The Hukilau: Thursday through Sunday, June 6-9, 2013, at the Sheraton Fort Lauderdale Beach Hotel (Yankee Clipper), Best Western Oceanside, and The Mai-Kai restaurant. Schedule and more info at TheHukilau.com and Facebook.
Previous post: It’s all about the rum: Where to find best cocktails at The Hukilau

Jeff “Beachbum” Berry (right) and Hurricane Hayward enjoy their classic Mutiny cocktails in The Mai-Kai gardens. (Photo by Susan Hayward, April 2013)

Interview by Jim “Hurricane” Hayward

1. If you could transport yourself for one night back in time to any Tiki bar or restaurant, what would it be and when?

“That would be Don the Beachcomber’s in 1934: Ground zero, the big bang, the creation of the Tiki bar as we know it – by Donn, right after Prohibition. I would have loved to have seen what that was like.”

2. If Food Network or the Travel Channel came to you and said, “Pitch us a show about tropical drinks,” what would you suggest?

“I would suggest that they just take their suggestion and shove it. Because none of those channels, none of those hosts, none of that garbage is about what these places are about. What these places are about is “aloha,” it’s about the spirit of true hospitality, of welcoming, of making you feel important, of making you feel good. All of these TV channels traffic in all of this competition bullshit, where restaurants are not places to go to relax and unwind. Where you get stressed out and compete against your fellow chefs or bartenders. I hate all that. That’s the antithesis of the true spirit of hospitality, of genteel camaraderie, of going to a place to exchange confidences and emotions, and happy experiences with people that you either know or you’ve met at these places. It’s not about competition, it’s not about who’s the best, it’s not about some guy with spiked hair telling you about the awesomeness of the food. That’s just artificial garbage. … All these people are self-appointed experts. They don’t know anything about anything.”

Beachbum Berry mixes a classic Zombie at one of his symposiums at The Mai-Kai. (Photo by Hurricane Hayward, April 2011)

3. What can we expect from the new book?

“The new book is called Potions of the Caribbean: 500 Years of Tropical Drinks and the People Behind Them. It’s a big, big, big book for me. It’s a real departure. It covers five centuries of drink history. I start off in 1492 with Columbus and what his sailors were drinking, and with what the Indians that they met were drinking. I take it all the way through the 18th century, 19th century, into Cuba during Prohibition, all the way up to Jimmy Buffett and boat drinks in the 1990s. That’s 500 years of history. It was a huge undertaking and it took me several years. Originally, the first 300 years was going to be just one chapter. But it ended up being three chapters because there was just so much stuff I found. You couldn’t explain the stuff I was into – 20th century tropical drinks, Tiki, Donn Beach and Trader Vic, or even Prohibition-era Havana – without going into detail about the 1600s, 1700s and 1800s. So that became a much bigger undertaking. It’s sort of like an epic story now. I can’t wait for it to come out and see what people think. I hope it delivers. The reason I wrote it was there wasn’t really a book that was only about Caribbean drinks. There were books where you would get one chapter about it, or three or four recipes. But when I found out that all Tiki drinks come from the Caribbean, and that’s where Donn and Vic went for inspiration, that’s where I went. I went to the Caribbean. And it was a huge subject. Much bigger than I ever thought it was going to be.

4. What so-called classic Tiki drink do you hate?

What I hate is a non-Tiki drink that’s been associated with Tiki drinks. I hate the Piña Colada. I know it’s fashionable for cocktail geeks, connoisseurs and aficionados to bash the Piña Colada – so it makes me feel guilty for joining their ranks – but the fact is that it’s not a balanced tropical drink. It’s all sweet. There’s no sour, there’s no citrus component to balance out all that sweet. That’s fine for what it is: It’s a dessert drink. Think of it as a pineapple-coconut milkshake. And that’s great. But for some reason it’s been included as a Tiki drink in most menus. By the 1970s, even Trader Vic and Don the Beachcomber put it on their menus, even though they knew damn well it wasn’t a Tiki drink. But the popularity of it meant they had to put it on their menus. So, for me, I really object to that drink being part of the Tiki canon because it’s not a Tiki drink. Granted, it is a true Caribbean drink. It was invented by a Caribbean bartender in the Caribbean, I’ll give it that. But it’s still completely unbalanced. At dessert, it’s great. As a balanced cocktail, it’s a complete failure. And I don’t like seeing it among the Tiki drinks that succeed as a balanced drink.

