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"Try a 'Maldive Lady' - a powerful and tasty local cocktail".
"We couldn't get enough of the signature Maldivian Lady cocktail -
best sipped at sunset- after a hard day's work of course!" |
"National Drinks: The Maldive Lady (a powerful and delicious cocktail, whose composition varies from bar to bar and island to island)"
"Maldive Lady Cocktail, not to be missed"
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The Maldive Lady Cocktail
Has become a MUST on the Resorts, as many Resorts today still make them in their own way!
When flying as an Air Stewardess with B.O.A C in the early 50's there was just one stewardess on the Aircraft and seven male crew, a lovely ratio! After almost 9 years I had flown the world! For years it was all first class and famous passengers. In those days all cocktails would be made in view of your passenger, I became an expert! When flying across The Pond (to the states) it was always Cocktail Time! So so many different ones with funny names. A good dry Martini was my favourite. I had the honour to carry the Queen Mother and with myself and the Chief Steward made a Champagne Cocktail. It was during my flying days that we would be in and out of Ceylon and I caught a glimpse of the Maldive Islands. That was enough for me, I told myself one day that i would GO.
Fast forward..Married with two children. As Christmas was approaching, weather cold, just out of the blue I told my long suffering husband that we had to go to the Maldive Islands! I might have been speaking a different language, in those days just NO ONE knew anything about the Maldives or even where they were! After a nail biting wait in Sri Lanka we just about made it. The first Resort went up in 1972. Kurumba, followed by Villingilli, and Bandos. We were on the latter.
It was love at first sight. Raw, untouched, Neptunes world, with innocent delightful people. Having been brought up in Kenya, My flying days took me to beaches all over the world Caribbean, Great barrier Reef, South Africa, Hawaii to name but a few but this was very different..
Meeting with the then head of Tourism Ahmed Mujuthaba in order to put the Maldives on the map, I was to come as often as possible to live, learn and always be with Maldivians. After 3 years, sleeping on a screw pine mats on a Dhoni local boat under the stars, visiting island after island with some people not having seen a white lady before, children would run away screaming but in no time I was the Pied Piper!
When His Excellency took his second term of office, I was invited to fly out and I was given the title The Maldive Lady and asked to:
Fast forward..Married with two children. As Christmas was approaching, weather cold, just out of the blue I told my long suffering husband that we had to go to the Maldive Islands! I might have been speaking a different language, in those days just NO ONE knew anything about the Maldives or even where they were! After a nail biting wait in Sri Lanka we just about made it. The first Resort went up in 1972. Kurumba, followed by Villingilli, and Bandos. We were on the latter.
It was love at first sight. Raw, untouched, Neptunes world, with innocent delightful people. Having been brought up in Kenya, My flying days took me to beaches all over the world Caribbean, Great barrier Reef, South Africa, Hawaii to name but a few but this was very different..
Meeting with the then head of Tourism Ahmed Mujuthaba in order to put the Maldives on the map, I was to come as often as possible to live, learn and always be with Maldivians. After 3 years, sleeping on a screw pine mats on a Dhoni local boat under the stars, visiting island after island with some people not having seen a white lady before, children would run away screaming but in no time I was the Pied Piper!
When His Excellency took his second term of office, I was invited to fly out and I was given the title The Maldive Lady and asked to:
"Put The Maldives islands, on the UK map".
At that time we had no High Commission. The challenge was enormous but during my years living with them I had been accepted by the people, and I grew into my name their Maldive lady. Many years later the former President Maumoon Abdul Gayoon's Government decided for the very first time in their history to give just 3 people an Award for outstanding service. Two German gentlemen, and their Maldive lady. My presentation was private, and has to be the most magical, amazing day of my life.
In the very early days the bar man would be a Maldivian. Not only do they not drink, but to be honest they hadn't got a clue how to handle alcohol. Tutu was the Bar man at Villingili. One day after diving and then relaxing on the beach, Tutu arrived with a long glass filled with liquid mostly a green colour, Ice and straw! "Tornie, this is what i have made you, a Cocktail and its called THE MALDIVE LADY.
This readers was its birth. I took a sip!
It would be hard to say what was in it and to this day its Tutu's secret! MEGA delicious, far better than the many many cocktails I had made during my flying years. Very soon after it was decreed that no Maldivian was to handle the alcoholic side of the bar Sri Lankan trained bar men quickly arrived to fulfill this role. It is like this today, but before this decree, news traveled fast around the islands! Tutu gets a call from Kurumba "We have heard that you have made a cocktail named after Tornie, please give us the recipe as we want to make it" "No make your own says" Tutu
Bandos, Baros ,Nakatchafushi, Kuramathi, quickly followed suite. They all made their own. When I was moving around the islands non stop, at each Resort a Maldive Lady would be waiting for me! Help! without being rude, I would be very careful to dispose of it somehow! All made differently, big, small... different. One that even today comes to mind was served in half a coconut shell with just a little coconut juice and Cointreau plus a flower decoration.
This readers was its birth. I took a sip!
It would be hard to say what was in it and to this day its Tutu's secret! MEGA delicious, far better than the many many cocktails I had made during my flying years. Very soon after it was decreed that no Maldivian was to handle the alcoholic side of the bar Sri Lankan trained bar men quickly arrived to fulfill this role. It is like this today, but before this decree, news traveled fast around the islands! Tutu gets a call from Kurumba "We have heard that you have made a cocktail named after Tornie, please give us the recipe as we want to make it" "No make your own says" Tutu
Bandos, Baros ,Nakatchafushi, Kuramathi, quickly followed suite. They all made their own. When I was moving around the islands non stop, at each Resort a Maldive Lady would be waiting for me! Help! without being rude, I would be very careful to dispose of it somehow! All made differently, big, small... different. One that even today comes to mind was served in half a coconut shell with just a little coconut juice and Cointreau plus a flower decoration.
Just one final note: You may NOT get married in the Maldives. You can renew your vows. Most of the Resorts offer this now. You chose your own words, music and the setting is truly memorable.
