Post #277275 by Chip and Andy on Sun, Jan 7, 2007 12:11 PM

The Mint debate for Mai Tais is not a new one here on TC....

The mint as garnish is both beautiful and aromatic, two key considerations for anything that goes in a cocktail. And, when the Mai Tai was invented, fresh anything in a cocktail made it exotic and exciting and mint was no exception.

Originally, or traditionally if you prefer, the mint is bruised ever so slightly to release the oils/aroma and then placed in the drink. This gives you the wonderful aroma of the mint combined with the woody rum and exotic orange/almond base to make a drink that is appealing to the eye, the nose and the tounge. Add an orchid and you have a most exotic looking cocktail. If you don't have orchids handy, you can use just about any edible flower as a garnish (and yes, orchids are edible).

Now, as to adding the mint to your shaker... If you like it, go for it. It is your drink on your bar and you should be making it the way you like it.

As for me, that would be too minty for my tastes. I'll stick with the mint being a garnish and not an ingredient.