Hurricane Hayward interviews Beachbum Berry beneath one of The Mai-Kai’s giant Tikis. (Photo by Susan Hayward, April 2013)

5. What’s your favorite Mai-Kai drink and why?

I love the Deep Sea Diver because of the honey butter mix. And I love so many other drinks because of how great they are. But there are two I always go to. Can I make it two favorites? They’re pretty much variations on the same theme. It’s a theme that Mariano (Licudine, original Mai-Kai mixologist) created, that neither Donn Beach nor Trader Vic nor anyone who came before Mariano can lay claim to. Mariano thought to put coffee in a tropical drink, and it just knocks it out of the park. For me, the Mutiny and the Black Magic are two beautiful tropical drinks that Mariano created specifically for The Mai-Kai that did not exist before The Mai-Kai that for me define The Mai-Kai. Every time I think of The Mai-Kai, I think of either the Black Magic or the Mutiny. The Mutiny is a little fruitier, a little bit more passion fruit-forward version of the Black Magic, which is more coffee-forward. They’re both big snifter drinks with coffee in them. Each one, depending on my mood, is the one I’ll order.

Get updates on Jeff’s adventures and his upcoming book at BeachbumBerry.com.

Related Atomic Grog stories
* Zombie alert: 5 crucial things you need to know about the deadly cocktail
* Audio slideshow: Hukilau 2011 cocktail contest was a Barrel of fun
* Beachbum Berry digs deep to unearth vintage Zombies
* Rum Rat Pack starts a revolution at Hukilau 2011
* The Hukilau crowns a Rum Barrel Master Mixologist
* We be Jammin: Rum Renaissance Zombie fest at The Mai-Kai
* All posts on Beachbum Berry

More on The Mai-Kai
* Mai-Kai Cocktail Guide | Tropical drink family tree
* Heeeeeeere’s the rich history and lost stories of The Mai-Kai
* Exclusive tour of The Mai-Kai’s bars and kitchen
* Interview with General Manager Kern Mattei

Take 5
* See our other interviews

Of course, there’s a lot more to The Hukilau – the annual celebration of mid-century Polynesian Pop culture that invades Fort Lauderdale this week – than drinking rum. But for many, it’s one of the highlights.

The Hukilau’s Tiki Treasures Bazaar offers a variety of mugs and glassware for sale.

And with time and money sometimes limited, it’s necessary to get the most out of your imbibing experience. So with that in mind, here’s a quick rundown of what to expect at the various venues and The Atomic Grog’s picks for best bets if you’re looking for an authentic tropical drink while enjoying all the festivities. Click on our prior coverage for a complete overview of the event, or check out the official website:

The Hukilau: Thursday through Sunday, June 6-9, 2013, at the Sheraton Fort Lauderdale Beach Hotel (Yankee Clipper), Best Western Oceanside, and The Mai-Kai restaurant. Schedule and more info at TheHukilau.com and Facebook.
Previous posts: A locals guide to The Hukilau
The Hukilau announces new merchandise, sponsors

This list includes all the “official” venues for cocktails during The Hukilau’s events. Those in the know will also have the opportunity to check out private parties in guests’ hotel rooms with drinks that rival any bar in quality and authenticity. We’ll leave you to your own devices in finding these spots, but don’t be shy in seeking them out. Some of the most talented Tiki mixologists in the country may be showing off their skills.

THE SHERATON YANKEE CLIPPER

The official host hotel will be transformed into a Tiki mecca all week, with the Tiki Treasures Bazaar offering goods from vendors from across the world. While you’re browsing the booths, be sure to keep an eye out for special sample cocktails featuring sponsor Barritt’s Ginger Beer on Friday (not Thursday as originally announced). These original drinks will also feature some fine rums and are the handiwork of Basement Kahuna, The Hukilau’s vendor coordinator and chief cocktail maven.

