Altering the classics - Tiki Drinks and Food

DC Dr. Coruba Tiki Socialite Joined: Jun 02, 2008 Posts: 333	DC Dr. Coruba Posted posted on Mon, Oct 17, 2016 2:48 PM On 2016-10-16 08:29, tiki-riviera wrote: I understand most hold the classic drink recipes somewhat sacred, but I'm curious what changes members make to classic recipes and the results. My personal favorite slight alteration is on the Mai Tai, using more Orgeat and very little simple syrup. If my willpower is strong, I also wait 5 minutes to start drinking. For some reason I find when the ice melts slightly it enhances the taste, not sure why. Lately I've been experimenting with many rum combinations, and my current favorite is Clement Hors D'Age and Trader Vics Dark Rum. Kind of strange an expensive and cheap rum pair so well, but it works for me! Pushing the orgeat and using little or no simple syrup works well because what is actually called for in the classic Mai Tai is not simple syrup, but "rock candy syrup." RCS is twice as sweet as simple syrup. The orgeat is also sweeter than simple syrup, so you are much closer to the amount of sugar ol' Vic intended to balance out the lime. You are also on to something about letting your drink dilute a little more. The amount of ice used to mix a Mai Tai plays a role. Ol' Vic gives some good guidance there too. The size of a Trader Vic Mai Tai glass is purposely larger than the average double old fashioned. An average double old fashioned glass is around 12 oz. The TV double old fashioned is a 15 oz glass. It holds 25% more crushed ice. At Trader Vic's they start off with a full to the brim glass of crushed ice, they build the drink in the glass over the ice, then give it a decent shake. The added ice and a proper shake gives a little more melt up front, helps meld the ingredients, and will actually help the remaining ice last longer in your drink. Now you may have come to enjoy the ritual of letting your Mai Tai sit a bit, ritual can be an ingredient too, but if you'd like to start sipping sooner, use a larger double old fashioned and be sure to fill the glass at least to the brim with crushed ice. The extra melt will get you in the zone you enjoy. At home, I'm using a little less than 1 ounce fresh squeezed lime and a little over 1/2 oz of orgeat (1.5 oz total between the lime and the orgeat), skipping the rock candy syrup altogether. My favorite rum combo at the moment is 1 ounce Coruba and 1 ounce El Dorado 5. When I feel a little more extravagant, my rum combo is 2 ounces of Zacapa 23. Cheers and enjoy tinkering with the classics.

On 2016-10-16 08:29, tiki-riviera wrote:
I understand most hold the classic drink recipes somewhat sacred, but I'm curious what changes members make to classic recipes and the results. My personal favorite slight alteration is on the Mai Tai, using more Orgeat and very little simple syrup. If my willpower is strong, I also wait 5 minutes to start drinking. For some reason I find when the ice melts slightly it enhances the taste, not sure why. Lately I've been experimenting with many rum combinations, and my current favorite is Clement Hors D'Age and Trader Vics Dark Rum. Kind of strange an expensive and cheap rum pair so well, but it works for me!

Pushing the orgeat and using little or no simple syrup works well because what is actually called for in the classic Mai Tai is not simple syrup, but "rock candy syrup." RCS is twice as sweet as simple syrup. The orgeat is also sweeter than simple syrup, so you are much closer to the amount of sugar ol' Vic intended to balance out the lime. You are also on to something about letting your drink dilute a little more. The amount of ice used to mix a Mai Tai plays a role. Ol' Vic gives some good guidance there too. The size of a Trader Vic Mai Tai glass is purposely larger than the average double old fashioned. An average double old fashioned glass is around 12 oz. The TV double old fashioned is a 15 oz glass. It holds 25% more crushed ice. At Trader Vic's they start off with a full to the brim glass of crushed ice, they build the drink in the glass over the ice, then give it a decent shake. The added ice and a proper shake gives a little more melt up front, helps meld the ingredients, and will actually help the remaining ice last longer in your drink.

Now you may have come to enjoy the ritual of letting your Mai Tai sit a bit, ritual can be an ingredient too, but if you'd like to start sipping sooner, use a larger double old fashioned and be sure to fill the glass at least to the brim with crushed ice. The extra melt will get you in the zone you enjoy.

At home, I'm using a little less than 1 ounce fresh squeezed lime and a little over 1/2 oz of orgeat (1.5 oz total between the lime and the orgeat), skipping the rock candy syrup altogether. My favorite rum combo at the moment is 1 ounce Coruba and 1 ounce El Dorado 5. When I feel a little more extravagant, my rum combo is 2 ounces of Zacapa 23.

Cheers and enjoy tinkering with the classics.

Post #769508 by Dr. Coruba on Mon, Oct 17, 2016 2:48 PM