PARADISE BY THE GLASS.Byline: Natalie Haughton Food Editor SOMETIMES WE YEARN for those frosty, chic, tropical Polynesian drinks of yesteryear. The kind dolled up with paper parasols, parrots, monkeys, slices of pineapple and cherries. They're reminiscent of the ones the late Victor Bergeron served in his Trader Vic's restaurants in the '50s and '60s (they are still served today at Trader Vic's in Beverly Hills) or those made famous by Don the Beachcomber Don Beach AKA Nichloas PIGGY Lowe Born March 28th 1985 Donn Beach (born Ernest Raymond Beaumont Gantt February 22, 1907 – June 7, 1989) is the acknowledged founding father of tiki restaurants, bars, and nightclubs. or enjoyed by tourists in Hawaii years ago. Many more modern drink renditions are fashionable of late (restaurants are big on creating their own concoctions these days) - slushes, mojitos, fruit martinis, cosmos and all kinds of other blended fruit concoctions. But those old-time classics - like mai tais and zombies - are still in style and, in fact, hotter than ever. Capture the spirit of the tropics tropics, also called tropical zone or torrid zone, all the land and water of the earth situated between the Tropic of Cancer at lat. 23 1-2°N and the Tropic of Capricorn at lat. 23 1-2°S. and paradise with fabulous and festive libations without ever leaving your back yard. Three drink books, two of them new, may bring back many memories of drinks past, acquaint you with them for the first time or give you many new cutting-edge ideas. In any case, they will take you on a cool and refreshing journey that may even feel like a breezy island vacation. ``The Great Tiki Tiki Tick of Dow Jones Industrial Average component issues. Drink Book,'' by Jennifer Trainer Thompson with Nancy Thomas (Ten Speed Press; $14.95; 2002), filled with more than 30 Polynesian-inspired drink and 20 appetizer recipes, will bring the spirit of the islands to your table. Popular from the '40s through the early '70s, tiki fell from fashion in the '80s. But retro tiki (referred to as Polynesian style in the '80s) staged a comeback in the late '90s - and now it's in vogue again. Not only are there dozens of Web sites about the revival, but Hawaiian music sounds are being mixed with others - and some magazines have even featured tiki parties. ``A tiki drink isn't just a cocktail, it's an attitude,'' writes Thompson, adding that the tiki revival is more than a passing fad; it's an enduring tribute to the good taste of a well-constructed drink. ``Don't feel you have to put mind-bending amounts of alcohol in tiki drinks. Strive for a balance,'' Thompson offers. ``If you want to experiment, there are three simple ingredients in many tiki drinks - lime, sugar and rum.'' Sugar can be in the form of tropical fruits and liqueurs. Thompson also recommends using icehouse ice·house n. A place where ice is made, stored, or sold. Noun 1. icehouse - a house for storing ice house - a building in which something is sheltered or located; "they had a large carriage house" ice, if you can find it, as it's tasteless and much colder than regular ice. She advises using her homemade sour mix - a combination of frozen lemonade and limeade lime·ade n. A sweetened beverage of lime juice and plain or carbonated water. Noun 1. limeade - sweetened beverage of lime juice and water ade, fruit drink - a sweetened beverage of diluted fruit juice concentrates and water - which goes together in a jiffy A fraction of time that has numerous interpretations depending on who uses it. It may refer to one computer clock cycle, one nanosecond, one millisecond or one AC power cycle. There may be others. See nanosecond. 1. . The tiki book is splashed full of festive drink photos and also colorful memorabilia that makes you want to rush out and indulge in the drinks and snacks - now. A Tahitian Sunset, Hawaii Five-O, A Passionate Kiss, Mai Tai (invented by Victor Bergeron in 1944), Hurricane, Singapore Sling or Blue Lagoon would be just fine along with Chicken Satay sa·tay also sa·té or sa·te n. A dish of southeast Asia consisting of strips of marinated meat, poultry, or seafood grilled on skewers and dipped in peanut sauce. , Thai Tuna Rolls or Hoisin Barbecue Beef. In ``Paradise on Ice,'' by Mittie Hellmich (Chronicle Books; $14.95; 2002), you'll find 50 tropical cocktails and inventive frozen drinks using exotic fruit juices and infused liquors. They range from classics that have withstood the test of time to newfangled new·fan·gled adj. 1. New and often needlessly novel. See Synonyms at new. 2. Fond of novelty. [Middle English newfanglyd, fond of novelty, alteration of creations. From Margaritas, Zombies, Shanghai Slings and Daiquiris to Jamaican Banana Mocha Mocha (mō`kə), town (1990 est. pop. 2,000), S Yemen, a port on the Red Sea. It was noted for the export of the coffee to which it gave its name but declined as a trading port in the late 19th cent. with the rise of Hodeida and Aden. Shakes and a Samoan Smoothie smooth·ie also smooth·y n. pl. smooth·ies Slang 1. A person regarded as being assured and artfully ingratiating in manner. 