Hrm, New to this Mai Tai thing, but I've given it an honest try... - Tiki Drinks and Food

K Kukoae Member The Valley Joined: Apr 26, 2005 Posts: 37	K Kukoae Posted posted on Sun, May 8, 2005 4:14 AM OK... I've not yet had a chance to visit the Tiki Temples here in SoCal (Tiki-Ti, Trader Vic's, or Lucky Tiki). I'm desperate, and I want to try to get an idea of what the canonical reference point recipe for a Mai Tai is. I buy a boxful of rums: Trader Vic's Dark "original", Applegate "VX", J. Wray and Nephew Overproof White, and Cruzan Light. I find the (almost impossible to find) Orgeat Syrup (Torani Brand). I get De Kuyper Curacao and Bols Triple Sec. I buy two bottles of Trader Vic's "Mai Tai Mix", a bottle of Nantucket "Mojito" mix which I selected based on its ingredients: real lime juice, cane sugar, and mint oil. (nothing from concetrate and no preservatives) (These Nantucket mixes are the best I've ever seen, but are very expensive: $8/bottle.) Note to Californians: Beverages + More stocks many excellent rums [all of the above were sourced there] plus Trader Vic's Mai Tai Mix and De Kuyper Curacao. The Nantucket mixes were sourced from Cost Plus at $8/bottle when bought in pairs. My dalliance thus far: 4 oz Trader Vic's Dark Rum 4 oz J. Wray Overproof "white" rum 16 oz parts of Trader Vic's Mai Tai Mix Splash (1-2 oz) of "Mojito" mix Juice of two key limes [the little ones] Splash (2-3 oz) of Trader Joe's Pineapple Juice (the above shaken with ice) Served in: in a glass (transparent) "bamboo" highball obtained from Cost Plus for $2/each. on the rocks, and garnished with fresh mint leaves. [I didn't have fresh pineapple, alas]. It seemed to taste pretty good. Probably a bit potent [to judge how things started to move on their own volition after two batches of these [shared with one friend]]. The taste was agreeable - and my non-Tiki friend seemed to find the drink very agreeable. My thinking with the Mojito mix was to get some of the mint and lime taste into the drink. So... was I close, or should I keep "plugging away"? I'm a bit in the dark here, as I've yet to try a properly canonical Tiki fashioned Mai Tai. So far, it's quite agreeable, and it's already tastier than what I've recieved in non-Tiki bars which don't pretend to know how to make them properly. Impression thus far: perhaps it was a little bit sour [and probably a bit potent!]... I am afraid to do this drink "from scratch" (from Orgeat/Curacao/etc) until I have the calibration for what it should taste like first. BevMo carries Torani Orgeat Syrup, amazingly enough, but it was the last of 10 futile stops to source it - Cost Plus does not carry it. Anyway... feedback would be dearly appreciated, fellow Tiki lovers, =Kukoae=

OK... I've not yet had a chance to visit the Tiki Temples here in SoCal (Tiki-Ti, Trader Vic's, or Lucky Tiki).

I'm desperate, and I want to try to get an idea of what the canonical reference point recipe for a Mai Tai is.

I buy a boxful of rums: Trader Vic's Dark "original", Applegate "VX", J. Wray and Nephew Overproof White, and Cruzan Light.

I find the (almost impossible to find) Orgeat Syrup (Torani Brand). I get De Kuyper Curacao and Bols Triple Sec. I buy two bottles of Trader Vic's "Mai Tai Mix", a bottle of Nantucket "Mojito" mix which I selected based on its ingredients: real lime juice, cane sugar, and mint oil. (nothing from concetrate and no preservatives)

(These Nantucket mixes are the best I've ever seen, but are very expensive: $8/bottle.)

Note to Californians: Beverages + More stocks many excellent rums [all of the above were sourced there] plus Trader Vic's Mai Tai Mix and De Kuyper Curacao.

The Nantucket mixes were sourced from Cost Plus at $8/bottle when bought in pairs.

My dalliance thus far:

4 oz Trader Vic's Dark Rum
4 oz J. Wray Overproof "white" rum
16 oz parts of Trader Vic's Mai Tai Mix
Splash (1-2 oz) of "Mojito" mix
Juice of two key limes [the little ones]
Splash (2-3 oz) of Trader Joe's Pineapple Juice
(the above shaken with ice)

Served in:
in a glass (transparent) "bamboo" highball obtained from Cost Plus for $2/each.
on the rocks, and garnished with fresh mint leaves.

[I didn't have fresh pineapple, alas].

It seemed to taste pretty good. Probably a bit potent [to judge how things started to move on their own volition after two batches of these [shared with one friend]].

The taste was agreeable - and my non-Tiki friend seemed to find the drink very agreeable. My thinking with the Mojito mix was to get some of the mint and lime taste into the drink.

So... was I close, or should I keep "plugging away"?

I'm a bit in the dark here, as I've yet to try a properly canonical Tiki fashioned Mai Tai.

So far, it's quite agreeable, and it's already tastier than what I've recieved in non-Tiki bars which don't pretend to know how to make them properly.

Impression thus far: perhaps it was a little bit sour [and probably a bit potent!]...

I am afraid to do this drink "from scratch" (from Orgeat/Curacao/etc) until I have the calibration for what it should taste like first. BevMo carries Torani Orgeat Syrup, amazingly enough, but it was the last of 10 futile stops to source it - Cost Plus does not carry it.

Anyway... feedback would be dearly appreciated, fellow Tiki lovers,

=Kukoae=

Post #157214 by Kukoae on Sun, May 8, 2005 4:14 AM