Diana pouring drinks at a tiki party.
Photo by Julie Hartigan.
With normal life still on hold and anxiety still holding on, fun has been in short supply this summer of COVID-19.
To strike out on a path toward some fun, take a tip from mid-century Americans who embraced tiki culture as a way to escape the demands and worries of normal life (we, in contrast, want to get back to normal life!). Just as for the suburbanites of the 1950s and 60s, you too will find it hard not to cast cares aside when drinking multi-layered rum drinks evocative of faraway tropical islands.
Tiki has its genesis in California in the 1930s, soon after the repeal of Prohibition, and faded away as its kitsch-filled bars became tatty and tacky in the 1980s. Fortunately, not all is lost, like pirates treasure. Tiki culture and its surprisingly complex drinks are enjoying a comeback in the United States.
Even though the fantastical creation of tiki culture, with its loose connection to the South Pacific, can seem frivolous and even culturally insensitive, tiki drinks are some of the most complex and tasty to ever be graced with abundant sprigs of mint and flaming lime shells. Whenever I order one from an accomplished bartender, its layers of flavors and the precarious and perfect balance of up to a dozen competing ingredients astonish me. No frivolous thing, they are the accomplished work of a master mixologist.
You won’t experience that amazement and deliciousness if your tropically inspired cocktail has gushed out of a slushie machine. And that’s unfortunate. But you're not to blame since this is how most tiki drinks, such as the hurricane, pina colada, and daiquiri, are still prepared, despite the tiki renaissance that is currently happening, (Don’t be wary of all drinks that come out slushie machines. Accomplished bartenders are reworking frozen drinks with fresh and balanced ingredients instead of commercially made mixes, with extraordinarily tasty and refreshing results)
Despite the seriousness with which proper tiki drinks are shaken, blended, and occasionally stirred, they’re still all about bringing on the fun. How could they not be, when Polynesian-esque kitsch and Hawaian shirts are involved? In the tiki world, there are plenty of winks and nods and smiles.
In normal times, I would say, Get thee to a good tiki bar! But that’s not really possible right now. As such, it is going to be up to you to recreate the tiki vibe at home. There are excellent books out there to guide you. I myself turn to Smuggler's Cove: Exotic Cocktails, Rum, and the Cult of Tiki by Martin Cate and Rebecca Cate and Tiki: Modern Tropical Cocktails by Shannon Mustipher. In addition to trusted recipes, you’ll also need a decent liquor store that stocks a wide variety of rums, the funky backbone of many tiki drinks.
The next step, if you feel comfortable and safe doing so, is hosting a tiki party outside. That’s what I did with some friends on a sticky summer’s night earlier in July. Lasting well past sunset, it may have been the highlight of summer. Everyone contributed at least one tiki drink to serve six people, and a Polynesian-inspired food dish (e.g., crab rangoon, plantains, anything with pineapple). We served each person’s drink one at a time, to control the pace of consumption and to highlight each person’s contribution. Quite potent, the drinks brought smiles very quickly (hence the need for pacing!). And that’s a blessing, thanks to tiki, in these trying times.
Here are the two tiki drinks that I made for our lakeside luau, both based on Smuggler's Cove:
Fog Cutter
1.5 oz fresh lemon juice
1.5 oz fresh orange juice
.5 oz orgeat
1 oz pisco or aged brandy
.5 oz gin
2 oz lightly aged rum
.5 oz oloroso or amontillado sherry
Garnish: Mint sprig
Combine all ingredients except the sherry and garnish in a blender with 12oz of crushed ice. Flash blend and pour into a Zombie glass. Float sherry on top and garnish with mint.
Three Dots and a Dash
.5oz fresh lime juice
.5 oz fresh orange juice
.5oz honey syrup
.25 oz Velvet Falernum
.25 oz St. Elizabeth Allspice Dram
1.5oz rhum agricole vieux
.5 oz aged rum
1 dash Angostura bitters
Garnish: Three maraschino cherries (the three dots) and a pineapple chunk (the dash) on a cocktail pick*
Add all ingredients except the garnish to a blender with 12oz of crushed ice. Flash blend and pour into a footed pilsner glass. Add garnish.
*Three dots and a dash is Morse code for victory.