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Booze

The Wayback Machine

I'm not sure if it was the number of patrons with long hair and beards, the sunken room layout or the cover band belting out Jimi Hendrix tunes, but the first time I ventured into Cosmos Cafe (69 Heights Blvd., 713-802-2144) I thought the time machine had traveled back to 1971. Of course, the music isn't always so dated -- sometimes Cosmos ventures into singer-songwriter territory. My favorite night here is Tuesday, when Mark Zeus hosts the Bayou City Showcase and folks like Carolyn Schulman, Sarah Golden and the infamous Reverend Bo Denson come out to play. Regulars hang around the bar, local musicians and their entourages fill the well-worn captain's chairs, and the Reverend sings a catchy little number called "Hot Dog" in which he hilariously recaps the day's Astros game. As for cover tunes, when was the last time you heard Alice Cooper played solo on an acoustic guitar? You'll need to prepare for that with a Rum Dummy. Never mind the mixture of three different rums, it's the overproof bottle that will make you stupid.

Cosmos's Rum Dummy:
1/2 ounce Mount Gay rum
1/2 ounce Wray & Nephew overproof rum
1/2 ounce Myers's dark rum
Splash of pineapple juice
Splash of orange juice
Splash of grapefruit juice
Squeeze of lime

In a pint glass, pour ingredients over ice. Cover with metal mixer and shake aggressively three or four times over each shoulder (think Tom Cruise in Cocktail). Remove shaker and add more ice if necessary. Garnish with a lime wedge.

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