The Mai Tai debuted in the 1940’s, as Trader Vic helped Tiki take off in the U.S. and remains one of the most popular tiki drinks. Throw on a Hawaiian shirt and mix yourself a Mai Tai cocktail.The post Episode #076 – Mai Tai Cocktail and Variations appeared first on Speaking Easy.
The Mai Tai debuted in the 1940’s, as Trader Vic helped Tiki take off in the U.S. and remains one of the most popular tiki drinks. Throw on a Hawaiian shirt and mix yourself a Mai Tai cocktail.
If you ask a lot of people who invented the Mai Tai, you’ll typically get one answer: Vic Bergeron, more well known as Trader Vic. The drink debuted in the 1940’s, as Vic was helping Tiki take off. A little history, straight from Trader Vic’s own website:
“In 1944 after success with several exotic drinks, a bit of serendipity happened that would not only place Trader Vic at the forefront of cocktail mixology but would also earn him a place in history. That day in Oakland, The Trader pulled down a bottle of 17-year-old Jamaican Rum, added a squeeze of lime, a dash of rock candy syrup, a splash of orange curacao, some French Orgeat and poured the concoction over cracked ice. He handed to a friend visiting from Tahiti who immediately exclaimed, “It’s Mai Tai Roa Ae!” (Tahitian for “Out of this world- The Best”), and the first Mai Tai was born- Paradise in a Glass.”
So, as such, here’s what we’ll claim (with only moderate merit) is closest to the original Mai Tai recipe:
Add all ingredients into a shaker and give them a vigorous shake, and then pour, unstrained, into an Old Fashioned glass. Garnish with a sprig of mint.
Note that this isn’t a grandly sweet drink—it’s actually quite reserved and fruity. (Of note: Conspicuously missing is pineapple. Pineapple wasn’t really associated with the original recipe, but it does add quite a bit, so garnishing with pineapple, or adding ½ oz of fresh-fresh-fresh pineapple (read: not the can) will do it some good.
But, as Eater.Com points out, there’s some dispute. Donn “Don the Beachcomber” Beach, another legend in Tiki, says that Vic was inspired by his Q.B. Cooler, a punch he was serving in the 1930’s. That recipe, as pointed out by Chemistry of the Cocktail, is quite a bit more complicated, but you can see the relationship:
(*“Q.B.” stands for Quiet Birdmen, a group of pilots from the 1920’s)
Combine all ingredients with a handful of crushed ice. Blend for 5 seconds, then pour unstrained into a double old fashioned glass with more crushed ice. To be perfectly authentic, garnish the drink with several mint sprigs.
I mean, really, we’re talking about rum, “complex” sweetness (rock candy & orgeat in Vic’s Mai Tai, honey, and falernum in Don’s Q.B. Cooler), lime, and mint. In a way, these are both more complex than, say, a Daiquiri, with the main difference being the layers of sweetness, but then they are also constructed differently (shaking vs. blending). So let’s put to rest the battle and explore a few variations on these delicious drinks. (I mean, if Tiki is supposed to take you to the beach, I certainly don’t want to get into an argument at the beach!)
Shake and garnish with mint.
(based on the pairing of Scotch and dark rum in a Modern Cocktail)
Combined in a shaker, with pebble or crushed ice, shaken hard and poured (without straining) into a rocks glass. Garnished with a mint sprig.
(Speaking Easy original inspired by many Mai Tai recipes)
Combined in a shaker, with pebble or crushed ice, shaken hard and poured (without straining) into a rocks glass. Garnished with a mint sprig.
The post Episode #076 – Mai Tai Cocktail and Variations appeared first on Speaking Easy.