The classic Chief Lapu Lapu cocktail is served at the Wreck Bar. (Photo by Hurricane Hayward)

Also on Friday, between 2 and 5 p.m., head over to the Angostura Rum and Bitters booth in the bazaar for a sampling of cocktails from the sponsor’s brand ambassador, David Delaney. He’s an award-winning mixologist from Massachusetts who won a $10,000 contest last year that earned him his brand ambassador status for a year.

Exclusive for The Hukilau this week, the Yankee Clipper will have not one but two special cocktail menus at three of its bars around the hotel. The poolside bar, the bar at the Dos Caminos restaurant near the lobby, and the famous Wreck Bar that hosts daily shows by Marina the Fire Eating Mermaid and friends all will serve a selection of tropical drinks selected by The Hukilau and the Yankee Clipper and featuring Barritt’s Ginger Beer and Fee Brothers specialty syrups.

Look for the menu pictured above and ask for one of these tropical concoctions: Chief Lapu Lapu (rums, lemon, OJ, passion frut), Scorpion Bowl (Trader Vic’s classic mix of rums, juices, orgeat and brandy), Black Pearl (a creamy rum and coconut concoction), and Dark & Stormy (the classic rum and ginger beer drink). Also, the debut of the Barritt’s Ginger Beer cocktails was delayed until Friday. Look for this sign at the same three bars mentioned above and check out these great unique selections: The Bermuda Sloop (featuring Ron Diplomatico rum and Barritt’s), Barritt’s Rickey (Barritt’s, maraschino liqueur, El Dorado Demerara rum), Bermuda Julep (Barritt’s, Evan Williams bourbon, and The Lost Squadron (Barritt’s, Smith & Cross Jamaican rum, El Dorado Demerara rum, Benedictine). Click here to see the recipes.

THE MAI-KAI

The venerable Polynesian restaurant on Federal Highway, around 6 miles northwest of the Yankee Clipper, hosts several special events including tonight’s Official After Party at 9 p.m. sponsored by Deadhead Rum. Look for the special menu at right containing four unique cocktails created for the event. Three come from a crew of New York City mixologists that includes Val Gonzalez of Tiki bar PNKY and Brian Miller of the roving weekly party Tiki Mondays with Miller. Check out the Chinatown Daiquiri (Deadhead, lime, ginger, honey), Don’t Lose Your Head (Deadhead, orgeat, cinnamon), and Pain Thrilla (Deadhead, pineapple, lemon). Also featured will be the winner of The Hukilau’s Deadhead Rum Cocktail Contest, Tukupi’s Cup (Deadhead, lime, passion fruit). In addition, The Mai-Kai will be offering special Mai Tais with sponsor rum Ron Diplomatico throughout the event.

But the main attraction is undoubtedly the “regular” menu. As most tropical drink aficionados are well aware, The Mai-Kai is the mecca for classic, authentic cocktails that date back more than a half-century. The vintage menu includes perhaps the best Tiki cocktails in the world, a vast list of 49 drinks, many direct descendants of pioneering mixologist Don the Beachcomber’s recipes from the 1930s and ’40s. You’ll want to take your time and explore this menu in depth, so be sure to budget enough time and money for The Mai-Kai. The Hukilau has events there on Thursday, Saturday and Sunday. Or you can take a reconnaissance mission on Friday. Also note that the hours at the restaurant’s elaborately themed Molokai bar are extended (late Thursday and Saturday, early Sunday) during The Hukilau.

The Atomic Grog offers many resources to help you better understand and appreciate The Mai-Kai’s cocktails. The Mai-Kai Cocktail Guide (aka Okole Maluna Society) is a vast collection of reviews and recipes. We offer in-depth analysis, photos and details on every drink on the menu, plus 11 “lost cocktails” from the past. There are 84 recipes broken down by “authentic,” “ancestor” and “tribute.” While many of the recipes are closely guarded secrets, we’ve been able to track down a large number of the original Don the Beachcomber recipes (thanks to cocktail historian and author Jeff “Beachbum” Berry) and also have a wide assortment of our own concoctions that come close to approximating The Mai-Kai’s unique flavor profile. If you’re a rum fancier, you’ll want to check out this guide to cocktails containing the rare Lemon Hart Demerara rum, which just returned to The Mai-Kai’s menu after The Hukilau last year. Those returning for the first time since last year are urged to try these classics that have returned to their original glory.

