I suppose the term Bahama Mama has different meaning to different folks. For me, it best sums up a tantalizing drink my children loved early on. I believe it was either Appleby’s or Red Robin back in the 80s that served a nonalcohol version, and that’s the one I’m talking about.
This concoction had coconut juice, orange, as well as pineapple and grapefruit juice, along with grenadine syrup, but don’t hold me to the exact ingredients. The kids loved them, along with their Shirley Temples and Bahama Mama Shakes.
There’s a song called “Bahama Mama” sung by a German/Caribbean group called Boney M. I’ve only listened to it once—finding the lyrics somewhat amusing, although they could be construed as offensive to some overweight folks.
From my take on things after hearing this tune, Bahama Mama lives in the biggest dwelling in town, along with six, beautiful, unmarried daughters. The girls are evidently eating her out of house and home.
What brought Bahama Mama to my mind isn’t a drink nor the song. It came to me after several trips to one of Havasu’s best kept secrets. The Bonfire Grill is within walking distance of my place, and I’ve made that trip on foot numerous times, generally for breakfast sandwiches or burritos. Hands down they have the best breakfast selection on the southside of town, especially where price is concerned. Everything’s made fresh in their kitchen.
The golden star of their menu is the steak nachos. I indulge once a month generally using my bonus points earned from purchases to score a free one. I think my wife and I have sampled just about everything, finding nothing to our distaste. There’s one menu item we’ve shied away from—Jalapeño Bahama Mama Wrap. The word jalapeño brings back haunting memories to me after a dining experience in Lake Havasu City.
It was at the now defunct Hussong’s Mexican restaurant on a vacation in 1983 that I encountered jalapeños seemingly out to kill me. I’d never had jalapeños at that time, and my chicken enchilada contained several of the El Scorcho peppers. After one bite my mouth was literally on fire.
That wasn’t the worst part. Quickly pulling the evil green peppers off my food with two fingers, I rubbed both watering eyes. That burning sensation basically blinded me, and I ended up stumbling to their restroom and splashing cold water in my face for several minutes. Those having done this before will know what I’m talking about.
The pain didn’t fully subside until a couple of hours later. The next morning in our hotel room, I felt burning once again, but in other places. Since that time, anything with jalapeño written on it is totally avoided.
My wife’s just the opposite. She has no problem with them and makes sure her Mexican food includes plenty of this fiery fruit. You read things right. Some botanists claim that jalapeño peppers are in the fruit category. Look things up because I did several times just to make sure it was true.
Joleen eventually came to the point where she asked to try one of their Jalapeño Bahama Mama Wraps. According to an employee working at the grill, this particular wrap is a favorite amongst construction workers, which is easy to believe. I’d tend to think those type of customers undoubtedly have seared taste buds or iron stomachs—perhaps both.
My wife incurred no problem eating hers, and claimed that the jalapeños inside the sausage like hotdog had jus the right amount of spicy flavor. Come to think of it, I believe that’s what she said at Hussong’s Mexican restaurant some 40 years ago.
My wife and I are happy that Bonfire Grill came to town. It’s made life so much more convenient for us where needing a quick bite to eat is concerned. Something tells me that if Bahama Mama and her six beautiful daughters lived on our block, they’d be making the same walk.
I like to write junk... 