My Type (Non-Alcoholic Mai Tai) The scent of almond and citrus always transports me back to my childhood vacations. My family wasn’t wealthy, but every summer, my parents saved enough for a modest trip to the beach. While they enjoyed their grown-up cocktails, I always felt left out – until my dad concocted a special, … Read more
Copycat Trader Vic’s Mai Tai: A Taste of Paradise at Home The scent of almond and citrus always transports me back to my honeymoon in Hawaii. We stumbled upon a tiny, unassuming beach bar that specialized in Mai Tais. The bartender, a wizened man with sun-weathered skin, winked and said, “The secret’s in the orgeat.” … Read more
The Suffering Bastard: A Culinary Journey into Trader Vic’s Legacy The first time I tasted a Suffering Bastard, I was working as a young barback in a dimly lit, faux-Polynesian restaurant. The aroma alone – a complex blend of citrus, spice, and dark rum – transported me to a place far removed from the sticky … Read more
The Fog Cutter: A Taste of Tropical Mystery There’s a certain mystique surrounding tiki cocktails, a nostalgic pull that whisks me back to my days working at a quirky Polynesian-themed bar in college. The Fog Cutter, with its potent blend of spirits, always seemed like the ultimate test for both the bartender and the drinker. … Read more
Transport Yourself: Crafting the Red Robin Mai Tai at Home The summer I turned 21, a group of us piled into my beat-up Honda Civic and drove to the nearest Red Robin. It wasn’t the burgers (though those were good, too) that we were after – it was the endless refills of their signature cocktails, … Read more
Mai Tai: A Rum Revelation The first time I tasted a properly made Mai Tai, I was on vacation in Maui. The sunset was painting the sky in fiery hues, the scent of plumeria hung heavy in the air, and the gentle strumming of a ukulele filled the background. I took a sip, and it … Read more
Aussie Beachcomber: A Tropical Escape in a Glass The first time I tasted a cocktail that truly transported me, I was backpacking through Australia. I’d just spent the day surfing (or, more accurately, attempting to surf) at Bondi Beach, and the salt spray was still clinging to my skin. Exhausted but exhilarated, I stumbled into … Read more
Bali Hai Cocktail: A Tropical Escape in a Glass My first encounter with a Bali Hai wasn’t on a South Pacific island, but at a tiki bar in Chicago during a particularly brutal winter. The air was thick with the scent of pineapple and rum, and the bartender, a charismatic fellow with a Hawaiian shirt, … Read more
Crafting Liquid Gold: Homemade Orgeat Syrup The scent of almonds always transports me back to childhood summers. My grandmother, a fiercely independent woman with a penchant for baking, always had a bowl of blanched almonds on the counter. She’d crush them with her well-worn mortar and pestle, preparing for almond cookies or, occasionally, a batch … Read more