TROPICAL STANDARD book by Garrett Richard & Ben Schaffer

Starting to make my way through reading TROPICAL STANDARD

https://www.amazon.com/Tropical-Standard-Cocktail-Techniques-Reinvented/dp/1682687155

Initial thoughts:

A. Fascinating convergence of The Cocktail Movement and Tiki Post-Revival.

B. Extremely well written and researched.

C. Most recipes are really kind-of "next level" as far as complexity. Requires multiple types of specific book-specific syrups, acid-adjusted juices etc. Basically Advanced Food Chemistry...which is all part of the fun, in my opinion (just be prepared to buy stuff from Amazon).

D. Can't wait to try their take on Tiki-Ti and Mai-Kai Recipes. They sound spectacular.

E. Book BARELY mentions the word "tiki"...which I found a little odd. I guess thats not the proper nomenclature anymore?

[ Edited by Hearn on 2023-05-29 12:17:00 ]

I've heard good things about this book

It is extremely interesting. Can't wait to try some of these techniques.

[ Edited by Hearn on 2023-05-29 13:11:34 ]

It's a lot to go through. Impressed so far. Making acid-adjusted juice isn't hard, but stuff like Oleo-Saccharum or some of the other special ingredients takes a bit of preparation ahead of time. While I think it is crucial to preserve and keep making the original tiki recipes, I think it is also important to experiment, innovate, and move them forward. A welcome addition to the canon.

Made the Incantation, his take on the Black Magic from the Mai Kai

[ Edited by Savory on 2023-05-30 12:41:53 ]

How was it?

Yeah, I saw the Ray's Mistake mentioned somewhere and got very interested.

It's on my Amazon wish list, and there's about a month until my birthday, if anyone was wondering....

I've made the (2) syrups for their Ray's Mystique* (Pineapple Gum Syrup & Sandalwood Vanilla Syrup)

Gonna take for a test drive this weekend.

(I was just at Tiki-Ti last week...so flavors are fresh in my mind-palate)

Ray’s Mystique (à la Ray’s Mistake) is my new favorite cocktail (so far) in Tropical Standard ...

Review and recipe on The Atomic Grog at https://www.slammie.com/atomicgrog/blog/2024/01/18/top-10-stories-of-2023-tiki-resurgence-and-appreciation-breathes-life-into-year-marked-by-loss/#rays-mystique

Tropical Standard was one of the Top 10 stories of 2023: https://www.slammie.com/atomicgrog/blog/2024/01/18/top-10-stories-of-2023-tiki-resurgence-and-appreciation-breathes-life-into-year-marked-by-loss/#tropical-standard

Second place is a tie between the Black Magic and Special Daiquiri No. 1 ... https://www.slammie.com/atomicgrog/blog/2023/06/02/the-hukilau-2023-countdown-full-schedule-and-updates-as-21st-tiki-weekender-approaches/#special-daiquiri

I've been bored with the new cocktails I've tried lately, until I came across the gem on page 234 of Tropical Standard ...

Scarlet Fog is quite complex and more original than anything I've tasted lately. It manages to hit all the right notes: Clean, crisp, tart, sweet, and very tightly composed. It features Demerara rum, gin, cognac, Peychaud's bitters, lime juice, orange juice, fassionola, and limoncello. I was surprised to find this combination of ingredients work together so seamlessly. It's superior to most of the fassionola cocktails I've had lately. Credit goes to master mixologist Richard and his deft hand.

While it appears similar to Trader Vic's Fogcutter, the recipe is actually a reinvention of the version revealed by former Don the Beachcomber bartender Tony Ramos and published in Ted Haigh's Vintage Spirits and Forgotten Cocktails (2009). According to Ramos, the cocktail originated at Edna Earle's Fogcutters steakhouse in Hollywood, not at Trader Vic's. A similar version is served at the legendary Tiki-Ti.

That's all debatable, but there's no debate that this reinvented version shines brightly and advances the drink into the 21st century. If you have the book, don't overlook this one. Okole maluna!