Back in the 1980s my husband Eddie loved to get a Flying Gorilla ice cream based cocktail with chocolate and banana at the Cheesecake Factory in Marina Del Rey. At that time, when TGI Friday’s was super popular, they made similar frozen cocktails including the Mudslide – which was simply a chocolate milkshake with booze to us.
When our daughter was about to turn 16, we told her she could pick our vacation spot for the year. Neither of us remember why she chose Jamaica, but we embraced the idea and found an all-inclusive family resort that offered the water sports she wanted to try, and the dining and drinks we could relax over.
The cocktails in an all-inclusive resort, at least in our experience, aren’t very strong. We spent afternoons playing one-handed volleyball in the pool while our other hand held the Jamaican version of a Mudslide. We spent other afternoons in the ocean, and the bar they had on the beach, to enjoy more.
Fast forward now 20 plus years later and we were on a short cruise with 16 other pals, and when I looked over the pool bar’s frozen menu, a Mudslide – though not on the menu – came to mind. And of course, they could make one. Eddie was napping so I relaxed on a chaise lounge, with a book, took a photo and shared the experience with him later. He immediately asked for a drink too. It became our late afternoon ritual and treat before dinner. A thick, icy, aperitif so to speak!
When we got home from the cruise, and the Las Vegas summer was upon us, I checked out the shelves at Total Wine for a bottled pre-batched version of the Mudslide. Yes, I can be a slacker now and then, and I really didn’t want to buy all of the ingredients.
For 12 bucks I found a nice liter-sized bottle of a Mexican Mudslide, made by the brand Chi Chi’s, that had a low 12.5% alcohol with rum (others are made with vodka), Mexican coffee liqueur (like a Kahlua) and cream. The Total Wine website showed that this pre-mixed Mudslide had 4.2 stars and 42 reviews. For me, the convenience was the big winner, and the flavor, and the texture after blending, was top notch.
I followed the recipe – 3 ounces of the mix plus ice in a blender and voila, I had my blended drink for the summer. (You can also just drink chilled or on ice.) Although I did add one more ounce of rum! Now I only had one more test to do, to see if a friend might also enjoy:
I have this friend, who shall remain nameless (but is named after a month) who only really enjoys sweet drinks. I’ve introduced her to Limoncello Spritz, Sauternes, Amaro and now, the Mudslide. I had her sample a little taste of it first, she approved with a big smile, and I blended her one. Then I made her another. Then she went out a bought a jug of her own to enjoy all summer long too!
My month-named pal is coming over soon for some evening pool time, and I will most definitely be sharing my blast-from-the-past-for-me and new-to-her Mudslide again! Cheers to finding and enjoying drinks from our past, and introducing them to friends now!
Mudslide History from Liquor.com
The Mudslide was born in the 1970s at Wreck Bar in Rum Point Club on Grand Cayman Island. Yes, it seems more like an après-ski cocktail than something you’d sip on a sandy beach. But it was invented when a customer wanted a White Russian and the bar tweaked the recipe to feature Irish cream. The effortless drink was a hit, finding its way to the shores of the United States and quickly became a favorite at TGI Friday’s and at home cocktail parties.
Eve Bushman has a Level Two Intermediate Certification from the Wine and Spirits Education Trust (WSET), a “certification in the first globally-recognized course” as an American Wine Specialist ® from the North American Sommelier Association (NASA), Level 1 Sake Award from WSET, was the subject of a 60-minute Wine Immersion video (over 16k views), authored “Wine Etiquette for Everyone” and has served as a judge for the Proof Awards, Cellarmasters, LA Wine Competition, Long Beach Grand Cru and the Global Wine Awards. You can email Eve@EveWine101.com to ask a question about wine or spirits.
