Mai Tai - my dismay

So I put a lot of work into making the mai tai a reality at home. And after all the work and effort, tweaking and note-taking, I realized something. I don't think I like the Mai Tai. That makes sense because I dislike almond flavored anything (aside from straight almonds).

To make an authentic Mai Tai, you need to make falernum and orgeat (pronounced or-ZHAT). Neither is particular difficult to make, but I found that orgeat doesn't keep well (maybe one week in the fridge), so that means you need to make many drinks, in a hurry.

My final recipe:
2 part white rum
1 part Lemon Hart overproof rum (or other Demerera rum)
1 part orgeat
1 part falernum
1/2 part lime juice
1 Luxardo cherry

1. Smash ice in a lewis bag or crush ice somehow. You really want small, small pieces but not a slushy. Fill Collins glass with smashed ice.
2. Add ice cubs and all ingredients except cherry and Lemon Hart to a cocktail shaker.
3. Secure shaker top and shake vigorously for 20 seconds.
4. Open and strain into Collins glass.
5. Pour in Lemon Hart slowly.
6. Float cherry on top of ice
7. Provide a straw to stir and drink through

If you'd like me falernum or orgeat recipes, comment below and I can send them (they're long).

The final daiquiri is made with these ingredients:

• Chairman's Reserve Rum
• Pierre Ferand Dry Curacao
• Simple syrup from candied kumquats
• Squeeze from Meyer lemon

June Cocktail - Mojito

In Mid-August, I'm posting about the June cocktail. Why? Well, the mojito has been difficult for me to figure out. We've made a lot of them and I'm still not sure I have "perfected" a house mojito. Perfected is in the eye of the beholder (me in this case, and I feel there's still work to be done.)

Anyhow, the mojito is above-everything refreshing.

Early in the process, I realized that we loved the mint flavor but don't like a big wad of mind in our glass. We also realized that the the drink can tolerate a significant amount of lime juice.

So, the Localvore Mojito is:

• 2 ounces rum (more on choice later)
• 1 ounce lime juice
• 2 barspoons of confectioners' sugar
• 10 - 15 leaves of mint (spearmint or peppermint)

1. In a pint glass, combine lime juice, mint leaves and sugar.
2. Muddle for a honest 30 seconds (same amount of time if you double or triple the drink).
3. Add rum.
4. Add a lot of ice.
5. Stir.
6. Strain into glass already filled with ice and rim has been slicked with juiced lime section
   
7. Fill glass with mineral water.
8. Give one quick stir.

A few clarifying points we found:
Confectioners' Sugar - I tried simple syrup, superfine sugar, agave and even made a sirop de canne. Nothing made a nicely sweetened drink like confectioners' sugar. I don't really know why.
Rum - I enjoyed trying a few different rums. A darker rum worked better than white rums. But I don't know if I'd spend a lot of money on a rhum agricole for mojitos. I am trying to keep my bar American and found this Massachusetts rum to be delicious.
Stirred, not shaken - I didn't want so much dilution or frothiness, so I stirred.
Lemon - When making a batch, I substituted lemon for a quarter of the lime and found that it was different but delectable nonetheless.
Bubbles - Whatever you do, do not use something without significant bubbles. It makes the drink more lively and tasty. Again, I don't know why.

February Cocktail - The Dark & Stormy

This has been one of my favorite cocktails for the last decade. What’s not to like – rum, ginger ale, lime, ice? After 14 variations in February (and early March), I have a few suggestions:

1. Don’t make this with fountain ginger ale. Schweppes is pretty meager in flavor, bubbly, but heavy in texture, leaving you a drink with more viscosity and less taste.
2. A smaller drink is better. Filling the glass with soda results in watery drink. If you’re a fast drinker (like me), then this is difficult.
3. Fresh lime is best. No lime is better than lime syrup. I didn’t try bottled lime juice but think that’s probably ok, but lime syrup was bad.
   

If you’re planning to make a large amount, consider making your own ginger beer. It’s not hard to do and requires one day planning.

My recipe produces a balanced but not strong drink. I like to serve in a footed pilsener glass with significant ice.

1. 1 ½ ounces OLD MONK rum
2. 1 ounce Morris Kitchen's Ginger Syrup
3. ½ ounce fresh lime juice
4. 4 ounces fresh seltzer
5. 1 slice lime

• Mix rum, syrup, lime juice in a glass.
• Stir vigorously.
• Add ice to fill glass.
• Add 4 ounces seltzer.
• Coat the rim of glass with fresh lime.

Outside of ginger syrup, I’d consider these three ginger beers (in no order)

• Fentimans
• Reed's Original
• Bruce Cost