my mai tai
I love rum. A lot. A great local tiki restaurant here in Columbus has a drink called Rum and Happiness, and for me that pretty much describes any drink that has rum in it. Coconut is one of the aromatics in this recipe: one of the three types of rum is infused with it, and the coconut water (which is one of the unique modifications I’ve made to make it “my mai tai”) adds another dimension of tropical nuttiness. If you can find raw coconut water, such as Harmless Harvest, all the better. my mai tai 1 cup dark and/or spiced rum ¾ cup coconut rum ½ cup citrus rum ¾ cup triple sec or mango vodka 1½ cups mango lemonade (or ¾ cup mango nectar plus ¾ cup lemonade) 1 cup orange juice 1 cup pineapple juice 2 cups raw coconut water (also may use flavored, such as mango, peach, or pineapple) 1 cup pomegranate, blueberry or other dark juice One can lemon-lime soda or sparkling lemonade Add all ingredients except soda to a bottle with a cap. Shake well. Transfer to a pitcher, add soda and stir very gently. Serve with a fresh pineapple wedge on each glass. (Umbrella is optional!) Makes about eight servings. All quantities should be adjusted to suit your taste, and feel free to experiment as well. I sometimes add lychee juice, for example, because I love the taste. The only real requirements for a mai tai is lots of rum and tropical fruit...
shaken cocktails
Using a cocktail shaker is much more than just a cool-looking way to mix a drink. It actually performs several important functions: Shaking with ice helps chill the mixture before pouring it into in a glass, so it’s ready to drink and doesn’t melt the ice in the glass as quickly. Shaking with ice also helps bruise or crush any herbs or other aromatics that you have added. This process helps release oils and other flavor-intense elements to produce a better-tasting cocktail. Most shakers have a built-in strainer in the lid that helps keep your drink neat by preventing the larger chunks of ice and ingredients from getting into the serving glass. Shaking also helps incorporate thicker liquids into the mixure more effectively, such as fruit juices, dairy products, egg, etc., producing a smoother cocktail. (Try my mai tai and see for yourself!) Because all of the recipes in this section use various aromatics that will benefit from this process, shaking will generally be preferable to stirring. (Stirring is thought to be a better approach for some spirits considered more delicate, like gin and whiskey.) If you don’t yet have a cocktail shaker, purchase one that’s high quality and feels good in your hands, and shake it,...
