Post #222610 by hodadhank on Thu, Mar 23, 2006 9:10 AM

*On 2006-03-19 21:36, Sabina wrote:*What do people think of orchids in their Mai Tais? Does the faint scent work with the mint for you, or do you find it distracts?

I love it. It reminds me of the Mai Tais I wasn't even old enough to drink when my folks took me to Hawaii. My Dad enjoyed them and I thought they were the most amazing things. We also attended a fruit buffet on Waikiki beach where the food trays were sunk in ice, the ice being entirely covered in tiny purple orchids. I remember my folks marveling at how many orchids it would take to cover that big table. Something about seeing my parents excitement over the flower has stuck with me, and whether or not it's the most historically correct garnish for a Mai Tai, it's my favorite.

As for the subtle scent of the orchid and mint effecting the flavor, I remember a segment on CBS Sunday Morning about a very creative chef who vaporizes anise into an inflatable place mat then pokes tiny holes in it so when the dish is lowered onto the little pillow the sent is forced out mixing with that of the entree to effect the overall flavor.