Category: Recipe

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Kamala Mai Tai

Re-remembering the family background of presumptive Democratic nominee Vice-President Kamala Harris made me think of making a tribute recipe for this Oakland native based on the Mai Tai, Oakland’s most famous cocktail. Harris’ parents are from Jamaica and India, so the rum ratios for a Mai Tai naturally fell into place.

Kamala Mai Tai by Kevin Crossman
1 oz Lime Juice
½ oz Orgeat
¼ oz Demerara Syrup
½ oz Orange Curacao
1 oz Oakland Rum (Wright & Brown)
½ oz Indian Rum (Amrut Two Indies)
½ oz Jamaica Rum (Worthy Park 109)

This was a really good Mai Tai, with the Jamaica rum presenting itself up front and a long finish with the barrel notes from the aged Wright & Brown from Oakland. I know most folks don’t have this rum, but if you want it to be authentic it has to come from Oakland.

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Kriss’ Fresh Custom Mai Tai at Oakland’s Kon-Tiki

This was a definite highlight of my visit to Kon-Tiki this week. Bartender Kriss Cucuy made a Mai Tai with a custom and interesting rum blend that included Hamilton Jamaican Pot Still Blonde, Copalli White cane juice rum from Belize, Ak Zanj aged rum from Haiti, and Alma Finca orange liqueur from Mexico. The fresh flavors from the Copalli cane juice rum really worked with the aged rums from Haiti and Jamaica.

I asked Kriss if this blend had a name and maybe he’s got one now but if he’s behind the stick at The Kon-Tiki just ask nicely for this amazing blend and you’ll have a fab Mai Tai that’s among my top of 2024.

Edit: Kriss says this is called “Brujo’s Mai Tai”.

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Blue Mai Tai for July 4th

There were a couple parties last night that I could have attended but wasn’t feeling great. All the fireworks going off in our neighborhood were disturbing, including some that went off right over our house thanks to neighbors. I really hate the 4th of July.

The Mai Tai was the consolation prize.

Blue Mai Tai
1 oz Lime Juice
½ oz Orgeat (Latitude 29)
¼ oz Simple Syrup
½ oz Giffard Blue Curacao
½ oz Rum Fire Overproof Jamaica Rum
1 oz Leblon Cachaça
Shake with crushed ice and garnish with mint.

Normally I make this with the overproof as the featured spirit, but wanted to see if the more savory Cachaça flavors would come through in this format and they surely did. Still very flavorful and leaning sweet (omit the Simple to reduce sweetness).

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Recipe: Fog of Saturn

This is my take on a Fog Cutter, incorporating Passionfruit Syrup and an orange liqueur to replace some of the juice elements. Clearly influenced by another all-time gin classic, the Saturn.

Fog of Saturn
1 oz Lime Juice
⅔ oz Orgeat (Latitude 29)
¼ oz Passionfruit Syrup (Liber)
¼ oz Cointreau
1½ oz London Dry Gin (Beefeater)
2 dash Orange Bitters
Shake with ice and float 1½ oz Cream Sherry (Harvey’s Bristol Cream)

Some might object to the amount of sherry being used here, but to me I love the combination of the sherry with the tropical elements and the gin.

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Chinola Mango Daiquiri

Heard about Chinola‘s new Mango Liqueur on the Make & Drink YouTube channel and I can honestly say this Mango Daiquiri is a delight. Very fruity that leans subtly sweet with just a bit of tart aftertaste from the lime and liqueur. Really nice, and worked equally well with both Havana Club 3 and also Trader Vic’s White Rum.



Chinola Mango Daiquiri
1 oz Chinola Mango Liqueur
1 oz light rum
¾ oz lime Jjuice
½ oz simple syrup
Shake with ice and strain.

You might go a little tad heavy on the simple syrup but overall I was quite impressed.

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Bali Hai Sells 3 Millionth Mai Tai (with Recipe)

Congrats to San Diego’s Bali Hai Restaurant, a longtime institution located on scenic Shelter Island. The venue’s infamous Mai Tai is known to be extraordinarily potent, advertised as not being made with any juice. It’s basically rum in a glass with little splashes of traditional Mai Tai ingredients.

The 3 millionth Mai Tai was recently sold at Bali Hai, which has a ticker inside the restaurant showing how many they’ve sold. Quite a milestone for such a noteworthy entrant in the lore of the Mai Tai.

People often ask how this is made, so we present the recipe that tastes like the real thing.

Bali Hai Mai Tai
½ oz Sweet and Sour Mix (or ¼ oz Lemon Juice and ¼ oz Simple Syrup)
¼ oz Orgeat
¼ oz Triple Sec
2½ oz Cruzan Light Rum
2½ oz Coruba Dark Jamaican Rum
Shake with ice

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RIP Steven Liles

Today we learned the sad news that legendary San Francisco bartender Steven Liles had passed away. Liles was a fixture at Smuggler’s Cove for more than a decade, recently departing and working elsewhere in the City.

I was always in awe of Liles’ seemingly effortless bartending skills, and he was always had a friendly wink when we’d visit the Cove. He was very accommodating when I last saw him there, where he skillfully blended two rums for an awesome Mai Tai and even better conversation. Sincere condolences to friends and loved ones who knew Steven better than I did. Smuggler’s Cove announced the passing.

As a tribute, I made one of Liles’ recipes, the RongoRongo. Quite tropical and easy to drink.

RongoRongo by Steven Liles
¾ oz Lime Juice
1 oz Pineapple Juice
¾ oz Cinnamon Syrup
¾ oz Planteray OFTD Rum
1 oz Planteray Siggins’ Fancy Pineapple Rum
1 oz Aged Rum (Real McCoy 5)
1 dash Angostura Bitters

Flash blend with 1 cup of ice for 5 seconds. Serve in Pilsner glass and garnish with orchid, pineapple leaf, and swizzle stick.