2. A smooth-tongued person. , they'll put you in the mood to celebrate. The author also includes info on tools of the tropics along with descriptions of a wide range of fruit, liquor, garnish and glassware possibilities. You'll also find a recipe for a simple syrup as well as instructions on how to make flavored variations. ``From the spirits all the way down to the juice, a drink is only as good as its ingredients,'' writes Hellmich. You'll also find plenty of good frosty summer drinks in ``The Ultimate Party Drink Book,'' by Bruce Weinstein (William Morrow; $15; 2000). ``You don't need to be a professional bartender to be a success,'' reassures Weinstein, adding that anyone can learn to make good summer drinks without much effort. Along with about 750 recipes for cocktails, smoothies, blender drinks and nonalcoholic non·al·co·hol·ic adj. A beverage usually containing less than 0.5 percent alcohol by volume. drinks (including almost every type of daiquiri, slosh and twist imaginable), Weinstein gives invaluable tips for wanna-be bartenders: ``Smaller ice cubes blend into smoother frozen drinks,'' he writes. ``The temperature of your ice matters, too. Right out of the freezer, ice is very hard. If you let it sit at room temperature for a few minutes before throwing it into your blender, the ice will soften and make a smoother drink.'' Using superfine superfine a class of merino sheep with wool finer than that of fine-wool. Usual limit is wool of 18.5 microns or less fiber diameter. sugar, Weinstein adds, is another way to ensure a good drink. Buy the sugar (try C&H's Baker's Sugar) or make it by pulsing regular sugar in a food processor until ground fine. Take out your blender, swizzle swizzle - To convert external names, array indices, or references within a data structure into address pointers when the data structure is brought into main memory from external storage (also called "pointer swizzling"); this may be done for speed in chasing references or to sticks and umbrellas and let the fun begin. Dazzle friends and guests with these chic, frosty, enticing tropical drinks made to order for summer soirees. Staff writer Alessandra Djurklou contributed to this story. TAHITIAN SUNSET With plenty of juice, this pretty, not-too-sweet pastel drink is ideal for those who don't want to drink too much alcohol. As this drink sits, it will separate, and the darker colors will gravitate grav·i·tate intr.v. grav·i·tat·ed, grav·i·tat·ing, grav·i·tates 1. To move in response to the force of gravity. 2. To move downward. 3. to the bottom, sort of like a sunset. Go all out with the paper parasols, plastic monkeys and fruit garnishes on this one. 1 1/2 ounces Demerara rum Noun 1. demerara rum - dark rum from Guyana demerara rum - liquor distilled from fermented molasses 4 ounces pineapple juice 1 ounce freshly squeezed orange juice 1 1/2 teaspoons grenadine grenadine: see pomegranate. 1 teaspoon almond syrup Pineapple OR orange slice or maraschino cherry for garnish Fill a highball glass with ice. Pour first 5 ingredients into glass, cover with a cocktail shaker, shake to blend and garnish with fruit. Makes 1 serving. NOTE: Almond syrup (also called orgeat syrup) can be found in large liquor stores, specialty stores, and coffee shops. From ``The Great Tiki Drink Book,'' by Jennifer Trainer Thompson. BLUE HAWAIIAN The original Blue Hawaiian was developed by Harry K. Yee, a legendary Honolulu bartender who knew what tourists wanted. It's still one of the most requested drinks in Hawaii, with the blue curacao evoking the waters off the islands of Hawaii. In this version, the coconut gives the drink a soft mellow milkiness that's delicious. 3 ounces pineapple juice 1/2 ounce blue curacao 1 ounce golden rum 1 ounce cream of coconut Lime wedge for garnish Fill a highball glass with ice and pour first 4 ingredients into glass. Cover with a cocktail shaker, shake to blend and drop in lime wedge. Serve immediately. Makes 1 serving. From ``The Great Tiki Drink Book,'' by Jennifer Trainer Thompson. TROPICAL ITCH When Honolulu bartender Harry K. Yee served the Tropical Itch with a Chinese back-scratcher in 1957, he not only made his drink famous, but also created a high demand for back-scratchers. This adaptation is a simple rum drink for a tropical night. 