Aug1

Tiki Ingredients – Round 2

Just when I thought I was making headway in obtaining the final few tiki ingredients to make every exotic cocktail known to man, the Beachbum goes and publishes a new book. To my distress and delight, it contains 11 new ingredients. 11 new ingredients I don’t have. Well, I got some of them.

Before I get to the new ones, though, let me recap what I’ve found from Round 1. Items I’ve obtained have been crossed out. If anyone can motivate me to search out the ones that aren’t, please do so.

Round 1 List

  • Pusser’s Rum
  • Amber Virgin Islands Rum
  • Okolehao
  • Pimento Liqueur (only 1 1/2 months away!)
  • Creme de Cassis (Marie Brizard)
  • Alize Passion Fruit
  • Blackberry Brandy (Marie Brizard)
  • Barenjager
  • Coconut Snow Powder
  • Parfait Amour
  • Guava Nectar
  • Macadamia Nut Liqueur
  • White Cuban Rum
  • Aquavit
  • Van der Hum Liqueur
  • Peach Brandy

Additions via Sippin’ Safari

  • Herbsaint
  • Cinnamon Syrup (homemade with recipe from book)
  • Ginger Syrup (homemade with recipe from book)
  • Vanilla Syrup (Monin – see below)
  • Coffee Syrup (see below)
  • Louisiana Rum
  • Ron Pampero Aniversario
  • Banana Liqueur (Marie Brizard)
  • Appleton Extra dark Jamaican rum
  • Sugar cubes (Where the heck do you get these things?)
  • Lopez Coconut Cream (Wegman’s stopped carrying this in favor of other brands. Any online sources? How does Goya Coconut Cream compare?)
  • Lychee nut juice

Vanilla Syrup

Though I purchased Monin syrup, I wager it is fairly simple to make your own. The ingredient label on the bottle reads: pure cane sugar, water, natural vanilla extract, natural vanilla flavor. It has a good vanilla flavor, but tastes “cooked.” A syrup that is a little brighter and fresh would be an improvement. This recipe is a complete guess, but I wanted to get feedback before making my own.

Homemade Vanilla Syrup

  • 1c sugar
  • 1c water
  • 1 vanilla bean

Split and seed vanilla bean. Add ingredients to a saucepan and bring to a simmer. Cover, and simmer for two minutes. Remove from heat and let steep for 2 hours. Bottle.

Coffee Syrup

I can see Joe Fee cringing as he reads my constant efforts to create my own syrups. I will note, however, that the Beachbum recommends Fee Brother’s Coffee Syrup in Sippin’ Safari. That won’t stop me from trying to make a batch of my own, though. Again, I’m just throwing out a recipe; I want to get feedback from all the syrup wizards out there before giving it a go.

Homemade Coffee Syrup

  • 1c strong coffee
  • 1c sugar

Add ingredients to a saucepan and bring to a simmer. Cover, and simmer for two minutes. Remove from heat and let steep for 2 hours. Bottle.

Did I miss anything in my tiki-infused list of ingredients? Surely there is a rum or syrup I forgot.


23 Responses to “Tiki Ingredients – Round 2”

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23 Comments to “ Tiki Ingredients – Round 2”
  1. Darcy O'NeilNo Gravatar says:

    Ok, the Ron Pampero and Havana Club Cuban rum are both available at the LCBO. We might need to talk trade.

    Coconut Snow Powder: http://www.bulkfoods.com/cooking.asp I’ve ordered stuff from them and they are pleasant to deal with. I actually ordered the Coconut Milk Powder. Lots of other good stuff too.

    Sugar Cubes: Should be at your grocery store, that’s where I get mine.

    Alize Passion Fruit, skip it, you really don’t want to waste your money do you?

    Darcy

  2. Jay HepburnNo Gravatar says:

    Let’s be honest Rick, I think all of us cocktail obsessives would find ourselves hopelessly lost if we found every ingredient we had ever wanted. Half the fun is in the frustration and ultimate euphoria of discovering a long wished-for ingredient…

    Thank for Marie Brizard eh?!

  3. RowenNo Gravatar says:

    Yup–there’s definitely a thrill in the chase. I still light up with remembrance of the day my parfait amour arrived every time I see it in the cupboard. Worth every bit of yearning and searching to finally sip a Jupiter cocktail.