And as a gesture of appreciation to The Hukilau villagers, The Mai-Kai will be hosting a special post-event party on Sunday from 3 to 7 p.m. after the screening of the documentary Plastic Paradise (see flyer above). Happy hour prices will be in effect and for the first time in decades three “lost cocktails” from the original 1956 menu will be available. Several of these have been featured at special events over the past year but not on this wide a scale. And one of the three has not been served since the 1980s. It should be a treat for Tiki cocktail geeks. In fact, that’s the definition of the entire four-day weekend.

Okole maluna!

Hukilau links
TheHukilau.com | Facebook page | Facebook group | YouTube | Event photos

The Hukilau has become a Fort Lauderdale institution, an annual bacchanalia of Tiki culture that draws devotees from around the globe for four days of revelry. The throngs of “villagers” are easy to spot on the south end of tourist-laden State Road A1A. Sporting Hawaiian shirts, exotic tattoos and toting Tiki mugs, they certainly let their passion show.

The Hukilau: Thursday through Sunday, June 6-9, 2013, at the Sheraton Fort Lauderdale Beach Hotel (Yankee Clipper), Best Western Oceanside, and The Mai-Kai restaurant. Tickets, schedule and updates at TheHukilau.com and Facebook.
Previous post: The Hukilau gears up with new merchandise, sponsors, entertainment

The 12th annual event – set for this week at two beachside hotels and the legendary Mai-Kai restaurant – could be daunting to the newbie or casual observer. So, for those who just want to get their feet wet in this ocean of Tiki madness, here’s what to look for:

A view from the Wreck Bar of Marina the Fire Eating Mermaid performing at The Hukilau in 2012. (Photo by Go11Media.com)

* The Sheraton (aka Yankee Clipper) – home of Marina the Fire Eating Mermaid (Medusirena) and her underwater swim shows in the Wreck Bar – is ground zero. Rooms are sold out, but the neighboring Best Western and other nearby hotels are fine for a “staycation.” Marina and her “pod of aquaticats” perform late night Thursday (1 a.m.), 11:30 p.m. Friday and 12:30 p.m. Saturday.

* You don’t need a room or an all-access pass to enjoy the party. Various tickets are available for events at The Yankee Clipper, most including access to the art show and Tiki Treasures Bazaar. For the first time, the bazaar will be free and open to the public Saturday afternoon. A four-day “Aloha Pass” is $95, while a three-day pass is $75. Thursday night’s Kickoff Party (featuring Miami’s Gold Dust Lounge is $27 while the Friday night Main Event (featuring Ìxtahuele, The Ding Dong Devils, The Hula Girls, King Kukulele, DJs and more) costs $40. Tickets will be available at The Hukilau registration desk in the Yankee Clipper lobby on Thursday (noon to 10 p.m.) and Friday (10 a.m. to 10 p.m.).

Miami’s Gold Dust Lounge will perform at the Thursday night Kickoff Party at the Yankee Clipper.

* Eclectic music sets the mood, and The Hukilau offers a rare chance to catch Ìxtahuele (Sweden), The Ding Dong Devils (California), The Hula Girls (California), The Intoxicators (Tallahassee), and The NovaRays (Orlando). South Florida is represented by Gold Dust Lounge and Deerfield Beach’s Skinny Jimmy & the Stingrays. Performances are poolside at the Yankee Clipper on Thursday and Friday, and also at The Mai-Kai on Thursday, Saturday and Sunday. Check the online schedule for venues and times.

* Your admission also gets you access to the Tiki Treasures Bazaar, open from 6-9 p.m. Thursday and 10 a.m.-7 p.m. Friday in one of the Sheraton’s ballrooms. And Saturday’s 10 a.m.-4 p.m. session is absolutely free. Check out dozens of vendors from all over the world, have a cocktail or two (look for the special samples from noted mixologists) and chat up some of the VIPs. Though all the educational symposiums are sold out, you’re likely to run into friendly folks such as tropical drink guru Jeff “Beachbum” Berry and tattoo artist and historian Paul Roe mingling throughout the festival. The bazaar will also host a memorabilia signing by pioneering pin-up photographer Bunny Yeager on Saturday at 1 p.m. and a special Tiki art show, Bon Voyage: Sailing the South Seas, all weekend. The show will benefit Abandoned Pet Rescue of Fort Lauderdale.

