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Mai Tai Review: The Stir Crazy Mai Tai
Aloha,
Last night we tried Stir Crazy for the first time. Since they had a Mai Tai on the menu I had to give it a try. I was a little hesitant after the Red Robin Mai Tai to try another chain restaurant mai tai, but I owe it to you, my loyal readers, to review mai tais. I don’t want you to suffer through a mediocre chain restaurant mai tai.
The menu described the mai tai as, “our signature blend of three Cruzan Rums (Estate Dark, Black Strap, and Coconut) and fresh tropical juices.” I was excited to see that they use Cruzan rum! Who knows what was in the Red Robin Mai Tai. The Stir Crazy mai tai came in a glass that slightly resembeled bamboo, and it was garnished with a pineapple wedge and cherries. No lips or hair in this one.
With my first sip I could taste coconut from the coconut rum, pineapple juice, and some orange juice. The coconut was a fun twist to a chain resturant mai tai. There was also a slight hint of lime juice.
I don’t think the estate dark or black strap rums were actually used in the cocktail. There wasn’t any molasses or oaky flavors that would normally come with those darker rums. Also, the color of the drink didn’t suggest those rums were in there. I’m guessing a white rum was used instead, because the coconut flavor wasn’t strong enough for that to be the only rum. The dark rums were probably too much for the average customer.
Overall, the Stir Crazy mai tai wasn’t bad. It was a little sweet, and, unlike many of the classic tiki cocktails, had a simple flavor. However, it was decent enough to have a second. I wouldn’t go to Stir Crazy for their mai tai, but if you are there give it a try. Let me know what you think.
Mahalo!
Damon
PS Try the chicken satay! YUM!
How to Drink Out of A Coconut
Aloha,
My friends at Paradise Cocktails sent me an email asking how to serve drinks in a coconut. This is something I hadn’t tried before, but it sounded like fun. So I did some research. It turns out it is really pretty easy to hack open a coconut so you can use it as a cup.
The first thing you want to do is drain the coconut water. To do that use a nail or punch to put two holes in the coconut. The best place to do this is in the eyes of the coconut. They are softer and easy to poke through using a hammer.
Next, drain the coconut water. Be sure to save the coconut water it is delicious, and can be used in a variety of different cocktails. I suggest you filter the coconut water to separate out pieces of the shell that may have fallen in. You can even freeze the coconut water to save it for longer periods of time.
After the coconut is drained use a large knife and chop the end off. Be sure to keep turning the coconut as you chop away the hard shell. This makes it easier to break open. After a few minutes you should break through the tough shell. You may want to do this outside. We had pieces of coconut flying everywhere.
After that, wash out the coconut. Then, it is ready to serve drinks in. You can reuse the same coconut several times throughout the night. Just keep filling it.
Coconut Water, Rum Cocktail
Since I had coconut water I decided to make a coconut water, rum cocktail. First add some ice to the coconut. Then add:
- 2 oz coconut water
- 1 oz white rum
- 1/4 of a lime
Stir everything together and serve. This is a great simple cocktail. The coconut water has a mildly sweet, yet refreshing, flavor. It is also slightly salty. The rum and the lime really complement the coconut water.
Mahalo!
Damon
How to Make Rum Punch Cupcakes
Aloha,
Let’s Tiki is now one year old! I can’t believe how fast the first year has gone. I’ve had such a great time meeting all the great people in the tiki community and look forward to many more years and many more new friends.
Every birthday needs a cake. When I saw these cupcakes I knew right away they would be perfect. The cake itself has the perfect amount of sweetness. The dark rum makes a great addition, but isn’t too overpowering. The rum is also perfectly balanced with the vanilla.
I used coruba rum for the cake and the glaze. Coruba is becoming my new favorite dark rum. I had used Meyers for years, but Coruba isn’t quite as harsh as Meyers. It has more of a molasses flavor that is very enjoyable. When cooking with wine I was always taught to use a wine that you would drink. The same holds true when cooking with rum. A good rum will make your recipe so much better.
The cake is then complemented nicely with the freshly whipped cream frosting. The pineapple and the cream is genius. I just couldn’t stop eating these cupcakes, and I’m normally not a big cake eater.
So make up a batch of these cupcakes for your next party. They will be a hit! For the complete recipe visit http://annies-eats.net.
Mahalo!
Damon
How To Make Spiced Rum: Part II
For the recipe on how to make your own spiced rum check out my original post.
Aloha,
Two weeks ago. I showed you how to make your owned spiced rum. Every day I’ve been turning my rum to maximize the flavor, and taking a little sample, well ok a big sample, to make sure the flavor was progressing nicely.
On the third day I took the cinnamon out of the bottle. The cinnamon flavor had started to become very strong. Looking back I should have taken out the cinnamon after a day or two because it wound up being a little too strong, but that is the fun of experimenting.
When the rum has a flavor that you like you need to stop the process of infusing the spices. To stop the process you need to remove the spices. The easiest way to do this is to carefully pour the rum out of the bottle into a pitcher. You want to be careful to not break up the spices.
