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mikehooker
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Sat, Jan 9, 2016 1:50 PM
Super cool. So what do you have to do to get a taste of some of those?? |
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Hurricane Hayward
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Sat, Jan 9, 2016 10:13 PM
Most of the old stuff is most likely undrinkable, unfortunately. I recall a Beachbum Berry blog from eight or so years ago where he wrote about getting his first tour back there. He talked them into letting him sample a few old bottles, but they had either become tasteless or turned to sludge. I've heard that the only chance of an old bottle surviving for decades is keeping it unopened. FYI, here's a photo of the same bar from 1962 (scanned from Sippin' Safari). That's head bartender Mariano Licudine at right and manager Robert Van Dorpe at left. On a related topic: Swanky has launched a great-looking website that previews his upcoming book ... Some great photos of rare mugs: http://www.maikaihistory.com/?page_id=462 [ Edited by: Hurricane Hayward 2016-01-09 22:28 ] |
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Swanky
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Sun, Jan 10, 2016 6:43 AM
Btw, that's James Donn In the center of the picture. Head of Gulfstream Park. |
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CincyTikiCraig
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Wed, Feb 24, 2016 7:35 PM
Hayward, Awhile back you teased us with a hint that you had gleaned some new insight into something special regarding the Mai Kai's lime juice. Can you divulge any more for us? |
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Hurricane Hayward
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Tue, Mar 15, 2016 9:05 PM
CincyTikiCraig, I promise some inside info on the juices, including lime, in the near future. In the meantime, here are some new recipes to check out .... First up, The Mai-Kai's entry in The Art of Tiki: A Cocktail Showdown at the South Beach Wine & Food Festival on Friday, Feb. 26 ...
Full recap of the event, including photos and reviews of all the cocktails:
Recipe for The Mai-Kai’s Pupule Punch: Next, a new tribute recipe for the Martinique Milk Punch, an oft-ignored drink that recently underwent a transformation ...
This classic that dates back to the original 1956 menu has rocketed up the ratings, jumping from No. 41 to No. 33 (and from 2 1/2 to 3 stars) in The Atomic Grog ratings. All thanks to Hamilton 86 rum from Guyana replacing a undistinguished Martinique rum.
This is the 31st tribute recipe, and 95th recipe overall for drinks on the current and past menus. Okole maluna! |
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Hurricane Hayward
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Wed, Mar 16, 2016 9:55 PM
I promised a blockbuster announcement many months ago, so without further ado ... The Mai-Kai DOES NOT USE CINNAMON SYRUP in any of its cocktails. Manager Kern Mattei revealed this to me shortly after The Hukilau last June, and I've been holding off on posting any updates until I had a chance to revise all the reviews and recipes. But it's been dragging on too long so I thought I'd get the news online now so everyone can discuss this mysterious development while I post updated tribute recipes a few at a time. First, the quick backstory: I had heard this rumor several years ago, but I dismissed it. I had spent years sampling the cocktails and comparing them to the Don the Beachcomber originals, most of which featured Don’s Spices #4 (aka cinnamon simple syrup). They seemingly tasted the same. It wasn't unusual to hear folks mention it, or to see posts here on TC that referred to cinnamon in the cocktails at The Mai-Kai.
Then, last year at The Hukilau, Kern rolled out a special cocktail for Rhum Barbancourt featuring cinnamon syrup. This, I figured, would debunk those rumors. The 1862 Rhum Punch was an excellent cocktail that showcased Rhum Barbancourt 5 Star, and also featured lime, grapefruit and Kahlua. Check out the recipe here: http://www.slammie.com/atomicgrog/blog/2015/06/30/the-week-in-tiki-june-15-28-2015-summer-events-in-full-swing-with-the-hukilau-ohana-luau-at-the-lake-more/#1862-rhum-punch I use past tense in referring to the drink because The Mai-Kai quickly stopped serving it a week after The Hukilau. When I questioned Kern, he said they "ran out" of cinnamon syrup. "What do you mean?" I asked. "Don't you use it in a bunch of other drinks?" His reply: "Oh, no. I just made a batch at home for the Barbancourt drink. We don't have any cinnamon syrup in the bar." Of course, I panicked. Immediately I knew that 11 of my tribute recipes were essentially incorrect, so I had to scramble. I started re-tasting all of the cocktails and set about re-examining the recipes to figure out how we could have missed this. Were we all hoodwinked? First up, I'm posting some of the more simple recipes that were easy to adjust. The 1/8 ounce of cinnamon syrup that I had slipped into the Shark Bite was easy to replace with extra simple syrup. This one was my own doing. I had never seen a Shark's Tooth recipe with cinnamon. It just was such a great drink, and the tiny bit of extra spice worked so well in the tribute that I just went with it, to a small amount of fanfare. Here's the updated recipe with more notes on the cinnamon saga:
Note that as these recipes are revised, I'm leaving the previous version on the page for reference. I know many folks will want to continue to add cinnamon when they make the drinks at home. It certainly doesn't hurt. Next up is the Bora Bora, which does have a large dose of Don's Mix (2 parts grapefruit juice to 1 part cinnamon syrup) in its Donga Punch ancestor recipe (from Sippin' Safari). The mind does play tricks on you when you assume what you're tasting is one thing and it's actually not. However, by replacing Don's Mix with a combination of grapefruit juice and simple syrup, then adding a few extra dashes of bitters, the revised tribute recipe was pretty darn close to the original: The lesson to be learned: Reverse engineering tropical drinks is not an exact science. Many factors, including ancestor recipes, can conspire to deceive the taste buds. Several drinks merely feature a cinnamon stick garnish, not actual syrup, causing the nose to interfere with the taste buds. In others, I might have been fooled by the combination of honey and allspice liqueur.
