Where to buy TV syrups in NY/NJ? - Tiki Drinks and Food

D donhonyc Tiki Socialite The Quiet EAST Village Joined: Jan 13, 2003 Posts: 1196	D donhonyc Posted posted on Mon, Jan 30, 2006 7:09 AM Mr. & Mrs. T Mai-Tai mix? Yuck. Come on now my east-coast brother. Buy some Orgeat or almond syrup (Little Italy) and make some simple syrup or up the amount of Curacao. And as far as Trader Vic products go, the only thing I get from them is the Passion Fruit Syrup, as they are the only one I know that makes this product. But ALL of the products have High Fructose Corn Syrup in them (Passion Fruit Syrup included). You can make your own grenadine with POM and sugar (or Splenda) and Orgeat can be found easily in “the City” made with real sugar (not HFCS) or even sugar-free. Trust me, I'm a purist, and I have made almost all of the Mai Tai recipes found in Grog Log, Intoxica, and Tiki Road Trip. I prefer to drink the authentic, original recipes. Not just once, but many, many times I found myself making these original drinks. I even had a stretch of time when I was making the Zombie from Grog Log that has the powdered sugar in it. But I'm as surprised as you are to find that Mr. & Mrs. T's Mai Tai is actually very good. I think I like it because it's easy, and also because no matter how carefully I mixed any of the Mai Tai recipes they never tasted like the Trader Vic or Mai Kai Mai Tais. THOSE are the best and unless you have the recipes, which I don't think anybody has, you just can't make those at home. Finding Orgeat is easier said than done in this town. True, Little Italy is a possibility for finding it. There is also Porto Rico Imports on Bleecker St. in the West Village. SOMETIMES they have it. It's totally frustrating when you walk in there and find that they don't have it. They'll have every other variety of Torani syrups...like 25 of them, but they won't have Orgeat. It's easier to mail order it from Trader Vic. Once again, New York City..supposedly the city where 'everything' is available is NOT tiki friendly and hasn't been for years ever since Trader Vic's, Hawaii Kai, and the Kona Tiki in the Americana hotel all closed in the 80s. [ Edited by: donhonyc 2006-01-30 08:22 ]

Mr. & Mrs. T Mai-Tai mix? Yuck. Come on now my east-coast brother. Buy some Orgeat or almond syrup (Little Italy) and make some simple syrup or up the amount of Curacao.
And as far as Trader Vic products go, the only thing I get from them is the Passion Fruit Syrup, as they are the only one I know that makes this product. But ALL of the products have High Fructose Corn Syrup in them (Passion Fruit Syrup included). You can make your own grenadine with POM and sugar (or Splenda) and Orgeat can be found easily in “the City” made with real sugar (not HFCS) or even sugar-free.

Trust me, I'm a purist, and I have made almost all of the Mai Tai recipes found in Grog Log, Intoxica, and Tiki Road Trip. I prefer to drink the authentic, original recipes. Not just once, but many, many times I found myself making these original drinks. I even had a stretch of time when I was making the Zombie from Grog Log that has the powdered sugar in it. But I'm as surprised as you are to find that Mr. & Mrs. T's Mai Tai is actually very good. I think I like it because it's easy, and also because no matter how carefully I mixed any of the Mai Tai recipes they never tasted like the Trader Vic or Mai Kai Mai Tais. THOSE are the best and unless you have the recipes, which I don't think anybody has, you just can't make those at home.

Finding Orgeat is easier said than done in this town. True, Little Italy is a possibility for finding it. There is also Porto Rico Imports on Bleecker St. in the West Village. SOMETIMES they have it. It's totally frustrating when you walk in there and find that they don't have it. They'll have every other variety of Torani syrups...like 25 of them, but they won't have Orgeat. It's easier to mail order it from Trader Vic.

Once again, New York City..supposedly the city where 'everything' is available is NOT tiki friendly and hasn't been for years ever since Trader Vic's, Hawaii Kai, and the Kona Tiki in the Americana hotel all closed in the 80s.

[ Edited by: donhonyc 2006-01-30 08:22 ]

Post #211431 by donhonyc on Mon, Jan 30, 2006 7:09 AM