MAI TAI – DON THE BEACHCOMBER`S

Following my post on Trader Vics Mai Tai and the rum combos i also would like to present the recipe of the other Mai Tai which is the one that was made by Ernest Raymond Beaumont Gantt aka Don the Beachcomber or simply Don Beach.

The never ending discussion as to who it was who really made the first original Mai Tai is a discussion that seem to be endless..There`s some interesting info on the subject involving a drink named QB Cooler that you can read in Beachbum Berry`s book Sippin Safari. Page 162.

Don Beach did invent a drink that he called Mai Tai but it never reached that fame and shortly dissapeared from his menu.

The conclusion might be that Trader Vic invented the drink that would be world famous under the name Mai Tai, but not based on Don Beach Mai Tai, while Don Beach is the man who invented many of the classsic tikidrinks like the Zombie, the Navy Grog and Missionary`s downfall, (one of my fav tiki drinks) as well as the whole concept of exotic polynesian style restaurants, known as tiki bars. I personally tend to believe that both drinks were original concoctions, the recipes are too different.

Furtermore, in Jeff Berry´s new upcoming book -  Beachbum Berry Remixed, there will be a whole six-page discussion about the “Mai Tai Wars,” sorting out the tangled history….Looking forward to read the new book!

I`m quite fascinated by how much can be written and debated about one drink, and which also is one of those that has been the most bastardised along with for example the Daiquiri and the Margarita which you can read about here.

As for Don Beach Mai Tai – here is the recipe:

1.5 oz Myer’s plantation rum (you may sub Appleton)
1 oz Cuban rum ( sub British navy-style rum, like Pusser’s or Lamb’s)
0.75 oz fresh lime juice
1 oz fresh grapefruit juice
0.25 oz falernum
0.5 oz cointreau
2 dashes angostura bitters
1 dash pernod
Shell of squeezed lime
1 cup of cracked ice

Shake for 1 minute. Serve in a double old-fashioned glass. Garnish with four sprigs of mint. Add a spear of pineapple. Sip slowly through mint sprigs until desired effect results.

I find this drink just a tad sour so i add 1/4 oz simple syrup to it, but that can also have something to do with how tart your grapefruits and limes are.

But among the two Mai Tais i really prefer Vic`s Mai Tai, there is a reason why it was the one that gained such popularity and now is one of the classics. It has such a balance and yet is very simple. That doesn`t mean that i consider Don Beach Mai Tai a bad drink, oh no, its tasty too.

A MONTH OF MAI TAIS – Exploring the rums, one Mai Tai at a time.

A MAI TAI A DAY…

As a part of the Mai Tai rum combo cocktail-blog coverage i have made a couple different Mai Tais, mostly from demerara rums.I know the Mai Tai had dark Jamaican rum first, and then was paired with a Martiniqan rum, but i think demerara rums makes awesome Mai Tais and the whole idea of this rum combo coverage is to, well, try different rum combos..

The  coverage on the other 3 blogs will contain enough rum combos to cover most needs for tasty Mai Tais…rumdood alone have some 118 rums to choose from…So together we will all hopefully cover enough various rum combos to keep most thirsty Mai Tai lovers happy regardless of where you live, we hope there will be something for everyone. Keep an eye on these blogs as their posts are on their way and rumdood is going to post more on the Mai Tai.

Our best rum combos will also be posted in a wrap-up on the mixoloseum blog. The whole january and into february has been and continues to be Mai Tai month for us, we are working with various rum combinations in our search for the tastiest Mai Tais all based on Trader Vics recipe, as well as attempting to set the recipe for a real Mai Tai straight.

MxMo XXXV – Broaden Your Horizons

This months Mixology Monday is hosted by A Mixed Dram, thank you for hosting! We get a good portion of freedom of imagination and also a challenge here when we are supposed to do something we haven`t done before.

There were a few suggestions: “Try a new base spirit.”, “Use a technique you’ve never used before”, “Been reading about those really cool and wacky purees infused with spices and herbs and other flavourings, or some other cool culinary technique? I challenge you to bring it here next month.”

After some thinking i finally have choosen to make a Indian style cocktail (which i haven`t done before) using some spices i haven`t used before in cocktails, which is fresh turmeric and cumin syrup.

The fragrance from the shaker when everything was muddled was so fresh! the drink tasted fruity-earthy-spicy and fresh. I´m not sure if i felt the taste of the cumin syrup or not, but overall i was pleased with this drink and the bright yellow color was needed in this darkness of the winter that is now. It was really interesting to make a indian style spiced cocktail and i want to make more.