I'll try to post updated reviews and recipes every week or so as I work though the rest of the cocktails that include cinnamon syrup in the tribute recipes. I invite everyone to make both versions at home and compare them for yourself. Feel free to post your comments here and chime in on The Mai-Kai's mysterious phantom cinnamon syrup. Okola maluna! |
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AdOrAdam
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Thu, Mar 17, 2016 7:44 AM
Well... that's a surprise! I wonder if there is a reason for this? |
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Hurricane Hayward
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Thu, Mar 17, 2016 9:54 AM
Adam: They seem to be fine without cinnamon syrup, so I don't think it's as big a deal to The Mai-Kai as it is to some of us :>0 The question I would like to answer is whether this has been the case since Day 1, when the Don the Beachcomber cocktails were reformulated by Mariano Licudine and Bob Thornton. Or were the recipes streamlined some years later? From what I understand, owner Dave Levy keeps Marino's notebook containing the original recipes locked in his office. He often refers to it when making sure the cocktails are being made correctly. However, he probably has Mariano's notebook from 1979, when he retired. The recipes may have been different in 1956. And, of course, they're all in code. I've heard talk of older notebooks in possession of the Licudine family. So perhaps one day we'll have more info. That's not to say that small changes aren't made to certain recipes. I just ran across another significant tweak that I'll be posting here soon. But a change like removing cinnamon syrup from a dozen recipes was probably done decades ago (under Mariano's watch), or maybe it was never there to begin with. The Week in Tiki * Mai-Kai Cocktail Guide [ Edited by: Hurricane Hayward 2016-03-17 09:59 ] |
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Tonga Tiki
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Wed, Mar 23, 2016 7:39 PM
Hurricane, [ Edited by: Tonga Tiki 2016-03-23 19:40 ] |
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Hurricane Hayward
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Wed, Mar 23, 2016 7:55 PM
Tonga, yes for sure. I removed cinnamon from the Jet Pilot recipe a while ago when I realized it was just an illusion. The rum/honey/bitters combination probably has a lot to do with that. |
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heylownine
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Sat, Mar 26, 2016 2:41 PM
Yeah, I agree - while the "no cinnamon syrup is used today" is interesting, the question of whether it ever was used at the Mai Kai is arguably more interesting. It's well-established that these guys tweaked their recipes often. And with such a direct link to Don's original recipes, I'd love to know if Mariano left cinnamon out when he originally reformulated the recipes for use at the Mai Kai. kevin |
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mmaurice
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Tue, Mar 29, 2016 6:37 PM
What about your tribute recipe to the Zombie?? Any changes to it given the lack of cinnamon syrup? |
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Hurricane Hayward
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Sun, Apr 3, 2016 10:50 AM
Sorry about the slow pace of the updates. The plan for the Zombie tribute is to just drop the Don's Mix and add 1/2 ounce of grapefruit juice. Tastes pretty much the same since the amount of cinnamon is so small. More updates coming soon! |
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AdOrAdam
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Sun, Apr 3, 2016 12:37 PM
Hi HH Im slowly getting round to the idea of no cinnamon syrup being used at the Mai Kai... but slowly! Here's my thoughts: On one hand: Why omit it? Cinnamon syrup was such a staple of DTBs ingredients cupboard. Did Mario not know it? I just flicked through the Tiki+ app, actually few other people used it. How did it make it in to other drinks by tiki bartenders (eg Steve Cranes Jet Pilot)? On the other hand: Maybe it's Mario Luciones personal style. Looking at it now, it seems like Mario Lucine's signature ingredients were fassionola / passionfruit / honey mix / Dons Spices #2 & cold brew coffee. These ingredients bring to my mind Mai Kai staples like the Jet Pilot / Rum Barrel / SOS / Yeomans Grog / Black Magic... (It's funny that I think of Dons Spices #2 as a Mai Kai ingredient but there you go). On the third hand: Was it a sign of the times? Were fruitier, richer drinks in vogue in the late 50s / 60s, is the Mai Kai this done right? What do you think? |
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CincyTikiCraig
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Sun, Apr 3, 2016 8:37 PM
Wow, my jaw literally dropped when I read your post. What are your thoughts about your tribute to the Mai Kai's Black Magic? |
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arriano
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Mon, Apr 4, 2016 9:14 AM
If memory serves, the Jet Pilot has the exact same ingredients as the original Don the Beachcomber Zombie, just different measurements. |
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Limbo Lizard
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Mon, Apr 4, 2016 11:53 AM
The flavor of cinnamon is quite prominent in Angostura Aromatic Bitters (and even more so in Fee Bros. Old Fashioned Aromatic Bitters). Put a couple dashes in 2 or 3 ounces of water, and not only can you taste it, you'll feel a little cinnamon burn on your tongue. Just mentioning, in case it might account for the hint of cinnamon in some cocktails, even though no cinnamon syrup was used. |
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AdOrAdam
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Mon, Apr 4, 2016 1:10 PM
Yes (minus grenadine) but searching on the Tiki+ app for cinnamon or Dons Mix not a lot else came up! |
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Hurricane Hayward
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Fri, Apr 8, 2016 11:17 AM
I wouldn't fret too much about the lack of cinnamon syrup in the cocktails at The Mai-Kai. They obviously taste just fine as they are. And you're free to keep using the recipes I've posted with cinnamon, though I plan to also post updates of them all. The one I was actually worried about was the Shrunken Skull, but that's fine without cinnamon. I'll post that update next. As for some of the comments above: AdOrAdam: "Why omit it?" I'm sure Mariano knew about it, but there could be many reasons. It could have been an attempt to streamline the recipes, either when he created them or perhaps later when he retired. I have a hunch that it was never there, but perhaps one day we'll have a closer look at his old notebooks to know for sure. The other thing to remember is he made quite a few changes to Don's recipes, at the owner's direction. I'm told by current owner Dave Levy that his stepfather, Bob Thornton, worked closely with Mariano in tweaking and adapting (and renaming) Don's recipes when they opened The Mai-Kai. That explains why the S.O.S. is so different from Thee Dots and a Dash, among others. As you point out, Mariano had his own personal style and if you drink at The Mai-Kai enough you'll pick up some of the same things in many of the drinks (honey, Pernod, Angostura, allspice, falernum, etc.). Perhaps he thought cinnamon was just unnecessary. He also had his own codes and names for things to differentiate the recipes from Don's. Swanky has seen a few old recipes, which contain things we've never seen before (like "#7"). I hope to go into these distinctions more in the future if we can ever crack those codes. As for the question about "fruitier, richer drinks in vogue in the late '50s / 60s," this may be the case toward the late '60s and into the '70s, but I think The Mai-Kai operated with its own agenda and didn't follow trends. As a tourist mecca, they had to please a different palate than, say, the Don the Beachcomber in L.A. that was frequented mainly by regulars. The Mai-Kai being dependent on tourists had to have a menu that pleased everyone, and rich/fruity cocktails played into this. There were also plenty of strong options for those tastes too. But in general it seems like Mariano took Don's recipes and made them more accessible, which I've pointed out in quite a few reviews. CincyTikiCraig: I've been working on the Black Magic. Revised recipe coming soon. Don't worry, it doesn't suffer at all :>) Re the Jet Pilot, I haven't made it with cinnamon since the early tribute recipes. The two Test Pilot recipes I cite don't use it either, though they both feature Angostura. As Limbo Lizard points out, that can sometimes give the illusion of cinnamon, especially when combined with rich syrups. |
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Hurricane Hayward
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Fri, Apr 8, 2016 11:41 AM
Just announced: The Atomic Grog celebrates its fifth anniversary!