Next, remove the spices from the bottle. Then, rinse out the bottle thoroughly so all the sediment, from the spices, is cleaned out. Using a coffee filter and a funnel filter the rum as you pour it back into the bottle. This can be a bit of a slow process. So, pour yourself a drink while you wait.
That’s it. Then, your rum is ready for sampling!
I made a daiquiri first with the rum. To make a daiquiri add to your cocktail shaker:
- 2 cups crushed ice
- 2 oz rum
- 1 oz fresh squeezed lime juice
- 1/2 oz simple syrup
Shake the ingredients, and pour them into a chilled glass.
A daiquiri is a great way to sample a new rum. It really shows all of the great flavors that a rum has to offer. Other cocktails can mask the flavor of the rum making it difficult to determine what the rum really tastes like.
After making the video I found that ginger ale goes really well with my spiced rum since it has a strong cinnamon flavor. The cinnamon and ginger are a perfect match.
Enjoy your spiced rum!
Mahalo!
For the recipe on how to make your own spiced rum check out my original post.
A Tiki Adventure: Colonel Beach’s Plantation Punch
Aloha,
Colonel Beach’s Plantation PunchAs I Continue my series of posts on tasting my way through Beach Bum Berry Remixed next up is Colonel Beach’s Plantation Punch. This 1950’s cocktail is from Donn The Beachcomber. It has fresh lime juice, unsweetened pineapple juice, ginger beer, dark rum, gold Puerto Rican rum, gold Barbados rum, falernum, Angostura bitters, and Pernod.
Nobody panic, but there seems to be a bit of lime shortage at the moment. When I picked up some limes to make this cocktail I paid $1.29 per lime! I think that is the most I’ve ever paid for a lime. Searching Google I couldn’t find any news about it though. I guess that is what you get when you live in the northern US.
I wound up having to make this cocktail twice. The first time I forgot the Pernod. It was pretty good, but adding that tiny bit of Pernod really enhances the drink. The lime and pineapple flavors hit your pallet first, when you take a sip. Then, the ginger beer and falernum come through with some ginger and spices. Finally, the bitters and Pernod cut down on the sweetness and make it a cocktail that you could drink all night.
Just watch out, this is one tall cocktail. Beach Bum Berry Remixed doesn’t specify what type of glass to use for this one. It just says a tall glass; even a hurricane glass wasn’t quite big enough.
I’d highly reccomend Colonel Beach’s Plantation Punch. To get the recipe and many other great tiki recipes pick up a copy of Beach Bum Berry Remixed.
Mahalo!
Damon
P.S. I’m not at all affiliated with Beach Bum Berry. I did however put an Amazon associtate ID on my link to the book, and make a few cents if you buy the book from my link. That’s not the point though. I just want to sip through the book and share my thoughts and experiences.
A Tiki Adventure: Beachcomber’s Punch
Aloha,
;)
Beachcomber’s PunchAs I continue to sip my way through Beach Bum Berry Remixed the next drink is Beachcomber’s Punch. This tasty little drink has lime juice grapefruit juice, apricot brandy, simple syrup, Demerara rum, butters, and Pernod. It is a delicious little drink that is served in a champagne flute. You put all the ingredients in a blender for a few seconds which really crushes the ice into fine pieces. It is garnished with a sprig of mint.
This recipe is one of the original Donn The Beachcomber recipes that dates back to the 1930s. It’s amazing to think about the history this drink must have. The countless times it has been served over the years. I’m sure it must have be the start of a great night for so many people over the years. Tonight, it was the start of my night.
Before you even pick up the glass you can smell the fresh mint that beautifully garnishes this cocktail. There is a little trick to getting the mint aroma to really pop. Clap your hands with the mint in the palm of one hand. This will release the oils and make the mint far more aromatic.
The first sip of the Beachcomber’s Punch you can taste the wonderful citrus that is grapefruit, and lime which instantly transports you to paradise. The Apricot Brandy adds a delicious twist to the cocktail. That is followed by a whisper of the Demerara rum which adds a little oaky caramel tone. The Pernod and Bitters balance the drink out and cut down on the sweetness giving just a hint of anise. This is a fun little drink that is served beautifully.
I did make the mistake of blending mine a little too long. So it came out more like a frozen drink than finely crushed. Next time I’ll be more careful, but that is all part of the fun trying these drinks and learning.
Mahalo!
Damon
In my Tiki Adventure I’m sipping my way through Beach Bum Berry Remixed . This book is the encyclopedia of Tiki Cocktails. I’d like to share my impressions of each drink with you, but I don’t think it’s fair to give every recipe from the book. People worked hard to make the book. If you want the recipe then buy yourself a copy. It’s well worth it!
Hurricane Taste Test
Happy Mardi Gras!
Since, The Hurricane is the drink of Mardi Gras I thought I would have some fun and put the Pat O’Brien’s Hurricane Mix up against the classic Hurricane Recipe.