  4. Fassionola!

    Or just some Hawaiian Punch concentrate mixed into a sugar syrup. There’s plenty of that in the Don the Beachcomber book that came out a few years back.

    I’ve got the Alizé, Aniversario is all over the place here, and coco lopez. Hell, give me a shopping list and I’ll get what I can and ship it to you!

    Sugar Cubes you can get at any grocery store. For some real fun though, you can get Demerara sugar cubes at any Peet’s or other tea house.

    Lychees can be found in asian markets, or the asian canned food section. Occassionally at Trader Joe’s.

    I’ve got a big ol’ bottle of Marie Brizzard Parfait Amour. Never had trouble finding the stuff. Believe me, I’m not exactly in liquor paradise here, but occasionally you run into the after effects of a full case order.

    I understand Trader Vic’s is no longer making their Macadamia Nut Liqueur commercially available. Tragic!

    and yes, changed my sig… trying to get into this blogging thing too. Fun!

  5. Rum Hunter RickNo Gravatar says:

    I found Lopez Coconut cream at WinCo Discount Grocery Stores. I’m not sure id=f they are in your area. as a mater of fact I don’t know where your area is?

    Rum Hunter

  6. BrennanNo Gravatar says:

    I prefer Goya over Coco Lopez.. I think Goya is a bit sweeter, but aside from that I haven’t noticed much difference in taste. I haven’t exactly done a side-by-side comparison. However, Goya is always smooth whereas half the time Lopez has settled and ends up clumpy, which in my case results in being tossed in favor of a new can (though I guess a pass in the blender would smooth it back out).

  7. I understand Trader Vic’s is no longer making their Macadamia Nut Liqueur commercially available. Tragic!

    Hmm, when are we gonna figure out how to make our own? :)

  8. Chuck Taggart
    Hmm, when are we gonna figure out how to make our own?

    Well then, that sounds like a challenge I’m willing to face!

    Fine, I guess I’ll have to work on this then. I know of at least one other Macadamia Nut Liqueur on the market but… ho boy, taste sampling ahoy!

    Brennan

    Doesn’t happen to be Lucy Brennan? Anyhow, I haven’t tried Goya, but I follow the beachbum and only vouch for Coco Lopez. My reasoning? Real Coconut. Take a look at Coco de Casa, it’s basically super-thickened coconut syrup. That’s fine for consistency and ease of pouring storage, but for authentic taste and texture, make mine Coco Lopez. Like I say, I haven’t tried Goya, it does appear a bit less pricey (both are available in the Amazon Gourmet section.).

    I’ve found putting up with the separation of the Coco Lopez is worth the effort. I’ve been trying to think of a way to reduce the separation (microwaving always helps, but melts the ice in a drink that much quicker), sounds worthy of experimentation.

  9. Oh, and Rick, you may enjoy this:

    http://www.swankpad.org/drinks/grogalizer/

    Check off the ingredients you have, and find out what you can make from Jeff “Beachbum” Berry’s books. I don’t think Sippin’ Safari has been put in yet though.

  10. ScottesNo Gravatar says:

    The Ron Pampero Anniversario is an excellent sipping rum. It’s definitely in my top ten, and highly recommended.

  11. MarleighNo Gravatar says:

    Oh, Parfait Amour! You have to get some. I love it very much, and Doc’s recipes reference it more than once, so you’ll get plenty of use out of it.

    I don’t know when the news that Trader Vic’s Macadamia Nut Liqueur is going off the market hit, but I bought some last Saturday at BevMo. They still have it available online here

  12. Dr. BambooNo Gravatar says:

    Does Giant Eagle have any stores near you? They carry Lopez coconut cream. Also, I’ve seen aquavit locally- is there a specific brand you’re looking for? I also think I can get you some lychee nut juice at some of the Asian grocers nearby. Lemme know if you want me to pick up any of these for ya.

  13. Marleigh

    Alas, I no longer live in CA, confined to the whims of the OLCC (Oregon Liquor Control Commission).

    I do still have friends there though. I’ll buy their two stock and have it transported. Thanks for the tip!

  14. MarleighNo Gravatar says:

    Blair—No problem. Glad to be of help.

