Newspaper article, “Taking the tacky out of Tiki (drinks)” - Tiki Drinks and Food

A AdOrAdam Member Wolverhampton, UK Joined: Jun 16, 2013 Posts: 630	A AdOrAdam Posted posted on Sun, Sep 8, 2013 12:02 PM I wouldn't apply the 'pretentious = bad formula' like the article does. IMO the approach of many of the pretentious bartenders is a good thing, it keeps standards high & means drink making traditions get followed. They give a fck about the what they're doing (when 'normal' bartenders don't necessarily). On 2013-09-08 06:34, TikiTomD wrote:* So, why now are the tiki and craft-cocktail worlds colliding? Pip Hanson, cocktailer in chief at Marvel Bar — which tiptoed into tiki this summer during its Sunday improv nights and with its frozen “Blender Bar” menu — said it’s a predictable reaction to the “temple-of-the-cocktail bars” like New York’s Pegu Club and PDT. “Everything got a little bit precious, and that’s fine,” Hanson said. “Tiki is just a totally unpretentious thing. It’s a return to having fun with your drinks. A lot of people would argue it’s high time that happened again.” Yes tiki is about fun but I think tiki has a public image that doesn't represent how 'precious' it was in its heyday, I say that because: 30s / 40s tiki bars were the 'temple of the cocktails' of the day. Donn Beach coded his recipes so that no-one else could make them & staff had reduced bargaining power if they wanted to leave. Bars knocked off each others drinks like mad (Mai Tais, Zombies, Test Pilot, Jet Pilot, etc). Bar owners were incredibly jealous of each other Old tiki bartenders still wouldn't share recipes with Jeff Berry decades later. Current tiki bars still keep secret recipes & commission rum to get the unique tastes (The Mai Kai & Kohola Bay rum). Maybe Im wrong, maybe Im right, who knows (?) :) Anywhere serving good drinks is a plus. However I might not be ordering that 'The Sun Had a Name' cocktail with bacon & olives, I'll stick to fruit juices :)

I wouldn't apply the 'pretentious = bad formula' like the article does.

IMO the approach of many of the pretentious bartenders is a good thing, it keeps standards high & means drink making traditions get followed. They give a f*ck about the what they're doing (when 'normal' bartenders don't necessarily).

On 2013-09-08 06:34, TikiTomD wrote:
So, why now are the tiki and craft-cocktail worlds colliding? Pip Hanson, cocktailer in chief at Marvel Bar — which tiptoed into tiki this summer during its Sunday improv nights and with its frozen “Blender Bar” menu — said it’s a predictable reaction to the “temple-of-the-cocktail bars” like New York’s Pegu Club and PDT. “Everything got a little bit precious, and that’s fine,” Hanson said. “Tiki is just a totally unpretentious thing. It’s a return to having fun with your drinks. A lot of people would argue it’s high time that happened again.”

Yes tiki is about fun but I think tiki has a public image that doesn't represent how 'precious' it was in its heyday, I say that because:

30s / 40s tiki bars were the 'temple of the cocktails' of the day.
Donn Beach coded his recipes so that no-one else could make them & staff had reduced bargaining power if they wanted to leave.
Bars knocked off each others drinks like mad (Mai Tais, Zombies, Test Pilot, Jet Pilot, etc).
Bar owners were incredibly jealous of each other
Old tiki bartenders still wouldn't share recipes with Jeff Berry decades later.
Current tiki bars still keep secret recipes & commission rum to get the unique tastes (The Mai Kai & Kohola Bay rum).

Maybe Im wrong, maybe Im right, who knows (?) :)

Anywhere serving good drinks is a plus.

However I might not be ordering that 'The Sun Had a Name' cocktail with bacon & olives, I'll stick to fruit juices :)

Post #692869 by AdOrAdam on Sun, Sep 8, 2013 12:02 PM