Remixed: Astro Aku Aku
In case you didn’t catch my last post, I’m blogging my way through Beachbum Berry Remixed. This kraken-filled quest will surely reef half my warships and turn even the stoutest of crewmates into amorphous blobs of rum and falernum by journey’s end… but every look into my spyglass reveals a horizon filled with tiki pleasure, so onward we go!
Astro Aku Aku
- 1 1/2oz gold Puerto Rican rum (Cruzan dark)
- 1oz Lemon Hart 151
- 1 1/2oz lime juice
- 1oz papaya nectar (Looza – papaya nectar brand comparison)
- 1/2oz apricot nectar (Looza or Ceres – apricot nectar brand comparison)
- 1/2oz rich falernum
- 1/2oz simple syrup
- 1 dash Angostura bitters
Shake with 4oz crushed ice and donate to clear mug.
Notes:
- To Blend or Shake? Shaking with crushed ice rather than blending yields nearly the same result, with only a slight bit less aeration. It is my preferred lazy method, and I’m sure plenty of tiki-minded folks would agree.
- A richer-than-normal falernum really showcases the papaya and apricot nectars. Below is a recipe for a quick falernum that only takes an hour or so from start to finish. It has no rum in it and has won several blind taste tests, even pitted against the traditional overproof rum-soaked method.
Rich Falernum
- 2T cloves
- 2T allspice
- 1 stick canela cinnamon
- 1 whole nutmeg
- 1/4c ginger, julienned
- zest of 4 limes
- 2c cane sugar
- 1c water
- 5 drops almond extract
Toast spices until slightly darker than you think they should be, but not burnt. Bash up or whirl in a coffee grinder. Add remaining ingredients (save the almond extract) to a saucepan and bring to a simmer over medium-high heat. Simmer for one minute. Remove from the stove and let cool to room temperature. Strain and add the almond extract.
The color of liquid magma belies the cooling nature of this exotic festival of fruity falernumness. And as the first recipe in Beachbum Berry Remixed, it practically defines tiki with its use of multiple rums, exotic fruits, and a mysteriously pungent syrup. But we’ll argue about what defines tiki in a future post…
KP Question
- What are your favorite brands of nectar?
This post is part of the insane series, “Remixed: From Astro to Zadar” featuring recipes, brand recommendations, tips, and cuddly narwhals to help you navigate the quintessential tiki tome, Beachbum Berry Remixed.
7 Responses to “Remixed: Astro Aku Aku”
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Favorite nectars are definitely Looza, no question. Ceres has its points, but is sweetened with other fruit juices, which makes the passion, for example, sort of pear-ish.
Looza only comes in the giant bottles here, so I’m pretty much stuck with Goya. or Kern’s. They work well enough, although I don’t have much of a basis of comparison.
You finally posted your new falernum recipe! I shall be making this forthwith.
I’m very skeptical about this falernum-to-go, but I’ll be making some tonight…
Looza passion fruit is excellent – makes a great cold process syrup which approximates the old Trader Vic’s PF Syrup (pre-artificial ingredient version).
[…] recipe here. note, the key flavor is clove. the remaining flavors are optional. in order of importance: lime […]
I don’t go in for non-alcoholic falernums really. I may give this one a try, but right now in my head all I can think is “Where’s the rum?”