    If anyone else needs macadamia liqueur, my boyfriend’s store had about six in when I picked mine up, and I’d be glad to send some off to other Bum fans in need.

  15. TonyNo Gravatar says:

    It may be a sissy drink to some, but I absolutely love Bacardi’s pre-mixed Zombie.
    Is there anyone out there that either has the recipe or knows the recipe that tastes most like it?
    I would love to be able to make these myself instead of forking over $15 for a 1.75 litre.

  16. JoeNo Gravatar says:

    Rick, I can probably get you Lychee syrup from the same place I get you the Passion Fruit Syrup. There’s also probably cans of juice I can grab too at stores…just let me know. Though, you’ll have to wait until Dec or so.

    I also think I’ve seen Alize Passion Fruit here, but I would agree with the “why waste your money” comment.

    I’ll keep an eye open for Mac Nut Liquor…maybe Big Island will have some somewhere…

  17. Oo, I’m excited for all the new recipes this will mean!

  18. DeanNo Gravatar says:

    Okolehao is no longer being produced, but there are constant rumors of its imminent re-introduction. I’ve stopped holding my breath. I’m afraid it’s permanently on you list (unless you find a vintage bottle).

  19. I get Coco Lopez at my local Food Emporium, if you have one of those near you.

  20. RickNo Gravatar says:

    Darcy, A trade is in order! I can acquire any spirit you can find in Pennsylvania. Eric Seed, from our tasting, is filling out the paperwork to ship to PA too! Thanks for the coconut milk powder, though I’m not sure what I’d do with 5 pounds of it!

    Jay , I couldn’t agree more. Exotic cocktails attain a healthy portion of their mystique from hard-to-find ingredients. Are there any other companies out there besides Marie Brizard that produce such a wide variety of high-quality liqueurs?

    Blair, It appears that you can find fun spirits in excess of any abilities I possess. I am more than excited about the parfait amour. Please send me an email, and we’ll work out a fine order.

    And thanks for the link to the grogalizer; it has been in my bookmark list for some time.

    Brennan, I have a can of Goya sitting on my bar. I’ll be giving a try in the near future. I don’t mind Lopez’s clumpiness, as it’s tastiness far outweighs the work involved.

    Chuck, Your sugar cubes have nearly caused me to go on an Amazon shopping spree. I was able to withstand the evil lure, but have added them to my shopping cart for a future purchase. Thanks! This brings me to a good question:

    What are your favorite drinks that involve sugar cubes?

    Scottes, I did a search for the Ron Pampero in the PA system and came up with only this: “PAMPERO RUM” 80 proof and $25. Any idea if this could be the same thing?

    Marleigh (and others), What exotic cocktails do you use macadamia nut liqueur in? Any non-tiki drinks?

    Joe, All the missed comments, Phew! If I’ve missed anyone’s comments or anyone else has a question or comment, post it!

  21. DeanNo Gravatar says:

    There’s a drink recipe thread on Tiki Central for mac nut liqueur:

    http://www.tikiroom.com/tikicentral/bb/viewtopic.php?mode=viewtopic&topic=14977&forum=10&start=15&hilite=macadamia

    Pablus left this one, based on the “Prince Kuhio” he had at The Plantation in Kauai:

    2 oz Macadamia Nut Liqueur
    1.5 oz Amber Rum
    2 oz pineapple
    .75 oz of OJ
    dash of marischino syrup
    teaspoon of lemon juice

    No directions on preparation – I’d guess shaken and served with crushed ice.

    Pablus used the Kahana Royale brand mac nut liqueur – I’ve never tried it, but it will likely be an improvement over Trader Vic’s, which really doesn’t taste of macadamias. There’s a nutty flavor, and a mac fragrance, but it’s not very powerful. Tastes a lot like Kahlua, to be honest.

  22. ScottesNo Gravatar says:

    Rick,

    $25 seems a little cheap for the Anniversario, but if it comes in a leather bag that is the stuff.

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Kaiser Penguin is a cocktail blog featuring original recipes, homemade ingredients, classic cocktails, and tiki drinks.

Why on Earth did you name your blog “Kaiser Penguin?”

It is a well-known fact that penguins are members of high society and enjoy fine cocktails. Our very own kaiser penguin would like me to mention that he also enjoys various treats from the sea.

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