Skinny Jimmy will be playing three sets: 7 p.m., 8 p.m. and 9 p.m. In between sets, Jimmy and I will be spinning our favorite instro surf, exotica and retro tunes. We'll be previewing The Hukilau with sets from the artists performing at the event in June. We'll also be giving away several four-day Aloha Passes for The Hukilau, along with perhaps some other goodies. Drink specials: The K.O. Cooler and Tahitian Breeze are the regular Saturday specials (half-price all night). We're also adding the Yeoman's Grog, which isn't featured on any other nights. And Kern Mattei has agreed to roll out a "lost cocktail" for us, but only between 6 and 7 p.m. I chose one of my favorites: the Demerara Float. Get there early to have a taste of this classic made for the first time with Hamilton 151. More details to come. [ Edited by: Hurricane Hayward 2016-04-09 11:31 ] |
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AdOrAdam
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Fri, Apr 8, 2016 12:41 PM
I've gotta say I just love it as a little 'Mai Kai qwirk' - we'll never know why cinnamon syrup is absent. I'm still keeping it in my 'home bar' Mai Kai esq recipes! Congrats to five years creating your Atomic Grog blog - I've got to say my drinking experience has been enriched by your tribute recipes to the point I rank it up there with Beachbum Berry Remixed. 'Tiki' would be lessened without it! If I had the airfare & time I'd be there - I'll raise a drink to you from across the pond :wink: |
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kkocka
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Fri, Apr 8, 2016 12:49 PM
Hurricane I'm wondering about Mai Kai's use of falernum - you state that Fee Brother's falernum is the best choice for accuracy but I wonder what your own thoughts are? Do they make their own or rely on Fees? I was about to order some and a lot of reviews state how bad and artificial it tastes which for my home bar is a let down (not to mention the artificial ingredients etc). I may likely just buy some more Taylor's Velvet because I get more for my money with it and it seems pretty reliable in most of my drinks. I prefer BG Reynolds but shipping blows. So do you think the Mai Kai uses a more syrupy falernum or a thinner liqueur type? That differentiation will continue to bug me forever as Martin Cate thinks Taylor's is spot on, and Jeff Berry suggests a more syrupy solution. Do you think there'd be a drop in quality if I used Taylor's in my tribute drinks? |
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mikehooker
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Fri, Apr 8, 2016 1:36 PM
Congrats Jim! My absolutely favorite cocktail resource. Your efforts are much appreciated.
Since making my own homemade falernum I've stopped using Fees and Velvet altogether and the homemade sings in the Mai Kai tribute recipes. I'd be surprised if Mai Kai used a pre-made falernum but also curious which style they do use. |
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Hurricane Hayward
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Fri, Apr 8, 2016 9:26 PM
I hate to disappoint, but I just confirmed that The Mai-Kai does indeed use Fee Brothers falernum. KKocka: I would not use Velvet Falernum as a substitute since it doesn't have the same richness and sweetness. I don't think Fees is that bad at all, but I can see using homemade instead, as long it has the same general flavor and consistency. B.G. Reynolds is also probably a good substitute. Teaser: There's a lot more to the story of falernum at The Mai-Kai, but I'll save that for another day. AdOrAdam and mikehooker: Mahalo for the kinds words! The Week in Tiki * Mai-Kai Cocktail Guide [ Edited by: Hurricane Hayward 2016-04-08 21:48 ] |
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Hurricane Hayward
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Thu, Apr 14, 2016 11:51 AM
Just posted: Another very cool one-off cocktail for a special event ...
The occasion was “Tuesday Tiki Night,” a Miami Rum Renaissance Festival tradition at which judges and early arrivals for the festival get to experience the full Mai-Kai experience, including a dinner show. There's usually a sponsor rum and special cocktail created by The Mai-Kai. This year, it was a treat to have Santeria Rum from Rational Spirits and the Lost Spirits Distillery. Bryan Davis from Lost Spirits was in the house and particularly enjoyed the cocktail, Santero’s Elixir. Here he is with Marie King, manager of the Tonga Hut in Los Angeles ...
Other VIPs in attendance included Martin and Rebecca Cate (Smuggler’s Cove), Christie “Tiki Kiliki” White (The Hukilau), Suzanne Long (Longitude), Matt Pietrek (Cocktail Wonk), Ram Udwin (Boy Drinks World), Scott French (The Rum Trader), and many more. The complex yet well-balanced cocktail was created by The Mai-Kai’s Kern Mattei. It spotlights the funky Santeria Rum and features some traditional Mai-Kai ingredients (lime, OJ, grapefruit, pimento dram, bitters) and a few new twists (pineapple syrup, ginger syrup). It probably won't be a regular menu item, but it's worth mixing up at home if you come across a bottle of Santeria. Kern shared the recipe with me, which I've posted along with a full report on the event ...
Okole maluna! [ Edited by: Hurricane Hayward 2016-04-14 11:52 ] |
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Hurricane Hayward
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Thu, Apr 14, 2016 12:31 PM
One bit of bad news to report: Kohala Bay is apparently unavailable for several months. Manager Kern Mattei told me that the supply line got cut off at the distillery, and The Mai-Kai can't get any more from their distributor. They'll probably use Coruba in the meantime, but it could have an impact on some drinks that depend on the distinctive Kohala Bay flavor (the Rum Barrel comes to mind). It's iffy that it will be back in time for The Hukilau. However, I did hear from one blog reader in town for the Miami Rum Festival who said he found Kohala Bay at both Roy's in Fort Pierce and Sunset Corners in Miami. So at least it hasn't disappeared off store shelves yet. But I would probably recommend stocking up. |
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kkocka
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Mon, Apr 18, 2016 2:17 PM
Alright boys and girls, I whipped up a tribute to Black Magic last night. I'm afraid the hype got the best of me - not that it was a bad drink, but I was expecting to be completely blown away. I think maybe I was focusing too much on the coffee (which I brewed as suggested even w/the preferred Hurricane Hayward™ brand). Granted I had to sub 1/2 oz agave for the 3/4 honey mix because it was 1130 at night and I wasn't about to whip up the honey until Tuesday night, but I don't think that was a big difference. What I did like I'll say is that the drink tasted like old school tiki. This also seems remarkably similar to Mutiny just based off of ingredients. What seems to make this the best seller? |
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happy buddha
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Mon, Apr 18, 2016 4:11 PM
The black magic is my favorite drink period, but it can be kind of temperamental. I do think the honey makes a difference, and be sure to use fresh juices. But the coffee is key. I make it strong and let it chill all day long before using. When it comes off just right, for me there isn't an equal. Just so many strong complex flavors (strong rum, coffee, fresh juice, honey, cinnamon, pimento dram) perfectly balanced. |
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howlinowl
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Tue, Apr 19, 2016 3:33 PM
I haven't tried the Black Magic yet, but thought I'd throw this in for thought. I have a Kindle book on making Iced Coffee. This one: (hope that link works right). It states that to make proper iced coffee from grounds you should "cold-brew" it. Start with 1/4 cup of course coffee grounds and 1 cup of water. Combine and let sit overnight. Next morning, add another cup of water and then filter out the grounds. I've used it for iced coffee and it works good....wondering if it'd be a good process for brewing coffee for the Black Magic. howlinowl |
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Hurricane Hayward
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Tue, Apr 19, 2016 7:24 PM
kkocka, don't feel bad. It took many of us lots of tries to get the Black Magic right. It's not an easy one. And, truth be told, it's not on my Top 10 (I have both the Mutiny and Hukilau rated higher). But it's all personal preference. I prefer the spice of the Pernod-bitters in the Mutiny to the allspice in the Black Magic. And the Hukilau is less coffee and more passion fruit with a lighter rum. But as happy buddha stated, you'll want to make sure to use rich honey (just combine 2 parts honey to 1 part water in a plastic bottle and shake). No need to heat like some recipes say. The recipes for all three of the above are pretty solid, but I'll be posting updates soon with tweaks to account for the lack of cinnamon syrup in the current recipes. And The Hukilau is now being made without coffee, I'm afraid. howlinowl: I may give the cold brew a try at some point. It just can't be too watered down like iced coffee. It needs to be intense but not bitter. I also like to let it chill in the fridge for a day or so before using. |
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Hurricane Hayward
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Tue, Apr 19, 2016 7:34 PM
A Fifth of Grog: Celebrate our fifth anniversary at The Mai-Kai on April 30
The Atomic Grog celebrates its fifth anniversary on Saturday, April 30, with a special cocktail party in The Molokai lounge at The Mai-Kai in Fort Lauderdale featuring live instrumental surf music from Skinny Jimmy Stingray, drink specials, giveaways, and more. The party runs from 6 to 10 p.m. Skinny Jimmy will play three solo sets starting at around 6:30. In between sets, Jimmy and Hurricane Hayward will spin their favorite instro surf, exotica and retro tunes. They’ll also preview The Hukilau 2016 with music from the artists performing at the June 8-12 event at The Mai-Kai and Pier 66 hotel. There will also be a Mai-Kai trivia contest with two winners receiving four-day Aloha Passes for The Hukilau. We’ll give away some other goodies, including Atomic Grog T-shirts. Plus, we’ll have shirts for sale.
