One of the most famous drinks on Lake Tahoe is the Wet Woody. Really. That is the name of the drink. It is a frozen rum drink, and its origin is from the restaurant, Gar Woods, tucked away in Carnelian Bay in the north west corner of Lake Tahoe. The restaurant’s name is a nod to Garfield Wood, an important figure in American boating history. He was a speed boat racer from the 1920s but is best known for his production of racing boats as well as pleasure craft - all with his signature mahogany exteriors, power engines, and luxurious features within. Gar Woods produced boats from 1921 - 1947 at a plant in Michigan, and some of those boats were delivered out to Lake Tahoe; eleven remain here today.
Lake Tahoe has a long boating history and each summer there is a great opportunity to see some of the old timer wooden boats on display at a lovely event, the Lake Tahoe Concours d’Elegance. It has become the most acclaimed and prestigious wooden boat show in all of North America. Of course in this time of COVID, it will be virtual this year beginning August 14th. The silver lining of this is that folks can enter their boats from around the world and everyone can see the show from home! Preferably with a Wet Woody in hand.
Back to the drink… it is said to capture the nostalgic ambience of Lake Tahoe’s wooden boat era. It is sweet and strong.
serves one
Ingredients:
3/4 oz light rum
3/4 oz Bacardi 151 rum (which you can’t buy any more - so a good alternative is Goslings Black Seal Black Rum)
3/4 oz peach schnapps
1 oz cranberry juice
1 oz pineapple juice
1 oz orange Juice
1 oz sweet & sour mix
3/4 oz Bacardi Select floater
1 slice lime
Preparation:
This is the tricky part - most of us do not own slushy machines, so use your Vitamix, which is the next best thing. Results will not be exactly like the original, but close enough!
Combine light rum, Barcardi 151, peach schnapps, and juices in a blender with ice
Blend until smooth
Pour into a highball and add a floater of dark rum
Add a slice of lime and a straw and enjoy!
You can visit Gar Woods by water or land. Dining is of course (COVID) outdoors only. We recently stopped by on a Wet Woody Wednesday and got one to go.
