prevent further raids”, came to Haiti aboard the USS Machias and took $500,000 in gold from the National Bank (franco-german) to the City Bank in New York. This all originated from a dispute between the government, the railroads and the National Bank, there were guarantees against leases of coaling or naval stations to any European country. When Davilmar Theodore ousted Zamor, he rejected those demands. Thats when he rejected those demands and his government printed large quantities of paper currency and seized 65,000$ of the bank’s gold supply.
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#haiti #theodore #davilmar #joseph #president #haitian #ayiti #cacao #oreste #zamor #jean #senate #1915 #creole #caraibes #caribbean #pap #portauprince #ouanaminthe #

The Battle of Ravine-à-Couleuvres (Haitian Creole: Batay Ravin Koulèv), also known as the Battle of Snake Gully, was a major battle of the Haitian Revolution held on 23 February 1802.

A French division under General Donatien de Rochambeau was advancing down a ravine (the Ravine-à-Couleuvres), towards Lacroix, Artibonite, where they attacked the army of Toussaint Louverture.
Louverture’s forces resisted the attack strongly, but had to retreat across the Petite-Rivière after suffering 800 deaths.

In a statement made at the Fort de Joux, Louverture claimed that his forces consisted of 300 grenadiers and 60 cavalry, although other sources indicate that his forces contained over 3,000 regular infantry troops.
However, it is almost certain that a large number of his forces – up to 2,000 men – were agricultural workers who joined the rebel forces.
Louverture wrote that the French forces contained over 4,000 infantry soldiers, but according to the novelist and historian Madison Smartt Bell, Rochambeau probably landed at Fort-Liberté with 1,800 men, but not all of these would have marched on Gonaïves.

Prior to the battle on 22 February 1802, the French occupied the heights of Morne Barade and were attacked by rebel troops; the battle raged throughout the night and the French forces successfully resisted the attack. The following morning, the Haitian forces advanced out of the Ravine-à-Couleuvres as the French were travelling down it towards Lacroix, while Louverture rallied his cavalry.
According to Bell, the losses of Louverture’s army were minor.

Source: Wikipedia .
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#battle #ravine #couleuvre #snake #gully #haiti #haitian #revolution #haitianrevolution #february #feb23rd #1802 #french #general #rochambeau #lacroix #latibonit #lartibonite #toussaint #toussaintlouverture #grenadier #fortdejoux #fortliberte #ayiti #caribbean #caraibes