Happy hour runs from 4:30 (when the bar opens) to 7 p.m. In addition, the K.O. Cooler and Tahitian Breeze cocktails are the regular Saturday specials (half-price all night). In a nod to The Atomic Grog, the Yeoman’s Grog will also be half-price all night. And as a bonus for fans of The Atomic Grog’s Okole Maluna Society, a special “lost cocktail” will be available (between 6 and 7 p.m. only): The Demerara Float. This classic drink from the original 1956 menu packs a punch with two Demerara rums, including a floater of 151. There will also be plenty of tasty food available with the recent addition of a special new small plates menu (steamed buns, tacos, sushi, et al.) in addition to the traditional pupu platter and appetizer menu that’s half-price during happy hour. The Mai-Kai’s new chef has given the kitchen a creative boost. You could also enjoy the party before or after dinner in one of the many secluded dining rooms, or take in The Mai-Kai’s Polynesian Islander Revue, the longest-running authentic South Seas stage show in the United States, including Hawaii. The event will mark the debut of Deerfield Beach-based Skinny Jimmy performing solo at The Mai-Kai. His all-instrumental band is typically a power trio with a bassist and drummer, but he’s been working on special material designed to be performed in a more intimate lounge setting. Have no fear: He’ll be his usual bombastic self on electric guitar, but the role of the rhythm section will be played by carefully curated, pre-recorded backing tracks. He’ll be playing en eclectic mix of some of his favorite surf, rock ‘n’ roll and exotica songs in three hour-long sets. Expect to hear everything from Duane Eddy’s "Rebel Rouser" to Herb Alpert’s "The Lonely Bull" to "Blue Hawaii" as performed by The Makaha Sons. This will be the first Atomic Grog anniversary party since our first birthday back in 2012, when Skinny Jimmy and his old band also performed. Here's the full story, including the Top 5 things that have made The Atomic Grog what it is today: |
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kkocka
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Wed, Apr 20, 2016 11:42 AM
So my other necessary drink to test for tonight's event was the Deep Sea Diver; everything made as-is. Although I blended for the 20 sec required which should be enough time to properly mix up that batter into the drink, I still was getting small chunks through my straw and overall the drink didn't seem as sweet and velvety as I had imagined. I was thinking a little more ice to help break down the batter and maybe another 10 secs blending (to accommodate for my very basic Hamilton Beach drink mixer). I also created a super small batch of the batter just for myself with this one test drink - creating more batter for more guests at once would allow me to whisk better and more thoroughly. Any suggestions, to anybody out there? I know the drink become very residue-y, but that's normal. I don't think the small chunks in the drink and eventually through the straw are, however. =\ |
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Hurricane Hayward
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Wed, Apr 20, 2016 8:31 PM
A good tip is to not put the batter into your iced cocktail while still hot, or even warm. I try to let it cool to room temperature. It should remain liquid, though a little thick. But if the temperate difference isn't that big, it shouldn't clump up when it hits the cold drink. Another additional tip, which Beachbum Berry recommends, is to strain the cocktail through a fine-mesh wire sieve after blending. I don't find it necessary, but you can get rid of any solids this way, pressing gently to express all the liquid. Then add more crushed ice to the glass. |
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kkocka
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Thu, Apr 21, 2016 10:43 AM
My Mai Kai night went off w/o any issues, be it batter or coffee. Not the biggest fan of their Jet Pilot however - something about it was a little too strong/rum forward, more so than the 34 Zombie in my opinion. I gotta favor the Steve Crane version still, though w/plenty of Fassionola around I will be dipping into many more of the Mai Kai tributes. Thanks a bunch! |
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Hurricane Hayward
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Thu, Apr 21, 2016 4:53 PM
Aloha Keith, glad it went well. You're right, the Jet Pilot is considered the strongest drink, so it's not for everyone. My recommended use for that fassionola would be the Cobra's Kiss and Special Reserve Daiquiri. Their Mai Tai (and Suffering Bastard) ain't bad either. Okole maluna! |
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happy buddha
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Thu, Apr 21, 2016 5:15 PM
Agreed, that suffering bastard recipe is one of my favorites. The Mai Kai tributes are some of the best tiki recipes available, and I know I'm not the only one making them more often than Dons, Vics or the Bums. Hurricane Heyward is truly doing the tiki gods' work. Thanks Hurricane! |
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Hurricane Hayward
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Fri, Apr 22, 2016 11:18 PM
To everyone who enjoys all of The Mai-Kai cocktail recipes on The Atomic Grog: A huge mahalo for all the support and patronage. I thought I'd give thanks and also mark the blog's fifth anniversary with some exclusive info for everyone here on Tiki Central. As promised, here's everything I know about ... FRESH JUICES AT THE MAI-KAI BARS As discussed on this thread and in many of the recipes and reviews on the blog, one of the keys to the rich and vibrant taste of the classic cocktails at The Mai-Kai is the distinctive juices. They're also extremely fresh, obviously squeezed daily like at any good Tiki bar. It was just assumed that the bar or kitchen staff squeezed their own lemons, limes and oranges (and perhaps other fruits) in the huge kitchen that serves hundreds, sometimes thousands, of guests on a nightly basis. We also heard stories from Tiki cocktail historian Jeff "Beachbum" Berry about the early days of Tiki mixology, when pioneers such as Don the Beachcomber employed a small army of bartenders who juiced fresh fruit and created the elaborate "rum rhapsodies" on an assembly line, hidden from view in back bars. The Mai-Kai's acclaimed mixologist, Mariano Licudine, came from this tradition. Like many of the original 1956 staff, he worked at the Don the Beachcomber restaurant in Chicago after starting his career for Donn Beach in 1939 in Hollywood. According to owner Dave Levy (stepson of original owner Bob Thornton), Mariano and Bob worked on the original menu to set it apart from Donn's by adjusting all the recipes as well as the names. Undoubtedly, they took advantage of one of Florida's most distinctive and acclaimed natural resources: Fresh citrus. In addition to new takes on Don the Beachcomber classics, Mariano came up with some of his own creations. His most famous, perhaps, was the Derby Daiquiri: Created in 1958 and featured as the official drink of the 1959 Florida Derby, this frozen daiquiri featuring fresh Florida orange juice was an instant smash success. It won a Rums of Puerto Rico cocktail contest and also appeared in Esquire as the magazine's drink of the month. The Derby Daiquiri could have been made elsewhere, but the pure Florida orange juice gives it a unique taste. How so? I recently ran across an interview with acclaimed chef Elizabeth Falkner when she was in town for the South Beach Food & Wine Festival. According to the chef, California citrus is more acidic than the citrus from Florida. Therefore, she said, Californians (and those who mainly drink California citrus) "have more of a palate for acidity from citrus." Taking this one step further, someone accustomed to Tiki cocktails made with California citrus will likely have the same palate. Californians should keep this in mind when they visit. Cocktails at The Mai-Kai, made with Florida citrus, will taste sweeter than those from the West Coast made with California citrus. So it's natural that Mariano and Bob would adapt their recipes to take advantage of Florida's bounty of sweet citrus, available fresh from groves not far from their doorstep. This supports my over-arching theory that the Don the Beachcomber recipes were tweaked specifically to be more accessible to a larger audience. In its early years, The Mai-Kai served more rum than any other restaurant in the country. Tourists made up a large portion of The Mai-Kai's clientele, a trend that continues to this day.
