Tiki

Despite a brief tenure as a bartender and a fascination with cocktail culture (and consumption), I've always been a bit apprehensive when it comes to venturing into the world of tiki cocktail creation, since many of these tropical tipples owe their complex flavor to a laundry list of ingredients. Thankfully, the Mai Tai — a rum-forward stunner — is comparatively simple, clocking in at a mere four ingredients, and has quickly become a staple in my home bar repertoire.

Even more crucially, this classic Polynesian recipe is dangerously quaffable — watch out; it packs a real punch — perfectly suited to Spring's warmer weather, and a solid choice for toasting to Sunday's Mad Men premiere thanks to its retro styling. Get the recipe and follow suit.

Ever since I caught sight of the Obamas' holiday digs in Hawaii, I've been desperately missing the tropics, and all the sun, surf, and superb eats that go along with it.

So over the weekend, while the West Coast enjoyed record highs, I sat back in some new shades, ate up the 70-degree weather, and guzzled a good-for-you cocktail that felt like a mini island vacation.

I can't take credit for the idea (that goes to New York's Rouge Tomate), but this brilliant drink is one part healthy smoothie, one part fizzy spa cocktail, and all parts equatorial. Want to enjoy a glass, too? Then read more.

As I mentioned earlier, I've been obsessed with all things tiki, from Singapore Slings to the Tonga Room and everything in between. And as if on cue, a friend and fellow food writer hosted an island-themed party. I immediately knew one of the items I'd be showing up to the door with: tiki snack mix.

I didn't realize the addictive power of this trail mix; it was gone within a few minutes. There's something about the tropical-themed combination of sweet, chewy pineapple, rich pork, and spicy, soy-tinged nuts that will have you reaching for another handful. Get the recipe for an easy Pacific Rim snack that'll satisfy at any party when you read more.

After shaking up a simple Singapore sling a few weeks ago, I decided I needed to compare it to the real deal. But I realized the classic drink's ingredients weren't just hard to track down; they'd also be expensive to acquire.

I paid a visit to Smuggler's Cove, a tropical escape in San Francisco that specializes in re-creating authentic versions of classic Tiki cocktails. There, owner Martin Cate and bar star Marco Dionysos made me a perfectly balanced version, and chatted with me about the Polynesian pastime. Both bartenders believe that the cocktail's hazy beginnings are the cause of its devolution and waning popularity.
Prominent bar chefs disagree over whether the drink should have pineapple juice. Their recipe, which comes from Singapore Sling authority Ted Haigh, does. In comparison to my simple sling, it's far more complex, with more depth of fruit, less sugar, a clean finish, and a nice, foamy top. Read on for the recipe.

Although classic cocktails have made a resurgence in recent years, I can think of quite a few legendary cocktails from decades past that I've never had the privilege of trying. One of those is the Singapore Sling. It was invented about a century ago and since I've yet to spot it on a bar menu, I decided to make one for myself.

I quickly realized that many of the original recipe's ingredients, like cherry heering and Bénedictine, would take some time to track down — but in a pinch, I managed to find a pared-down variation. I imagine it's not as complex, but this rendition adopts some of the foaminess and the fruity notes from the original. For a quick version that's refreshing in its own right, keep reading.

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• One of Top Chef's favorite villains, Marcel Vigneron, has scored his own cooking show on the Syfy channel. — Eat Me Daily
• Tiki culture is making a strong comeback. — Chow
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• A new book will publish Julia Child's letters. — The Epi-Log

Last Thursday I got an email from a girlfriend asking me if I would make mai tais for a party on Friday night. Considering my profession, and the fact that I take pleasure in crafting specialty cocktails for my friends and family to enjoy, this is not an uncommon request. However, her email was more like a quickfire challenge because it wasn't just any old party, it was her rehearsal dinner and 78 people had RSVPed — that's a lot of mai tais. After reading the recipe for Trader Vic's classic mai tai, I started to get nervous. Each cocktail requires 3/4 ounce of freshly squeezed lime juice. If I made enough for everyone to have two drinks (156 cocktails) I would need a lot of limes. It was during this moment of panic that I made an executive decision.

As much as I love using fresh ingredients, premium alcohol, and homemade mixers, in this case, there simply wasn't time. Thus, I took some help from the store. The resulting four gallons of mai tai wasn't the most authentic tiki drink, but it tasted great and did the job at the party! To check out the massive recipe, that's ideal for large, college-style parties, read more