Mai Tai 911!!! Help!!

I am a new lurker here and we are having our first Luau tomorrow. I am trying with no luck to find orgeat syrup. Where can I find this stuff?? Is there an alternative??

Any help would be appreciated. I have limited time to try and find it tomorrow before the party starts and I am starting to get frazzled. I think I need a drink now. LOL!

Thanks!

Jeanette

We might be able to give more specific advice if you let us know exactly where you live. Aside from being used in alcoholic beverages, orgeat is also commonly used as a flavored syrup for coffee, so if you can think of a high-end grocery store near you that has a decent coffee section, you might try there. Without knowing what state you live in, I don't know what the local liquor sales situation is, but generally a knowledgeable liquor sales person (a wine steward, for instance) might at least be able to point you in the right direction. Failing that, if you're friendly enough with a local Starbucks-style coffee shop, try bribing a barista out of a half-bottle of their orgeat.

You may have luck finding it in stores that specialise in flavourings, perhaps well stocked coffee houses. Check out "Flavourings" (or "Flavorings" if you are in the US) in your local Yellowpages.

Alternatively, if you can find Almond Syrup, it makes a good substitute.

These folks stock Torani syrups and have quite a few locations.

http://www.worldmarket.com/costplus/findstorelocation

In a pinch, hit up your local Starbucks - they sell their flavored syrups pretty cheap. Although it is waaaay too sweet, the almond one will do. In a pinch. A REALLY BIG pinch. (If'n you go this route, leave out the rock candy...)

I've also had pretty good results from using Amaretto in place of the orgeat (yes, I know Amaretto isn't really almond at all, but I don't want to get into that right now...)