Among my favorite examples of drinks that show off the sweet and savory Florida orange juice are the Sidewinder's Fang, Mystery Drink, and S.O.S. In addition to oranges, tangelos and tangerines, Florida groves also grow white and red grapefruit. Unfortunately, the groves have been devastated over the past decade by a disease called "greening" that has left production 70 percent lower than the average crop in the early 2000s, before greening. It's a dire situation that doesn't get enough attention. We can only hope a cure is found soon. In the meantime, let's enjoy what we have and support pure Florida citrus. Check the label and buy from Florida growers. As mentioned in the Sidewinder's Fang review, I prefer the Indian River Select brand ... http://indianriverselect.com/
It's available throughout the state, and I've heard you can get it as far north as Ohio. It's very similar to what you'll find at The Mai-Kai, particularly the orange-Honeybell blend, which is bolder and sweeter than the 100% Valencia juice. However, Indian River citrus is unfortunately suffering the same fate as the rest of the state. And it's not only the greening. The aftermath of hurricanes and the recession has left business in bad shape, about half of what it was in the mid-1990s: http://www.veronews.com/blogs/my_vero/my-vero-what-s-happening-to-our-indian-river-citrus/article_cb256582-6aa4-11e4-904a-8b40db11fdf7.html Another excellent 100% Florida juice is Natalie's from Orchid Island Juice Co. ... http://www.orchidislandjuice.com/juices/orange/
But where exactly does The Mai-Kai's OJ and grapefruit juice come from? And what about the other juices essential to Tiki cocktails? There was a time when lime groves covered thousands of acres of south Dade County (south of Miami). According The Miami Herald, these groves supplied as much as half of the limes consumed in the United States: http://www.miamiherald.com/news/local/community/miami-dade/homestead/article4206833.html It's highly likely that The Mai-Kai used Dade County limes up until 1992, but what about now? Perhaps there was an assembly line of juice-squeezers in the kitchen at some point in the restaurant's history, but not anymore. Historian Tim "Swanky" Glazner - author of the upcoming book "Mai-Kai: History and Mystery of The Iconic Tiki Restaurant" http://www.maikaihistory.com - once told me that "in the old days they had a full-time team of Cuban juicers out back of The Mai-Kai squeezing fresh all night." Today, however, The Mai-Kai does not squeeze its own juices in-house. On one of my tours of the back service bar, manager Kern Mattei told me that fresh-squeezed juices are delivered daily by a local company. Indeed, if you take a close look at this photo from my 2011 tour, you'll see bartenders pouring juices from labeled gallon jugs: Here's a photo from my last tour in January of the same bar, Mariano's old stomping grounds: Based on the freshness of the OJ and grapefruit, I assumed it came from a local grove. On my most recent bar tour in January, Kern revealed the source of The Mai-Kai's orange juice, grapefruit juice and lemon juice: Kennesaw. The family-owned company has been in business since 1923, providing 100% all natural, fresh-squeezed juices. They contain no preservatives, no pasteurization, no fillers, no additives, and no sterilized pulp mixed in after extraction. The juices are blended in small batches and hand-sorted using the best fruit available. All that info comes from the official website: This explains why it's impossible to duplicate The Mai-Kai's orange and grapefruit juices. Anything you buy in the store, even Natalie's from Whole Foods, is pasteurized to extend the shelf life. There's nothing as fresh as what The Mai-Kai gets, except fresh-squeezed from actual fruit. But you'd be hard-pressed to find a Tiki bar squeezing oranges and grapefruit. And while you can duplicate the freshness by hand squeezing your own OJ and grapefruit, it's unlikely you'll be able to achieve the consistency of Kennesaw's juices, which come straight from the extractor and likely face strict quality-control standards. I got a taste of the fresh OJ behind the bar, and it indeed tasted like it was just squeezed. Same for the grapefruit. However, here's the next bombshell: The grapefruit juice was red/pink, not white. If you watch this video of Kern making a Grapefruit Daiquiri as part of a special Fwaygo Rum promotion, you'll see him use pink grapefruit juice ...
My tour was just a couple weeks after this video, so I quizzed Kern about the grapefruit juice. As it turns out, Kennesaw juices are seasonal (as he mentions), and the company provides whatever is freshest and in season. Sometimes the grapefruit juice is white, sometimes it's red, he said. If you scroll to the bottom of the product page link above, you'll see a calendar of the seasons. They seem to all overlap, but I guess Kennesaw has the discretion to provide what it thinks is best at that particular time. In January, it was red/pink. When I was there recently, it tasted more like white. The OJ is also a seasonal blend, and Kern told me that it's usually very similar to the Indian River orange juices. The red/pink grapefruit juice I tasted that night was rich and sweet, not at all bitter like commercially bottled or canned juices tend to be. I subsequently picked up a bottle of Indian River's Ruby Red 100% grapefruit juice and put it to the test (along with the Indian River OJ) in a Barrel O' Rum. I would highly recommend giving this a try as it makes for arguably a better Barrel. I don't have access to fresh white grapefruit, so I usually use the Ocean Spray brand of 100% juice, no sugar added. It tends to be a little bitter, making for an uneven drink. Unfortunately, Indian River doesn't bottle white grapefruit juice, but I'm going to keep a bottle of the Ruby Red on hand to make alternate versions of The Mai-Kai's cocktails. The more I think about this, the more I think I've noticed this seasonal difference from time to time. I probably just shrugged it off as an inconsistent bartender, but it now makes a lot more sense. This creates a whole new challenge for Tiki cocktail nerds while imbibing at The Mai-Kai: Guess which kind of grapefruit juice is in season. Here's a list of the cocktails that I've confirmed contain grapefruit juice:
I was also told that most of the other juices, such as mango and Pineapple, are commercially bottled or canned juices. They use the same Dole pineapple juice that probably all of us use, though I'll bet it's some sort of special hospitality industry bottling. This all makes sense considering the trouble it would be to juice enough pineapples to accommodate the high volume of drinks, not to mention all the dishes that require the juice or fruit. On my 2011 tour, I got a peek at the freezer containing the pineapple stash. That's likely the juice bottles in the back: So that leaves lime juice, a crucial ingredient in most Tiki cocktails and my final big reveal. It's the only fresh juice not provided to The Mai-Kai by Kennesaw, so we don't know exactly where it comes from. All Kern would tell me is that it's "another company." He did make reference in the Fwaygo video above to it being "Key lime juice," which I've heard several times before but dismissed. I've tried squeezing the Key limes that I've found in my local groceries, but they always yield a juice that's too tart and bitter. I juiced some fresh key limes and compared them to Persian limes in three lime-forward Mai-Kai cocktails (Floridita Daiquiri, Special Reserve Daiquiri, Mara-Amu). In all three cases, the Key lime juice was much too overpowering, and it altered the taste of the drinks for the worse. I was certain that The Mai-Kai did not use fresh-squeezed Key lime juice.
