I'm delighted to be giving the first ever symposium at the annual Tiki Caliente event in Palm Springs, CA. Now in its 7th incarnation, Tiki Caliente is a celebration of tiki in the desert and this year is moving back to the historic Caliente Tropics, a mid-century tiki classic location, and the original home of both Tiki Oasis and Tiki Caliente.

Anyway, seating is limited to 50. Tickets are $40 each, which includes 3 rum tastings, 2 cocktails, and 1 seat inside away from the desert heat and with an air conditioner. Tickets are available at the Tiki Caliente website. If you'll be in the area on May 16, 2015, consider checking it out.

Rum 103: An introduction to the 3 primary styles of rum and how use them.

If you've ever glanced at a vintage Donn Beach cocktail recipe, you know of rum's importance in tropical cocktails. Heck, Don's vaunted rum rhapsodies depend on having a variety of the stuff on hand. So what gives - what's with all those different types of rums anyway?

Come discover - and taste - the basics about rum and its 3 primary styles: Spanish, French, and English. Then learn how to deploy those styles, alone and together, into classic cocktails as we dig into the Navy Grog.