My buddy decided to have a small BBQ this past weekend, and, not wanting to show up empty-handed, I brought cocktail ingredients. And chicken. Because that’s just kind of what I do.

No…it wasn’t awkward at all. Why do you ask?

Those Mai Tais, tho.

I wound up with some blood oranges gifted to me by a friend (they aren’t really in season right now around here, but who am I to look a gift horse in the mouth), and red plums are in season and I am obsessed with them, sooo…seemed only natural for them to get real friendly in a rum bath. If you can’t get your hands on blood oranges, orange-oranges will do just fine. Just fine, indeed. Additionally, Powell & Mahoney makes an awesome all-natural blood orange mixer.

What you’ll need:

• 1 oz. amber rum
• 1.5 oz. dark rum
• .5 oz. Cointreau
• 1 oz. fresh blood orange juice
• .5 oz. fresh orange juice
• .5 oz. red plum simple syrup (recipe to follow)
• 1 slice blood orange, 1 slice red plum, 3 Luxardo maraschino cherries for garnish

To make your red plum simple syrup, quarter four red plums, and place them, along with 1 cup granulated sugar, and 1.5 cups of water in a saucepan over high heat. Bring to a boil and then reduce to a simmer for five minutes. Remove saucepan from heat, and set aside, covered for about 45 minutes to cool. Strain into a mason jar, and keep covered in the fridge for up to a week.

For the cocktail: place all ingredients except the garnish in a cocktail shaker with ice. Shake until thoroughly chilled, and strain into rocks glass over ice. Garnish with blood orange, red plum, and maraschino cherries.

Drink up.