Of course, Persian limes are the common tart fruit used in cocktails at bars and restaurants around the world. They're actually most likely a cross between the Key lime and either lemon or citron (according to Wikipedia). But we all know the taste, and it can be wildly inconsistent. One bad lime in a batch of juice can throw everything off. My epiphany came during 'The Great Lime Crisis of 2014,' when supply dwindled and prices skyrocketed: There were lots of creative ideas floating around about how to deal with the problem. Some suggested a bottled juice, which many of us rejected on its face as cocktail blasphemy. Santa Cruz organic pure lime juice was recommended, so I gave it a try. Unfortunately, it was too sour and artificial tasting, oddly enough. It just didn't taste right in those lime-forward cocktails, nearly the same as all those bottled lime juices we're told to avoid in lieu of squeezing fresh limes. Totally desperate and remembering the old rumor that The Mai-Kai used Key limes, I reached for the bottled Key lime juice, most commonly used in Key Lime Pie ... The ingredients all seemed to be the same (water, Key lime concentrate, and a small amount of preservatives), so I just grabbed the cheapest (Mrs. Biddle's Key West brand Key Lime Juice from concentrate). One quick swig and I immediately pucker. Wow, this stuff is extremely tart. But then it hit me. I know that taste. It was reminiscent of the Derby Daiquiri, the Floridita Daiquiri and a host of Mai-Kai cocktails. But when I mixed it up in the same proportions as Persian lime juice, it was just too overpowering. And reducing the amount of lime juice didn't really work either, throwing off the entire recipe. I knew the exact amount of lime juice in the Derby and the Mara-Amu since those were published recipes, and I wanted to stick to it. I set it aside and continued to buy overpriced Persian limes, substituting lemons when I could and growing ever more frustrated. Late one night, I had only an ounce or two of juice left and needed to make a few more drinks, so I got creative. Why not combine the fresh-squeezed Persian lime juice with the bottled Key lime juice? I wonder if a simple 50-50 mix would work? That's actually not bad, I thought after a small taste. A few cocktails later, I was sure I was onto something.
The price of Persian limes unexpectedly dropped, so I grabbed as many as I could and made a batch of blended lime juice. I ran through a half dozen or so Mai-Kai cocktails, comparing my new lime juice blend against straight Persian lime juice. The difference was shocking. This was it! The Mai-Kai uses a blend of lime juices, I was certain. The blend is more tart and has more bite, but it's perfectly balanced by the fresh juice. It's more bold and flavorful, just like at The Mai-Kai. And the bottled Key lime juice also solves the inconsistency problem, making for an even blend that almost always tastes the same. When I'm ready to make cocktails, I'll squeeze a half-dozen or so limes, measure out the juice and combine in a squeeze bottle with an equal amount of good old Mrs. Biddle's. As an added bonus, it makes your limes go a lot farther, even when prices aren't through the roof.
It's also great in a standard daiquiri, and I generally now use it in all cocktails that call for fresh lime juice. You can see the difference in this comparison of daiquiris above (the blend is on the left). Kern has since confirmed that The Mai-Kai does indeed use a Key lime juice blend. Though I haven't had the opportunity to taste the lime juice from the bar on its own, I'm confident its similar to the blend I came up with in 2014. Give it a try and let me know what you think. It should bring you even closer to re-creating the Mai-Kai cocktail experience in the privacy of your home Tiki bar. Okole maluna! SEPTEMBER 2016 UPDATE In the interest of keeping all my info on The Mai-Kai's juices in one spot, I'll continue to post updates here. First up, the latest update from the U.S. Department of Agriculture on the state's citrus crop, including some bits of good news. The final forecast for the 2015-2016 growing season, released in July, showed an increase of 1.5 million boxes from an October 2015 forecast, but down nearly 16 percent from the prior season's near five-decade-low of 96.8 million boxes. "Production is nearly 70 percent lower than it was 20 years ago, and the long-term future of Florida citrus depends on a breakthrough in the search for a long-term solution to greening," Agriculture Commissioner Adam Putnam said in a statement. Growers have been allowed to temporarily use three antibiotics that remain under review for a "special use exemption" by the EPA but have shown signs of controlling greening. Florida Department of Citrus Executive Director Shannon Shepp also promised programs in the fall and winter to boost the state's signature crops. See the full story here:
Meanwhile, I finally secured a bottle of Kennesaw's 100% fresh-squeezed orange juice, which we've confirmed is the juice used by The Mai-Kai. All I can say is wow! It blows away my previous go-to OJ, Indian River Select, and is probably even better than anything I could squeeze myself. It's very pulpy, totally unprocessed and tastes like the best oranges in the crop were just squeezed into the bottle this morning.
I proceeded to make an S.O.S. using Kennesaw OJ and a revamped lime blend (see below), resulting in the best S.O.S. I've had outside of The Mai-Kai. The freshness of the juice blended perfectly with the lime and honey, creating a savory backbone for the rums and falernum. Of course, Kennesaw is not easy to come by. It's available at Restaurant Depot in South Florida, along with citrus shops at select groves. I haven't tasted it yet, but Kennesaw's seasonal pink grapefruit juice was also available. I'm hoping the white juice comes back into season soon.
Another option, as suggested below by Quince_at_Dannys, are the unpasteurized orange and grapefruit juices at Trader Joe's. He says to look for the plastic jugs in the refrigerator section. "The OJ is always good and fresh-squeezed tasting, and the grapefruit is usually great. It's pink grapefruit juice, and it seems to change seasonally depending on the fruit that goes in it. I've had batches that are a lighter pink color, and pulpier, that work very well in certain Mai Kai drinks (see Yeoman's Grog)." At some point we'll have to compare the Kennesaw juices head-to-head vs. the Trader Joe's juices in a taste test. Also be on the lookout for Natalie's Orchid Island (non-pasteurized, 100% fresh-squeezed Florida juice), which has won much acclaim from online tasters: THE FINAL WORD ON OJ AND GRAPEFRUIT: My recommendation is 100% fresh Florida citrus, either by squeezing the fruit yourself or finding the rare brands that produce 100% pure, fresh-squeezed, non-pasteurized juices containing pulp. These include Kennesaw (used at The Mai-Kai), and Natalie's / Trader Joe's. The key when sourcing bottles is to look for non-pasteurized from Florida. Speaking of taste tests, I had the privilege on Sept. 16 of mixing up a special cocktail for guests of Tim "Swanky" Glazner at the release party for "Mai-Kai: History and Mystery of the Iconic Tiki Restaurant," the amazing new book that everyone should buy ... http://www.maikaihistory.com
The cocktail was the Big Bamboo, which I chose for several reasons. It was a rare confirmed Mariano Licudine recipe (from Beachbum Berry's Sippin' Safari), and it fit the theme of the "lost cocktails" of The Mai-Kai perfectly. It was also relatively easy to make quickly in large batches, so I could serve the thirsty hordes at Swanky's hotel and also partake in the festivities. That's me and Max Vrahimis, who helped me source ingredients and was essential in helping out in the kitchen ...
