Editor’s note: This month, Glady’s beverage director and Collective member Shannon Mustipher is building on her rum expertise with the release of her new book Tiki: Modern Tropical Cocktails. It shares her personal take on said drinks with dozens beautiful photos and accessible recipes for about every crowd size. Sure, there might be some unfamiliar tips and tricks in here (raise your hand if you’ve made your own dehydrated pineapple wedge), but isn’t that part of the fun?
First served at the House Without a Key bar at the famed Halekulani resort on Waikiki, Hawaii, this is the perfect gateway drink for those who are new to or hesitant to try Tiki. Think of it as a punchier Whiskey Sour, with additional layers of fruit and spices to add a dash of beach-resort flavor.
Consider, too, that this template works beautifully as a bowl or punch and will satisfy drinkers of just about any persuasion. To scale this cocktail up to any size, use the same ratios—here, 4:1:1:1:1—for the primary components. The grenadine and Angostura function like salt and pepper in that a little can go a long way. Start with 1 ounce of each, then serve with dashes of each to add a “pinch” more according to taste. —Shannon Mustipher
INGREDIENTS
1½ ounces overproof bourbon
½ ounce Demerara syrup (see below) 1 barspoon grenadine
½ ounce pineapple juice
½ ounce fresh orange juice
½ ounce fresh lemon juice
1 dash Angostura bitters
Garnish: dehydrated pineapple wedge (see below) and dehydrated citrus wheel (see below)
DIRECTIONS
Combine all in a shaker with cubed ice. Shake and fine strain into a chilled coupe. Garnish with a dehydrated pineapple wedge and dehydrated blood orange or lemon wheel.
Demerara syrup:
Demerara syrup has an earthy flavor and more vibrant body, making it ideal for drinks with a dark spirit base. Since the golden brown grains of Demerara sugar are larger than granulated sugar crystals, the syrup, while flavorful, is actually less sweet than simple syrup. Keep in the refrigerator for 3 to 4 weeks.
Dehydrated pineapple wedge:
Arguably, the noncitrus fruit best suited to garnish Tiki cocktails has to be pineapple. With a sharp chef ’s knife, slice thin slices or rounds from a ripe pineapple, leaving peel and core intact; known as a pineapple chip, these are usually pliable enough to fit into a round glass and will add a subtle sweetness to the cocktail. Peel and cut wedges from thicker slices to garnish the edge of a glass or mug. To dehydrate pineapple, preheat oven to 225°. Peel and remove eyes from 1 ripe pineapple, then thinly slice crosswise and cut into desired shape. Place fruit in a single layer on a wire rack set in a baking sheet and bake, turning once, until dried to the touch and lightly golden brown, about 1 hour.
Dehydrated citrus wheels:
Dehydrated citrus wheels add a striking visual element as well as a subtler, more concentrated flavor to drinks and punches, especially as the liquid starts to rehydrate the dried fruit. Preheat your oven to 200° and slice fruit into ¼-inch-thick wheels. Arrange slices in a single layer on a wire rack set on a baking sheet and bake until dry to the touch, turning occasionally, about 2 to 3 hours for lemon, lime, blood oranges, and up to 4 hours for larger fruit.
Reprinted from Tiki: Modern Tropical Cocktails, Rizzoli, 2019
