Royal Hawaiian Scratch Mai Tai

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No one knows for sure who produced the first Mai Tai. The Mai Tai's creator may still be dubious but there is little debate on the deliciousness of the drink itself. Don the Beachcomber and Trader Vic each alleged to be the inventor of the colorful rum cocktail. Both were creating rum cocktails using similar ingredients, but Victor Bergeron claims he created the drink for his Tahitian friends in his Oakland Trader Vic's restaurant.

According to many historical accounts, upon serving the rum potion to his friends, they exclaimed "Mai tai- roa ae" which means "out of this world, the best." Don the Beachcomber, whose Hollywood Tiki-style bar was serving up his own rum creations, called his version The Original Beachcomber Rum Concoction.

On a recent visit to the Royal Hawaiian Hotel, I was schooled on the history and the proper way to make a Mai Tai. According to our bartender, Victor Bergeron was hired to create 10 drinks for the bars at the Royal Hawaiian Hotel but the one that caught on was the Mai Tai. To that end, The Mai Tai Bar was established and has been operating on Waikiki beach ever since. It is funny that a drink created in Oakland (or Hollywood, if you believe the Don the Beachcomber story) took root and became THE Polynesian drink of the Hawaiian Islands.

To make a proper Mai Tai, use an Old Fashioned glass. The classic Mai Tai combination always includes rum, French almond syrup (Orgeat) and orange Curacao. The recipe below is from The Mai Tai Bar at the Royal Hawaiian Hotel and is called Scratch because it is made from scratch. Once you get the hang of it, you can create your own Mai Tai style cocktail and perhaps you will become the next Trader Vic...or Don the Beachcomber! Serve these very potent drinks with assorted nuts, macadamia nuts, or Japanese rice crackers. A platter of chilled shrimp with cocktail sauce is also a nice accompaniment.

SCRATCH MAI TAI

1 ounce Barcardi Silver rum

1/2 ounce Orgeat syrup

1/2 ounce orange Curaco

1 ounce orange juice

2 ounces pineapple juice

1/2 ounce. Whalers dark rum

1. Combine all of the ingredients except the Whalers Dark Rum in an old-fashioned style glass over shaved ice. Carefully pour the dark rum on top (called a floater).

2. Garnish with a pineapple wedge and a parasol with a skewered Maraschino cherry and fresh lime wedge.

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Royal Hawaiian Scratch Mai Tai

(c) 2009, Diane Rossen Worthington