But mixing up the Big Bamboo also turned out to be a great test of The Mai-Kai's juices. I wanted to duplicate The Mai-Kai's flavor profile as closely as possible, so I secured several half gallons of Kennsaw OJ, as detailed above. I had planned to make my own lime-juice blend that I detailed back in April, but for the hell of it I asked Kern Mattei if he could donate a half gallon of The Mai-Kai's distinctive lime juice. Kern also donated a bunch of The Mai-Kai's new swizzle sticks, and director of sales and marketing Pia Dahlquist also helped secure a donation of Appleton Reserve rum. Check out our updated Big Bamboo review, with enhanced history and mixing notes: Perhaps under the influence of too many Big Bamboos, I led a special late-night lime juice tasting. Several of us compared three different juices: The Mai-Kai's blend; my attempt to duplicate The Mai-Kai's blend (as detailed above: equal parts fresh-squeezed Persian limes and bottled key lime juice); plus some 100% Persian lime juice. As you can imagine, we weren't in the best state of mind to conduct a 100% scientific tasting since it was now nearing midnight and happy hour had started at The Mai-Kai at 4 p.m. Luckily, I do have some sketchy notes, which praise The Mai-Kai's "very sour and rich" blend as the best of the three. My blend was close, but definitely No. 2 in the judging. The Persian juice tasted sour and fresh, but not as rich as the others and placed third.
A few days later, I put the juices to the test again, this time a bit more clear-headed in the comfort of The Atomic Grog (photo above). I compared The Mai-Kai's blend to my standard 1:1 mix of fresh Persian and bottled key lime juices, plus a more intense 1:2 mix (see photo above). I did a solo tasting, with these results: The Mai-Kai blend remains No. 1 with its very rich and sour flavor, almost like straight key lime juice but not as tart. I suspect it's a premium brand of key lime juice, not the cheap supermarket brand that I use. Probably from a local grove or juice supplier. I'm savoring my remaining supply, but I know it won't last long. My 1:1 blend just didn't compare. It was both tart and acidic, resulting in the most aggressive of the three but not as smooth and mixable. I plan to ditch this mix in favor of my new recommendation ... NEW RECOMMENDED LIME JUICE: 2 parts premium key lime juice and 1 part fresh-squeezed Persian lime juice. This new, stronger blend comes close to The Mai-Kai's flavor, especially if you can find a quality key lime juice. It's less bitter than the previously suggested 1:1 blend and almost as tart as The Mai-Kai blend. I'll copy this info to the current end of the thread in case folks aren't looking here. Feel free to post replies here: http://www.tikicentral.com/viewtopic.php?mode=viewtopic&topic=47293&forum=10&start=210 Oct. 13, 2016, update: More bad news on the future of Florida's citrus industry ... Florida orange crop forecast at 70 million boxes, lowest in decades Florida’s signature crop, the orange, continues to be battered by greening disease, and the federal government’s first forecast of the 2016-17 is a bleak one. It’s shaping up to be worse than last season’s when the crop reached a 52-year low. The state’s commercial orange crop will be an estimated 70 million boxes, the U.S. Department of Agriculture said Wednesday. That’s a drop of more than 11 million boxes from last season’s 81.6 million boxes, which was 70 percent lower than 20 years ago. Over the last decade, Florida’s commercial groves have been crippled by greening, a bacterial disease. Spread by the Asian citrus psyllid, it attacks a tree’s vascular system and can kill it within two years. May 26, 2017, update: EXCLUSIVE NEW INFO: Where to find the orange and grapefruit juices used at The Mai-Kai
Now, to the subject at hand: KENNESAW ORANGE AND GRAPEFRUIT JUICES HIT RETAIL STORES Among the many secrets of The Mai-Kai's famous cocktails are the fresh juices available only in South Florida. Our research above revealed the souce of the fresh, unpasteurized orange and grapefruit juices as Kennesaw (http://www.kennesawjuice.com), a South Florida company that has been sourcing fresh squeezed orange and grapefruit juices since the 1920s. It was assumed that these juices were available only for restaurants and non-consumer stores such as Restaurant Depot, but I've recently come across these sweet elixirs in several South Florida locations. You can now find the juices in many Whole Foods stores ...
It's unclear how many South Florida locations carry Kennesaw juices, or how widespread the distribution is outside of this region, but it's definitely worth seeking out and inquiring. It's tagged as "local," so I'm afraid it may be limited. If Kennesaw juices are unavailable in your local Whole Foods, the next best option may be Trader Joe's, which carries its own brand of unpasteurized juices ... My order of preference for OJ and grapefruit juice would be:
Note that white grapefruit juice was not available, only red. I'm told by manager Kern Mattei at The Mai-Kai that Kennesaw's juices are seasonal, and that white grapefruit appears only when it's fresh. But I've yet to see it in the stores. Armed with these juices, you'll come much closer to the unique flavor profile of the cocktails at The Mai-Kai. BUT WHAT ABOUT THE LIME JUICE? The big missing link was still lime juice, which is reported to be a fresh key lime blend. It's much more tart then fresh-squeezed Persian limes, as detailed in the research above. I was somewhat happy with my blend of 1 part fresh Persian limes mixed with 1 part of Mrs. Biddle's Key West brand key lime juice from concentrate (or similar). However, I knew this wasn't quite right, as detailed in our taste tests at Swanky's book release party in September. Then, I received a tip: I was urged to check out an old-school juice market in Davie, not far from The Mai-Kai. Stores run by citrus groves are great remnants of Florida's past and are scattered all over the Sunshine State. I feel guilty that I too often forget about them and pass them by on my way to Publix. I know they often carry the freshest juices, but I wasn't sure about the state of the local juice market and have not frequented them lately. My tipster about this particular location urged me to look for the Kennesaw juices, plus a unique key lime juice not seen before. So off I went. Here's a photo tour from my initial visits to Bob Roth's New River Groves in Davie, est. 1964. You can't miss New River Groves when driving by on Griffin Road ... A sign promises exactly what we're looking for ... A peek around back reveals the fresh daily crop ... New River Groves is famous for its key lime pies ... The sprawling building contains several areas, including a juice bar, a cafe and a retail store ... I now use this delicious pure, raw honey in my honey mix for Mai-Kai cocktails ...
As promised, I was able to find Kennsaw's orange and grapefruit juices ... Here's a closer look at the grapefruit juice ...
Scroll back up to see my earlier review of the orange juice. The grapefruit is just as fresh and pulpy, perfect in Mai-Kai cocktails. After repeated visits, I still haven't seen white grapefruit juice. If when it's in season, I wonder if it isn't sent to retail outlets since it's not considered as popular as the red juice. I was momentarily distracted by this classic jukebox, with a song selection that seemingly hasn't changed since the 1970s ... Then I spotted the holy grail ... The special ingredient in Terry's Homemade Key Lime Pie is also sold by the gallon jug ... I rushed home to try it, and it didn't disappoint ...