To sum it up, the Pat O’Brien’s mix version tastes bitter, and flavorless. You can really taste the corn syrup. Upon further inspection, you can see the syrup settle at the bottom of the glass after it sits for a bit. It is no wonder I got sick after drinking a few of these at last year’s Mardi Gras festivities. This just proves that quality fresh ingredients can make a huge difference in a cocktail. Do yourself a favor and make some real Hurricanes. I have the recipe here.
Have a safe and happy Mardi Gras!
Damon
The Revomatics and The Cocktail Preachers: One Night, Two Great Bands
Aloha,
Saturday night I had the opportunity to see two great surf bands play at Kochanski’s Concertina Beer Hall in Milwaukee, WI. Kochanski’s is a unique Milwaukee bar. Not only do they have the largest selection of Polish Beer in Wisconsin they have two stages, one at each end of the hall, that allows two bands to duel by playing alternating sets.
The RevomaticsFirst up were The Revomatics from Milwaukee. Even though the The Revomatics formed in early 2010 the four members are experienced and talented musicians. They are an instrumental band that has a great surf sound with some rock influences. The Revomatics did some covers of some great surf music, and also performed some of their own originals. Their balance was good and the solos stood out nicely. Their attire, with the sweaters, and skinny ties, really helped take you back to the golden age of surf music. The videos they played on the background where a fun touch. A little more interaction with the audience would have been nice, but that being said they put on a great show. I felt like I was transported to a beach where the conditions were perfect for a day of surfing.
The Cocktail PreachersThe next set was played by The Cocktail Preachers from Chicago. The Cocktail Preachers also have a great, classic, surf sound. Many of the songs they played were classics that most anyone would recognize. The steel guitar really added a nice touch to their sound.
Overall, the night was a lot of fun, and it helped ease that spring fever just a little bit. The crowd seemed to really enjoy both bands. It was a fun concept to have the two bands alternate so there wasn’t a break in the music all night. If you have the chance to see The Revomatics or The Cocktail Preaches do it. You won’t be disappointed.
The Revomatics, currently, have two more concerts scheduled. The next one is Saturday, April, 16th at Chef Shangri-La, North Riverside, IL. Then, Saturday, July 23rd at Frank’s Power Plant, Milwaukee, WI. Check out The Revomatic’s website for the latest concert information.
The Cocktail Preachers have some upcoming concerts this summer as well. Check out their website for date announcements.
If you are looking for more surf music in the Milwaukee area Kochanski’s will be hosting two more surf bands Saturday, April 2nd. It will be The Exotics vs. The Reluctant Aquanauts.
Mahalo!
Damon
Make Your Own Spiced Rum
Sunshine from the Zen Tiki Lounge Podcast inspired me to make my own spiced rum. It’s really easy to do.
To spice your own rum Sunshine’s recipe calls for:
- 1 750 ml Bottle of Cruzan Gold Rum
- 1 vanilla bean sliced down the middle
- 1 cinnamon stick
- 1 black pepper berry
- 2 alllspice berries
- 3 cloves
Just drop the ingredients into the bottle. Give the bottle a couple of turns every day; don’t shake it. After a couple of days sample the rum. Once the flavor gets to something you like remove everything from the rum. That’s all there is to it. What is really great is you can experiment and try other spices and flavors to make a rum all of your own.
This is the first time I’ve tried to spice my own rum. I’m really excited to see how it turns out. Stay tuned and I’ll keep you posted on how it turns out.
Mahalo!
DamonUpdate on Tuesday, March 29, 2011 at 10:03PM by Let’s Tiki
To see how the spiced rum turned out check out the follow up video.
How to Make a Hurricane Cocktail
Aloha!
The HurricaneWith Mardi Gras around the corner it is time to have a Hurricane. The Hurricane cocktail was invented by Pat O’Brien’s during World War II in New Orleans. During the war many varieties of liquor were in short supply. In order to get a case of whiskey distributors would require a bar to purchase several cases of rum. As a result there was plenty of extra rum lying around. So, to get rid of it the Hurricane was invented. The Hurricane is served in a glass that looks like a hurricane lamp, and that’s how it got it’s name.
There are numerous versions of a Hurricane, but I thought I’d share a simple one that tastes really good. After all who wants to spend Mardi Gras making complicated cocktails?
To make a Hurricane put crushed ice in your cocktail shaker and add:
- 2 oz Dark Rum
- 2 oz Passion Fruit Syrup
- 1.5 oz Lemon Juice
Shake it up really good. Then, pour the drink into a Hurricane Glass, unstrained. You can garnish with an orange slice or a cherry.
The Hurricane is on the sweeter side of the scale. One or two of these is enough for me in a night. It is still a great drink. It is amazing what kind of flavor comes from just three ingredients. The passion fruit gives it a nice fruity flavor and there is a hint of the lemon juice to cut down against all the sweetness. The dark rum comes through and adds a hint of molasses. This is a drink I make for myself year round.
Enjoy your Hurricane and Happy Mardi Gras!
Damon
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