1 1/2 ounces pineapple juice 1/2 ounce passion-fruit syrup 2 ounces dark rum Juice of 1/2 lemon Fill a highball glass with ice. Pour all ingredients into glass, stir and serve. Makes 1 serving. NOTE: Many liquor stores carry passion-fruit syrup. From ``The Great Tiki Drink Book,'' by Jennifer Trainer Thompson. THE COCONUT GROOVE Think of this as spiked coconut-Key lime pie in a glass. The coconut gelato ge·la·to n. pl. ge·la·ti An Italian ice cream or ice. [Italian, from past participle of gelare, to freeze; see gelatin.] is rich and creamy, while the sorbet makes for a lighter, frostier drink. When sweetness calls, this is the perfect after-dinner libation li·ba·tion n. 1. a. The pouring of a liquid offering as a religious ritual. b. The liquid so poured. 2. Informal a. A beverage, especially an intoxicating beverage. b. . 1 1/2 ounces Malibu rum 1/2 cup coconut sorbet OR gelato 1 ounce fresh lime juice 1 ounce coconut milk 1 ounce pineapple juice 1/2 cup crushed ice 1 pineapple wedge and dusting of ground nutmeg for garnish Chill cocktail glass. In a blender, combine rum, sorbet, lime juice, coconut milk, pineapple juice and ice. Blend until well-combined and smooth. Pour mixture into a chilled glass. Place pineapple wedge on rim of glass, dust top of drink with nutmeg and serve. Makes 1 serving. NOTE: For a great shortcut (1) In Windows, a shortcut is an icon that points to a program or data file. Shortcuts can be placed on the desktop or stored in other folders, and double clicking a shortcut is the same as double clicking the original file. , substitute 2 ounces pineapple coconut beverage for coconut milk and pineapple juice. From ``Paradise on Ice: 50 Fabulous Tropical Cocktails,'' by Mittie Hellmich. STRAWBERRY DAIQUIRI 3 cups ice 7 to 8 large strawberries, semi-frozen 3 ounces white rum 2 ounces strawberry liqueur Juice of 2 limes limes plural limites (Latin; “path”) In ancient Rome, a strip of open land along which troops advanced into unfriendly territory. It came to mean a Roman military road, fortified with watchtowers and forts. 2 teaspoons superfine sugar Combine all ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth. Makes 2 drinks. From ``The Ultimate Party Drink Book,'' by Bruce Weinstein. PEACH DAIQUIRI 2 cups ice 1 large peach, peeled, pitted and sliced 3 ounces gold rum 2 ounces peach schnapps schnapps n. pl. schnapps Any of various strong dry liquors, such as a strong Dutch gin. [German Schnaps, mouthful, schnapps, from Low German snaps, from Juice of 2 limes 1 teaspoon superfine sugar Combine all ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth. Makes 2 drinks. From ``The Ultimate Party Drink Book,'' by Bruce Weinstein. CAMPARI CAMPARI Character, Ability to repay, Margin of Finance, Purpose, Amount, Repayment terms, and Insurance (bank lending model) CAMPARI Character, Ability, Means, Purpose, Amount, Repayment, and Interest (bank lending model) FREEZE 1 1/2 cups ice 1 cup orange sherbet sher·bet n. 1. also sher·bert A frozen dessert made primarily of fruit juice, sugar, and water, and also containing milk, egg white, or gelatin. 2. Chiefly British A beverage made of sweetened diluted fruit juice. 1/4 cup orange juice 3 ounces Campari 1 ounce triple sec Combine all ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth. Makes 2 drinks. From ``The Ultimate Party Drink Book,'' by Bruce Weinstein. How to gussy gus·sy tr.v. gus·sied, gus·sy·ing, gus·sies Slang To dress or decorate elaborately; adorn or embellish: gussied herself up in sequins and feathers. up tropical drinks COCONUT CUPS: To serve drinks island style, go all out and use coconut-shell cups. Look for easy crack coconuts (those that have been scored around the center). Crack the shell open by tapping with a hammer at the score line or, if the coconut is unscored, wrap in a towel and whack a few times to break open. For easy removal of white flesh, place coconut halves in preheated 350-degree oven 10 to 15 minutes and then pry off flesh from shell. PINEAPPLE SHELLS: For a festive, showy show·y adj. show·i·er, show·i·est 1. Making an imposing or aesthetically pleasing display; striking: showy flowers. 2. container for a tropical drink or punch, use a pineapple shell. To prepare, cut the top off a whole fresh pineapple, and, using a sharp knife and spoon, scoop out the flesh, leaving the shell intact. Reserve fruit and any juice in refrigerator to use in drinks. Refrigerate shell until serving time. Source: ``Paradise on Ice.'' CAPTION(S): 9 photos, box Photo: (1 -- cover -- color) TAHITIAN SUNSET (2 -- cover -- color) BLUE HAWAII (3 -- cover -- color) TROPICAL ITCH Photos from: ``The Great Tiki Drink Book,'' Ten Speed Press (4 -- color) PEACH DAIQUIRI (5 -- color) STRAWBERRY DAIQUIRI Brittany Murray/Staff Photographer (6 -- color) no caption (``The Great Tiki Drink Book'') (7 -- color) no caption (``Paradise ON ICE'') (8 -- color) COCONUT CUPS (9 -- color) PINEAPPLE SHELLS From ``Paradise on Ice'' Box: How to gussy up tropical drinks (see text) |
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