It's not from concentrate, unlike the common supermarket brands ... Here's my tasty booty from that first visit to New River Groves, including the requisite key lime pie sample ... Bob Roth's New River Groves is open every day from 8 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. RATING THE KEY LIME JUICES
Postscript: I've been curious about the use of key lime juice in cocktails and wondered if there was a historical precedent. My questions were answered by a story I found online from Punch, published in January 2014, and titled "Why Your Daiquiri Isn't the Same as Hemingway's". I'm not sure exactly how this may have influenced Mariano Licudine or The Mai-Kai. Persian limes would have been prevalent across the country by the 1950s. The use of key lime juice in the restaurant's bars could even be a more recent development. Whatever the origin, it's just one more distinctive twist that gives The Mai-Kai's cocktails a deliciously unique flavor profile. Once again, I'll copy this new info to the current end of the thread (page 20) for easier access and commenting. Okole maluna! News in the wake of Hurricane Irma in September 2017 ... Irma may speed the end of orange juice (The Washington Post) Why Your Orange Juice Might Be From Brazil: Florida’s Trees Are Dying (The Wall Street Journal) Citrus groves regroup after getting ‘kicked in the teeth’ by Irma (The Palm Beach Post) The third story does offer a glimmer of hope: November 2017 update https://punchdrink.com/articles/how-to-use-key-lime-cocktail-recipe/ Fort Lauderdale’s Mai Kai, one of the country’s oldest and most iconic tiki bars, has relied exclusively on Key lime juice in their cocktails since opening in 1956.
"The original owners… wanted to take it up a notch, create something that was totally different," explains Kern Mattei, the current general manager. "Key lime has a higher acidity and a stronger flavor, which actually changes the flavor of the drinks." A central component to the Mai Kai’s original menu items, many of which are kept secret and copyrighted, Key lime juice also features in the bar’s house versions of classic formulas like the Daiquiri. But using Key lime juice, as opposed to that of Persian lime, means tweaking traditional ratios. "The acidity [of Key lime juice] reacts more with the syrups, so you have to actually use less Key lime because it’s stronger," explains Mattei.
Just stumbled across fresh-squeezed white grapefruit juice today at The Fresh Market. I've never seen this before, though I admit this is not a store I frequent regularly. Zero preservatives, 100% juice, very similar to what you'll taste at The Mai-Kai. I put it to the test in the Rum Barrel, and it passed with flying colors.
Meanwhile, the latest citrus crop forecast for Florida from the U.S. Department of Agriculture shows the problems caused by Hurricane Irma continue to affect the state’s citrus industry. Here's the latest news ... Events, music, art, cocktails, culture [ Edited by: Hurricane Hayward 2018-05-18 21:21 ] |
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mikehooker
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Sat, Apr 23, 2016 12:08 AM
Best. Update. Ever. Wow! Thanks for doing what you do buddy. |
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AdOrAdam
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Sat, Apr 23, 2016 1:21 AM
That's some next level investigation HH - to work out a blend of lime juices... wow! |
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happy buddha
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Sat, Apr 23, 2016 5:18 AM
Whoa! Hurricane dropping more bombs. I'm headed out for some key lime concentrate today! Mahalo as always Hurricane! I was meaning to ask you about grapefruit juice actually. The ocean spray stuff as you mentioned is really bitter. It's almost impossible to find fresh white grapefruit by me, so I have been squeezing the red variety. I know it's not the same, but tastes far better than bottled juice to me, while still adding the grapefruit profile. If I don't have the Indian River brand nearby, what would be your recommendation? |
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Hurricane Hayward
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Sat, Apr 23, 2016 9:49 AM
Thanks guys! I've been saving this stuff up for a while, and now seemed the right time. Happy buddha: If you're squeezing red grapefruit from Florida, you might be getting a similar juice to Indian River's Ruby Red (and The Mai-Kai). Where is the fruit from? From what I understand, a California grapefruit just won't be as sweet. I would stick with that if it tastes good. In regards to the white juice, I'm open to suggestions. I may need to hunt down some Florida white grapefruit when they're in season. They're very hard to find in general markets. The red is usually what people buy. I've heard good things about Texas grapefruit, I just haven't done much research. You Texas folk may want to check that out. [ Edited by: Hurricane Hayward 2016-04-23 09:50 ] |
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Sat, Apr 23, 2016 5:33 PM
The fresh Texas reds are better than any store bought grapefruit juice (canned, bottled, refrigerated or otherwise) I've found including the Ocean Spray white that Swanky and some others swear by. I find the Ocean Spray to be rather bitter which seems odd to me cuz we had a brief period where the local upscale grocer was carrying Florida white grapefruit and they were sweet and delicious. I'm kicking myself for not stocking up on more before they disappeared. They really made a difference in Mai Kai drinks. I couldn't stop making Big Bamboos for the first week I had the fresh whites. I ended up squeezing and freezing about 24 ounces of juice. I put them in ice trays that make half ounce cubes. Once frozen, I popped them out, put em in freezer bags and use as needed. It's been a couple months and this technique seems to work just fine with no noticeable degradation of flavor. My supply is getting low though. The new season can't come soon enough but ultimately I'll go back to using the Texas reds once the Florida whites are all used up. |
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Sat, Apr 23, 2016 8:07 PM
Sounds like I really need to find a local source for white grapefru8it, perhaps straight from a grove up in St. Lucie. The ice tray idea is ingenious. |
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Sat, Apr 23, 2016 8:45 PM
Got the ice tray idea from AceExplorer. I found these plastic trays at my local grocer for pretty cheap.
They release the frozen cubes really cleanly and easily without chipping. When the cubes thaw they're exactly 1/2 ounce so I just pull how many I know I'm gonna need and I toss em in a shot glass to thaw about an hour before I plan to make drinks. |
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Sun, Apr 24, 2016 7:48 PM
Great work HH! I'm trying the key/persian blend tonight. I bought the Nellie's brand as it was what I could find. It is within its freshness date, but it's a rather brown color. Is that normal? |
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Hurricane Hayward
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Tue, Apr 26, 2016 9:02 PM
Hmmmm, that's a little fishy. In my experience here in South Fla., they're all green like the photo above. Hopefully the taste is the same. |
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Fri, Apr 29, 2016 10:26 AM
Reminder: The Mai-Kai is serving the rare Demerara Float tomorrow night between 6 and 7 ... ... as part of The Atomic Grog's 5th anniversary party, "A Fifth of Grog." I will be my first chance to try it with the Hamilton rums from Guyana. Okole maluna! |
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HH
Hurricane Hayward
Posted
posted
on
Sun, May 1, 2016 3:01 PM
The punchy Hamilton rums seem to give the drink a bolder body than the smoother Lemon Hart. We also got a sneak peek at the special Rhum Barbancourt cocktail that will be served during the opening-night party at The Hukilau on June 8. If you attend that party, be sure to check out the Spicy Hula Girl featuring Rhum Barbancourt 3 Star, pineapple and lime juice, plus a unique cracked black pepper syrup. The latter is the handiwork of manager Kern Mattei. |
