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.

Rapa Nui Moai at the Louvre – Paris

Posted by The Tiki Chick in Tiki Sites and Stores and tagged with , , , ,

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London is a treasure trove of tiki bars, but Paris is a bust. (Editor’s note: A few tiki bars have opened in Paris since my visit.) However, there’s plenty of original Oceanic Art to be found in the museums. (And Paris also happens to be the home of the amazingly creative and whimsical tiki mug artist Baï.)

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The Musée du quai Branly would be your #1 stop (right now they have a special exhibit on the Maori) but if you’re on the requisite visit to the Louvre you can check out the smallish section on the Arts of Africa, Asia, Oceania and the Americas.

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It was interesting to compare this Moai to the one we saw at the British Museum. This fragment was taken from Rapa Nui in 1935 by Alfred Métraux and Henri Lavachery, who were the first professional archaeologists to visit Easter Island. People were going up and posing for pictures as if they were picking its nose…

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Sadly, there was very little context given for these items, just a date estimate, geographical origin and a one-word description (in French, bien sûr). I ended up researching later. From left: a 19th-century stone pounder from the Marquesas Islands used to grind breadfruit; a small and squat Marquesan tiki from the late 1800s/early 1900s; and an 18th-century wooden fan handle possibly from Tahiti.

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I had no idea what this was when I first saw it. but I thought it looked cool. Turns out it’s a 17th- or 18th-century reimiro, a wooden boat-shaped pendant worn by the women (and possibly men) of Easter Island. This piece and the pounder were both donated by Roland Bonaparte, the grandnephew of Napoleon and father of Marie Bonaparte. Another fun fact: he originally owned what is now the Shangri-La hotel in Paris.

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This Lono from the end of the 18th century is on loan from the collection of the Musée du quai Branly. In Hawaiian mythology he represents fertility and family.

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They also had several 17th- or 18th-century Rapa Nui figures that men supposedly used as pendants. The two moai kavakava are named so because their ribs are showing, while the moai tangata is more well fed and sports a goatee.

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Nothing tiki about this, of course, it’s just one of my favorites from the Louvre: Canova’s Psyche Revived by Cupid’s Kiss. And in completely unrelated Moai news, there’s one prominently featured towards the end of the trailer for The Pirates! Band of Misfits. (You’ll already know that if you follow me on Twitter.)

Tiki on American Dad: Part Two

Posted by The Tiki Chick in Tiki on TV and tagged with , ,

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Animators seem to enjoy sneaking tikis into scenes, and I enjoy spotting them. (A few examples include The Simpsons, South Park, a previous episode of American Dad, and MTV’s new show Good Vibes, which features a tiki bar decorated with art from Derek Yaniger and Tiki Tony.)

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On last Sunday’s episode of American Dad, entitled “A Ward Show,” Stan and Francine sign over custody of their teenage son to Roger, the Roswell alien that lives with them. In celebration of their empty nest, they head to Flash Flood Acres, the largest water park in the universe! The ticket huts were covered in thatch and bamboo and flanked by big tikis.

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But there is at least one tiki-themed water park beyond the realm of cartoons. According to James Teitelbaum’s Tiki Road Trip, our own Hurricane Harbor in Valencia has three Moai in an area called Tiki Falls. It’s been at least a decade since I ventured out to Magic Mountain so I don’t really recall. Perhaps a visit should be in store next summer?