Think of the world’s most famous edible pairings: Eggs and bacon, peanut butter and jam, hamburgers and fries, etc.
These are all tried and true combinations we’ve come to know and love. They also speak to the beauty of tandems. For instance, eggs and bacon–by themselves–are delicious. Put them together, and you have yourself a downhome classic.
Now, the pairings discussed above are more traditional. You likely come across at least one of them every day.
I Dream of Sugar, on the other hand, presents a new classic duo: candy and cocktails.
Why Mix Candy And Cocktails?
Of course, not all great things mix well together.
Let’s focus on our old friend, the hamburger, for a second. There’s a reason its ideal pairing is with fries and not–say–a fettuccine alfredo. These would be two heavy items that–on their own– are delicious, but together, they’d make you feel ill. The flavors would clash, too, canceling one another out.
Conversely, fries help to enhance the burger flavors (and vice versa). There’s no competition between the two. They interact harmoniously. Candy and cocktails are much the same.
Take any given spirit or alcoholic beverage, and there’s likely a candy you can pair it with to bolster the flavors.
When you think about it for a moment, it all makes sense.
Walk into any given liquor shop, and–sure–there’ll be standards like bottles of vodka, rum, wine, whiskey, etc. It’s a liquor shop, after all.
However, there will also be combinations that sweeten the deal. The very notion of alcoholic coolers (and cocktails in general) revolves around stifling the burn of spirits with sweet, soothing flavors that leave us wanting more.
While not every cocktail or drink mix incorporates sweet flavors, it’s a common theme.
Elegant and texture alcohol flavors pair (or fuse) with the candies to provide a more robust tasting experience that packs a serious punch.
Below, we’ll discuss some increasingly iconic cocktail and candy pairings that’ll make it feel like there’s a party in your mouth, and everyone’s invited!
Vodka And Gummies
Any vodka connoisseur will tell you that drinking the spirit in its purest form is a delightful experience with clean, crisp flavor notes.
Yet, vodka and gummies work so well together because vodka is–actually–flavorless.
Whether you love to sip straight vodka on the rocks or just dabble in vodka sodas, adding gummy bears to the equation is undoubtedly an exciting, dynamic proposition. Doing so offers an extra splash of “yum!” that will explode in your mouth.
Look no further than I Dream Of Sugar’s Peaches In Paradise specialty cocktail that combines the following ingredients:
- Vodka.
- Apricot Brandy.
- Peach Schnapps.
- Pineapple Juice.
- Peach gummy toppings.
We can already hear your mouth watering. And we can tell you from experience that anyone who’s sipped on this particular cocktail has left our premises feeling peachy!
Cotton Candy And Tequila
Are there two things that scream “good times!” any louder than cotton candy and tequila?
In fairness, we’re talking about two different types of “good time.”
Cotton candy evokes visions of Ferris wheels, Whac-A-Mole, and carnival barkers. Tequila is more about dancing into the night and partying like you’ve never partied before.
Yet, these two “good time” ingredients don’t clash at all. Instead, they perfectly complement one another in cocktail form.
Mixing cotton candy into tequila–as we do in our Cotton Candy Margarita–is a rather majestic sight that will get the good times rolling. The cotton candy dissolves in the drink–a stunning visual. It also adds a potent splash of sweetness and mesmerizing color.
Our Cotton Candy Margarita contains the following lip-smacking ingredients:
- Tequila.
- Grand Marnier.
- Lime.
- Cotton candy and cream soda topping.
Bananas And Rum
Did you know the phrase “go bananas” originated from “going ape?” The implication, of course, is that it means letting loose and getting a bit wild.
We fully condone going bananas (within reason) at I Dream of Sugar.
Life is beautiful–especially in our home of Nassau, Bahamas–and embracing it wholeheartedly and letting loose now and again is how to live every day to its fullest.
Bananas (more accurately, going bananas) and crazy-good fun are closely intertwined. The same can be said for rum. Pair them together–like we do in our Go Bananas specialty martini–and your tastebuds will have an absolute blast!
The vanilla and caramel flavors infused in most rums embrace and highlight the banana’s pineapple, melon, clove, and candy notes.
Our Go Bananas martini has the following ingredients:
- Banana rum.
- Lemon/lime soda.
- Pineapple juice.
- Silly Banana Candy topping.
Licorice And Gin
Are licorice and gin the adult version of peanut butter and jam? Who’s to say, really? All we can tell you is that they make an utterly delicious pairing.
Gin and licorice have much in common. The flavors and nuances in each are stark, and they both have a specific bite to them.
In fact, botanical licorice was possibly used as a sweetening agent in Old Tom gins and other early versions of the spirit. Licorice’s distinctive fennel or anise-like flavors mesh with a pronounced sweetness, pairing well with gin.
Enjoy this time-honored candy-cocktail duo in our Not That Negroni cocktail, which contains:
- Gin.
- Campari.
- Sweet vermouth.
- Fruit champagne soda.
- St. Germain.
- Licorice and red/black gummy strawberry toppings.
Come Visit Our Upstairs Bar To Enjoy Our Candy Cocktail Infusions
I Dream Of Sugar is–first and foremost–a candy store. We’d even go as far as to call our business a candy emporium—such is the magnitude of our offerings.
Still, we aim to offer our clientele a one-of-a-kind experience. Yes–our candy alone could do just that. However, we wanted to take it one step further. So, we have our Sugar Rush Lounge–a vibrant bar on our second floor.
There, you can tickle your tastebuds with our candy-infused cocktails. The items listed above are only a sample of our menu (which you can check here).
Our mixologists are masters at crafting unique candy cocktails that look as amazing as they taste. They expertly incorporate carefully selected candies into premium spirits, resulting in a delightful flavor-rich medley that can’t be equaled.
Are you vacationing in Nassau and want to ensure your trip is unforgettable? Visit I Dream of Sugar, sip on a beverage in our Sugar Rush Lounge, and let the good times roll.
