Day-ahm! I'm bizzy smokin' a beautiful pork roast for dinner tonight and, inspired by this thread over at Tiki Central, I decided to finally give the Zombie Punch recipe in Beachbum Bum Berry's wonderful new book, Sippin' Safari, a whirl. After procuring the necessary ingredients and whipping up a batch of Donn's Mix per the Bum's instructions, I mixed up THE most killer tropical cocktail that I've ever tasted! Mind you, I was already a big fan of the 2nd Zombie recipe in the Bum's Intoxica guide, but this new recipe, literally pickpocketed from one of Donn Beach's original bartenders, is a revelation: tart, spicy, and strong like you wouldn't believe. I couldn't think of a better mug to serve it in that my beloved Steve Crane Outrigger Moai. After drinking this, the legendary two per customer limit seems excessive. My tiki-fied ass has been well and truly kicked.

No, I'm not gonna tell you how to make one. Buy the Bum's book!

[Link: Sippin' Safari]
[Link: Rebirth of the Zombie]

Posted by MrBaliHai at 3:07 PM | Permalink | Comments (4)

The Muppets perform the Hawaiian War Chant [Link][via]

Posted by MrBaliHai at 10:26 AM | Permalink | Comments (4)

Tiki Central member, boutiki, hepped me to this mean-spirited and unfunny local-events column in the Chicago Journal, written by Kristin Gehring, who incredibly, commits the following to print in regards to a tiki-collecting event at the Chicago Antique Market.

"...an idiotic exercise in how to waste time and money while making everyone else think you're gay, if you're straight; or, if you're gay, making you look like an effete poseur."

Ironically, she then goes on to exhort her readers to attend an art exhibit on tolerance. Sounds like she could use some lessons herself, and the Chicago Journal should be ashamed of itself for letting such infantile playground stereotypes past their editors.

In another column, Ms. Hersh writes this delightful bit of tiki bashing:

"We wish we could find the bobble-head Tiki figure that our brother gave us for our birthday last year, after he decided to stop giving us real presents and start giving us funny trinkets instead. Oh that's right, we took it out in the alley and jumped on it repeatedly until it was only faux Polynesian dust."

One wonders if she was perhaps frightened as a child by someone wearing an Evil Tiki Mask? Whatever her problem is, I hope that she finds a therapist who can help her work through this unreasonable hatred she exhibits of a totally harmless hobby. I also feel sorry for her poor brother. It sure must be tough having a sister who stomps on your birthday presents, then writes about it on the web. What a bitch.

[Link: Retro Exotica]
[Link: Don Ho, Don Ho, of to work we go]

Posted by MrBaliHai at 5:56 AM | Permalink | Comments (7)

Beachbum Berry's new book of tropical-cocktail history, Sippin' Safari, showed up on my doorstep yesterday, and I immediately sat down and read the section on the Zombie. As you may recall, I donated a vintage souvenir photograph from the 1939 New York World's Fair to help illustrate it, so the Bum was gracious enough to send me a free copy.

In many ways, it's a big departure from his previous volumes of cocktail recipes. Oh, there's still girly drinks aplenty, but it's also chock full o' full-color photos, illustrations, and snappily written tales of the libational luminaries behind those legendary umbrella drinks. The tale of the Zombie is a knockout bit of mixology detective work, in which the Bum relentlessly (and somewhat drunkenly) tracks down the origins and evolution of Donn Beach's most mysterious concoction.

Those of you who've purchased his previous books may be put off a bit by the switch to a non-spiral binding, as the new style makes it a bit more difficult to lay it open on the bar while you're attempting to follow the recipe. This is a minor quibble, and should not deter you from picking up a copy. I recommend it highly.

[Link: Sippin' Safari]

Unfortunately, I won't be able to try much of it out before I leave for Malaysia this Thursday, and my chances of getting a decent cocktail in that 70% muslim country are slim to none. This will be my 2nd trip, and I'm not looking forward to the 22+ hour plane flight, or the 2 weeks of brutal heat and humidity I'll have to endure. The fact that I got the worst case of food poisoning I've ever had on my last visit there isn't stoking my enthusiasm either. However, I'm better prepared this time with antibiotics and a bunch of oral rehydration packets.

During my absence, blogging will be light to non-existent until the week of July 23rd.Talk amongst yourselves, or visit the many fine blogeurs listed on my sidebars.

Posted by MrBaliHai at 6:47 AM | Permalink | Comments (4)