INDIAN SUNSHINE

1 oz gold and 1 oz white rum
0.5 oz fresh lime juice
0.5 oz cumin syrup
1 oz unsweetened pineapple juice
A small splash mango juice

A very small piece of fresh turmeric, be careful so it doesnt overpower the drink.This also will stain everything yellow including your stomach..so use not your nicest wooden muddler. This is what imparts such a lovely yellow sunshine color to the drink.

A small amount fresh cilantro, like a small sprig.

Garnish with fresh curry leaves and a sprig of peppermint.

Muddle a very small piece of fresh turmeric ( remember this spice is strong) with cumin syrup, fresh cilantro and lime juice in a shaker and add the rest of ingredients. Shake over ice and strain into a glass filled with crushed ice. Sprinkle dark cocoa and chilipowder on top.(i used Santa Marias cocoa and chili powder)

CUMIN SYRUP

1 tsp cumin seeds
Equal parts water and raw cane sugar, 1 cup each

Heat cumin seeds in a hot skillet until fragrant. Add the cumin seeds to a pan and add the water and bring to a boil. Then simmer for a little while, about 4-5 minutes and then add the sugar and stir until it`s dissolved.

Remove from heat, cool, strain, bottle. Keep in fridge.

When smelling the roots of the turmeric you can really see that its a member of the ginger family -

( Zingiberaceae), just as the cardamom plant. They all have that same sort of delightful “raw” and “earthy-peppery-citrusy” fragrance. When i used to work in a tropical greenhouse i quite often replanted large cardamom plants and i remember how i enjoyed the fresh smell of their roots.

DEMERARA RUMS Part Two

In this second part of my series on demerara rums i`m going to write about BanksXM, Old Vatted and Samaroli Port Morant 1990.

A MONTH OF MAI TAIS

Many of these demeraras and other tasty rums are going to be used in the big Mai Tai rum combo coverage that will take place on jan 26 involving 4 cocktail blogs: Rumdood, Trader Tiki, KaiserPenguin and this blog. Our best rum combos will also be posted in a wrap-up on the Mixoloseum blog. The whole january is a Mai Tai month for us, we are working with various rum combinations in our search for the tastiest Mai Tais all based on Trader Vics recipe, as well as attempting to set the recipe for a real Mai Tai straight. Presented to you on jan 26!

How often have you had a real Mai Tai in a bar?

DEMERARA RUMS part one

I`m on a demerara rum journey.

One of my aims in this life is to try as many demerara rums i can find, but so far i haven`t been able to try that many. Not all from the El Dorado range are yet tasted for instance, and on my list is also Nation demerara 12 and 31. But the Lemon Hart 151 i`ve had of course, and Banks XM 10 and 12 year old Millenium, they are all wonderful, especially the XM 10 which has an extra caramel yumminess to it. I`m really happy the XM rums are now going to be sold in the US.

El Dorado rums has its own blog post here.

ELEMENTS EIGHT [e]8 RUMS

The island of St Lucia is one of the windward islands in the Caribbean. Unfortunately the closest i`ve got to it is the airport at night..i haven`t seen the island itself which from what i`ve seen from pictures and documentaries is stunningly beautiful. Its situated between the Atlantic and the Caribbean sea thus creating a unique microclimate. And its on this island, in the oldest distillery that the Elements 8 rums are made.

SPICE IT UP WITH HOLIDAY COCKTAILS

Christmas is spice time, just look at this months Mixology monday wrap up! Apart from the egg-nog like Ponche Crema swizzle, and the warm Cocoa Crema how about some ice cold drinks with christmas`ey spices? Here are some fruity cocktails and clove studded garnishes.

TWINKLING STAR

2 oz Tequila reposado
1 oz pineapple juice
0.5 oz fresh lime juice
¼  oz raw sugar syrup
Dash passionfruit syrup
½ barspoon grenadine
Crushed ice
Garnish clove studded carambola slice and a small mint sprig.

Shake everything except the grenadine. Strain and pour over sparkling fresh crushed ice, add a dash grenadine. Cut a slice of a carambola, place one clove in the middle and 5 at the each end of the star. Place on rim with a small mint sprig behind to add some fragrance and contrast in color.

MXMO XXXIV SPICE

This months spicy Mixology Monday is hosted by CraigH at the Tikidrinks and Indigo Firmaments, thanks for hosting! At this time of the year Sweden is totally drenched in various gloggs or mulled wines. Its glogg everywhere you turn your head in a myriad of flavors, and indeed its nice to drink a warm spicy glogg when its dark and cold outside for most of the time. So to me this months MxMo theme is perfect for making a homemade glogg with spices.

RHUM AGRICOLE AND CACHACA

WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN RHUM AGRICOLE AND CACHACA?

I´ve read so many articles and seen so much confuison when it comes to what exactly is the difference between rhum agricole and cachaca. And then there`s rhum Barbancourt, is it or is it not a rhum agricole?