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Samurai Grog & Karate Punch

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I just received two new vintage mugs from across the pond: the Karate Punch and the Samurai Grog. Of course I want to celebrate them with the according concoction. Has anyone the recipe for those two drinks? Is the Karate Punch related to Beachbums Hai Karate?

All recommendations are welcome and will be tested.

I just recently picked up a Samurai Grog mug myself. I'm not a big mug collector and this is not a great-looking mug but for 50 cents, I thought what the heck.

I found a few pictures of it on the web but not much else in the way of useful background info as to what the drink ingredients should be...

just make sure that you don't end up drinking the AFTERSHAVE named Hai Karate. that stuff is toxic...
jest mah 2 cents,
j$

Those names crack me up, I just picture an Austin Powers-ish bartender slamming those drinks down real fast on the bar and saying "JUDO CHOP!". That martial arts strike in those old movies always made me laugh, yeah, you knock somebody out with one "JUDO CHOP!" to the trap. Sorry for the hi-jack,but I gotta big mouth.

Bump. I have the Karate Punch now too and I'm wondering what the drink was.

I reckon the Karate Punch mugs are fairly new (you can order a case of 'em online). Over in Tiki Collecting, someone mentioned that they got theirs at Miyako Hotel in SF which is now Hotel Kabuki. Hotel Kabuki has a karaoke bar. So, maybe we have an intrepid explorer here that can go to Japan Town and do some research??? I'm willing to bet that a recipe for both mugs can be found. Maybe I should write up a grant to get some research money. :)

M

I found this;
http://blog.syracuse.com/drinks/2009/11/central_new_york_signature_coc_15.html
"The drink: The Karate Punch. It’s sweet and floral, Nolan said, but guys drink it, too. “We call it a foo-foo drink with a punch,” she said.

What's in it:
1 ½ ounces apricot brandy
1 ½ ounces vodka
¼ ounce triple sec
½ ounce grenadine
3 ¼ ounce sour mix
orange juice, to top off

Ingredients of note: Apricot brandy gives this drink its floral and fruity notes. The shot of orange juice at the end provides fresh citrus.

One more thing: Several Ichiban drinks have Japanese themes, such as the sake-based Geisha Delight, the blackberry-infused Ho Tai’s Dream and the melon-flavored Sakura Cocktail. Each of these comes in an optional ceramic mug with shapes such as Buddha, Geisha Girl or Cat for an extra $4.25"

I have a feeling, though, that if you asked 20 bars that served this for the recipe, that you would get 20 variations. But, who knows?!?

Now, can someone find the Samurai Grog recipe?

where's the punch? is the OJ spoilt?

Now, can someone find the Samurai Grog recipe?

Looks like the Samurai Grog came from a restaurant in Pittsburg called....Samurai Restaurant. Looks like Benihana took it over.

Looks like at least one place in Cincinnati also called Samurai served the samurai grog.. and the mug is depicted on the menu. The first image shows enough to read the description
http://www.cincinnatimagazine.com/features/have-menuwill-time-travel/

http://www.cincinnatimagazine.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/20/2014/02/MAR14_Menus_Samurai_5.jpg

Samurai Grog as served at Samurai, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania:

½ oz dry vermouth
1 oz gin
5½ oz pineapple juice

From article in Pittsburgh Press, 1974.11.20. p. 52.

K

Jeez, may as well just drink pineapple juice.

On 2016-03-15 18:04, kkocka wrote:
Jeez, may as well just drink pineapple juice.

Did you read the article? To me, it raised more questions than answers.

The chef's name is S.K. Honda. As Samurai owners Jack Offenbach, Richard Griffith and Phillip Hill would have us believe, is fresh off the airplane from Japan.

Since when do Japanese have two given names? Given names are regulated by Ministry of Justice which explains why no Yamamoto LaChanette or Fujisaki Yvonne running around. Yes. Miss Japan is Ariana Mamiko Miyamoto. She has American father. There is no kanji for her given name so must be spelled. Just as my adopted business name (translation of my real name) is written in katakana alphabet for foreign words because there is no V sound. Besides, most people go by nickname. Takahashi Minami is Takamina. Or diminutive honorific added: Takahashi Ai becomes Ai—chan.

Ai—chan introduced herself at news conference for musical for which she was learning English. "I am Ai." English—speaking reporters mistook her as saying "I am I" and had field day. Until someone pointed out their mistake. Which is why we should not be dismissive of other cultures.

Perhaps S.K. is Honda's new American nickname. Maybe there is city of shrines Koyto and not misspelling of Kyoto. The reporter is dismissive and seems to have a chip on his shoulder. Spends more time dwelling on fascination with the chefs instead of reviewing restaurant.

I am descendant of ancient warrior clan. Very surprised to be informed my samurai ancestor was a cook. Which he wasn't.

Samurai grog. Served in samurai grog glass. No rum. A circa 1920 martini with pineapple. Grog is understood to have rum and lime or lemon. The menu describes as samurai grog as laced with gin. Laced meaning a small amount added.

Do you get the impression that the newspaper reporter annoyed S.K. Honda and he became a font of nonsense? Or does reporter's sloppy work account for omission of rum and citrus? Could grog be misnomer?

I expected samurai grog to be in fogcutter family.

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