Post #329870 by TraderPeg on Mon, Sep 3, 2007 12:20 PM

This weekend I made the Nui Nui recipe from Sippin' Safari, inspired by the discussion here and Chipandandy's lovely photography.

Boy, was I glad.

With no hope of finding pimento liqueur, I followed the instructions about the heated infusion of freshly-ground allspice, vanilla and simple syrup. I also used Starbuck's Cinnamon Syrup, Don Q Anejo rum and the usual fresh juices and bitters as instructed in SS. When I sniffed the bottle of the cinnamon syrup, i was initially wary that the strength would overpower the other flavors but this didn't happen. I made four portions to fill two largish "Artist's Series" Tiki mugs from Tiki Farm, using the amount of crushed ice specified and topping up with about another cup or so per mug.

I'm pretty bad with making garnishes from rind, and the oranges I had on hand were rather elderly. But I wanted that fresh orange scent to hit our noses when we sipped the drink, so I managed a couple of long strips of zest, rolled them tightly and used them as umbrella stands across the top of the mugs.

This drink is delicious, and is going right up there into regular rotation with the TV Mai Tai and DtB Zombie (Spievak version).

When I first started making tropicals the Beachbum way, I was always in search of the simplest recipes with the fewest ingredients because I was never sure I'd manage to make it right. Now I look for the more complex recipes with spices, bitters and herbals because they seem to give the greatest "payoff" for your time, with their many layers and complexity.

I've been wondering if the regulars here at TC could come up with a "lesson plan" for the budding tropical bartender. It would be interesting to go through the recipes and make a list starting with simpler ones that educate the palate about the value of fresh juices and more flavorful rums, moving on to those that use spices and liqueurs and herbals as your liquor locker grows and you get more daring.