Tag Archives: Cocktails

Kahuna Kevin’s “Why is the Rum Gone?” Cocktail Book Review

Posted by The Tiki Chick in Tiki Mixology and tagged with , , , ,

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Kahuna Kevin titled his first cocktail book “Why Is the Rum Gone?” but I think my boyfriend would call it “Where Did All This Rum Come From?” Because after taking a look at all these intricate recipes, I went out on a spending spree so that I could recreate some of his crazy concoctions.

Even before I ever tried one of his drinks, I was already impressed by the passion and hard work that were apparent in producing this. The self-published book is beautifully designed, spiral-bound and printed on heavy card stock (the pages are now also coated with plastic to protect against spills), and there’s full color photos of the finished product to accompany each recipe. And how could I not be charmed by fun cocktail names like Irish Nutjob, Mary Ann & Ginger and the Truffle Shuffle? Goonies never say die!

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For the last year I’ve been plugging away through Beachbum Berry’s books and filling up our liquor cabinet with a modest store of light, gold and dark rums. However, Kevin specifically calls for various spiced (Kraken, Sailor Jerry, Kilo Kai), premium rums (Zaya, Diplomatico Reserva Exclusiva), and some exotic liqueurs that I’d previously never even heard of. (I still have no clue how to pronounce D’Aristi Xtabentun…) Most of the ingredients appear in multiple drinks, so it makes it a bit easier to justify springing for them. (Though if somebody wanted to buy me a bottle of Gran Duque D’Alba brandy for my birthday, I’d appreciate it.) DrinkupNY.com was helpful in tracking down some of the more obscure items, like the Rogue Spirits hazelnut rum. They used to offer free U.S. shipping for orders over $100 but now that’s only for certain states.

OK back to the book. No drink has fewer than five ingredients; in fact, most of them have several more (up to sixteen in Kahuna Kevin’s Headless Zombie). With so many different flavors in play, it was sometimes hard to discern what they were all supposed to contribute to the cocktails. I’d say the Five Mile Stare is my favorite so far, along with the Beretta Vendetta. The others have mostly fallen in the middle for me, but my high expectations weren’t quite realised by the Caramel Rebellion or Bac-o-tini. (Truth be told, I find most culinary experiments involving bacon to be disappointing compared to the real deal.) I still have more to try, and I’m hoping to add to the list of keepers.

If you and your liver enjoy a challenge, or you have an encyclopedic selection of booze, this will be right up your alley.

Kahuna Kevin is about to release volume two of “Why is the Rum Gone?” Both books are available to order on his web site: www.kahunakevin.com.

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Tiki Cocktail Menu at 1886 Bar – Pasadena, CA

Posted by The Tiki Chick in Other Tiki Topics and tagged with , , ,

Before embarking on our recent European fortnight, we had the pleasure of meeting up for drinks with the Gastronomer, G-ma’s Bakery and their respective others. We had already chosen 1886 at The Raymond in Pasadena as our destination, but I was even more psyched when I found out they had launched a tiki-influenced summer cocktail menu at the end of July.

The Los Angeles area was in the midst of a heat wave, so we snagged a table out on the patio of the Craftsman cottage. With all the tree branches tangled overhead like a roof, it felt like our own little hobbit hideout.

Each of the drinks on the menu is introduced with a brief background, such as this preface for the Zombie ($14): “This drink’s first version was created at Don the Beachcomber of Hollywood in 1934 by Donn Beach, creator of the ‘Tiki’ movement. Limit 2 per customer.” (I don’t know if that’s actually enforced or just a reference to Donn’s infamous edict, but it made me smile either way.) Their version, made with a blend of three rums, passion fruit, Demerara syrup, and lemon, lime & pineapple juice, was my favorite of the several libations we sampled that night.

I was also tempted by the Thai Iced Tea ($12), a house original dreamed up by Garrett McKechnie and made with Thai tea-infused cachaca, Demerara syrup and hand-whipped cream. With the Piña Colada ($12, white rum, Coco Lopez, bitters, pineapple & lime) I had expected a sophisticated interpretation of this quintessential boat drink, but the flavors turned out to be quite different.

Also featured is another Don the Beachcomber creation, the QB Cooler ($14), described thusly: “QB stands for Quiet Birdmen, a drinking fraternity of aviators founded by seven WWI pilots in 1921. However, this particular little drink was created by Donn Beach at his Hollywood bar in 1937, and was rumored to be the inspiration for a famous drink created by Tiki legend Trader Vic.” 1886 makes it with a three rum blend, falernum, honey & ginger syrups, lime & orange juice. However, for me the ginger was a bit too overpowering to notice much of a resemblance to the Mai Tai in this case.

These were just a few of their many intriguing cocktails. For more on 1886, check out ThirstyinLA’s recap of more of their summer tipples, plus the Gastronomer’s past post about this craft cocktail bar.

1886 Bar at The Raymond Restaurant
1250 S. Fair Oaks Ave.
Pasadena, CA 91105
626-441-3136

A Tiki Speakeasy: Curio at Gilt Bar in Chicago

Posted by The Tiki Chick in Bar & Restaurant Reviews and tagged with , , , , ,

Thanks in part to topnotch new(ish) tiki bars like Smuggler’s Cove and Painki…I mean PKNY, tiki drinks seem to have overtaken Prohibitian-era cocktails as the darling of current liquid culture. “Tiki nights” have popped up all over the country and bars with barely any thatch or bamboo are encouraging their patrons to put down the vodka-soda and rediscover rum.

The summer menu at The Terrace at Trump is one of the most recent examples in Chicago, and when we were there back in November we checked out another tiki cocktail program at Curio, which is hidden away under Gilt Bar by the Merchandise Mart. (Again I have to credit Tasting Table for bringing Curio to my attention in their Fifteen Best Cocktails in Chicago feature from last year.)

After entering the restaurant, you head down the stairs next to the bar. Keep going down the hallway and you’ll find Curio on the right, behind black velvet curtains.

As I’ve mentioned before, I adore the 1920s era so the speakeasy style will never get old for me. The room was very dimly lit, with candles on the tables and a chandelier above the bar at the opposite end of the space. There were leather banquettes for larger groups, but since it was just the two of us we shared an antique loveseat.

A different cocktail menu is offered down here. In addition to a special section featuring Chartreuse, there were five “Tiki Inspired” drinks each priced at $13. Prospective patrons should take note that Curio is cash only (I suppose that really brings the old-fashioned—or illicit—theme home).

Pago Pago (Matusalem rum, creme de cacao, green Chartreuse, lime and pineapple juice) took the top prize from Tasting Table, but I preferred The Mariposa Fizz (made with Flor de Cana rum, creme de cacao, egg whites and lemon). It was so light and delicious, sort of like a spiked egg cream. I’ve been meaning to try and reverse engineer it in my home bar.

UPDATE: Curio has been replaced by The Library, a new cocktail bar from Brendan Sodikoff that opened in March 2013.

Gilt Bar on Urbanspoon