DJs James Brown’s Sweat, Action Pat and Sensitive Side at one of their Molokai bar bashes.

* Farther inland, The Mai-Kai hosts events on Thursday, Saturday and Sunday. Sure, we enjoy this Polynesian paradise year-round, but the vibe and energy is unique during The Hukilau. Check out the Thursday night Official After Party at 9 p.m. sponsored by Deadhead Rum and featuring live surf music by The Intoxicators and special guest DJs James Brown’s Sweat, Sensitive Side, and Action Pat. This South Florida trio has raised roof at The Molokai bar before with their hip-shaking blend of R&B, garage, rockabilly and other tunes, so we know the dance floor will be filled. Admission is $10 at the door, free for those with a multi-day wristband from The Hukilau.

On Saturday, you can still reserve a seat for the second dinner seating featuring The Mai-Kai’s famed Polynesian Islander Revue. The performers always put on a special show for The Hukilau, and the first seating is already sold out. If you prefer, have dinner in one of the smaller dining rooms, outside in the lush Tiki garden or just hang out in the distinctive Molokai bar and check out the bands. The Ding Dong Devils, The Hula Girls, and The Intoxicators will be playing in the bar while Ìxtahuele and The NovaRays will set up in the Tahiti dining room. Be aware that unless you have a wristband from The Hukilau, it will cost $10 to enter. Call (954) 563-3272 for dinner reservations.

Skinny Jimmy & the Stingrays will perform during Sunday’s closing festivities.

If you can drag yourself back after Saturday’s night bash (and we strongly encourage you to do so), you’ll find more fun at The Mai-Kai on Sunday. Live music kicks off in The Molokai at noon with Skinny Jimmy & the Stingrays, followed at 1:30 by the showing of a documentary on Tiki culture by Miami filmmakers Common Machine. When Plastic Paradise: A Swingin’ Trip Through America’s Polynesian Obsession ends, The Hukilau is officially over, but the aloha spirit will continue as The Mai-Kai hosts a special “Lost Cocktails Party” from 3 to 7 p.m. featuring rare drinks that haven’t been served in decades. Skinny Jimmy & the Stingrays will play two more sets of surf classics and happy hour prices will also be in effect. Before the film, admission is free for passholders, $5 for non-passholders. After the film, it’s free for all.

All of this should give you ample opportunities to dive as shallow or as deep as you’d like into the Polynesian Pop phenomenon.

Hukilau links
TheHukilau.com | Facebook page | Facebook group | YouTube | Event photos

Atomic Grog coverage
The Hukilau | The Mai-Kai | Mai-Kai Cocktail Guide

An examination of the various cocktail menus from Fort Lauderdale’s venerable Mai-Kai restaurant has revealed 11 drinks that fell from grace and were removed from service for one reason or another. This research inspired the “Lost Mai-Kai Cocktails” section of this blog and a whole new slew of recipes to savor.

“Lost cocktails” including the Suffering Bastard (front), Demerara Cocktail (left) and Last Rites were served at a special event at The Mai-Kai in March 2013. (Photo by Hurricane Hayward)

But even more obscure than these retired classics is a vintage cocktail that never appeared on any Mai-Kai menu over the past 50-plus years yet was served alongside all the classics. Its popularity transcends the tropical drink genre due to its distinctive and apropos name: Suffering Bastard.

The original Suffering Bastard was created in 1942 at Shepheard’s Hotel in Cairo by mixologist Joe Scialom, according to research by tropical drink historian and author Jeff “Beachbum” Berry. The original recipe – which includes gin, brandy, Rose’s lime juice, Angostura bitters and ginger beer – was revealed in Berry’s 2010 book, Remixed. We’re looking forward to Berry’s next book, Potions of the Caribbean: 500 Years of Tropical Drinks and the People Behind Them, which will include an in-depth profile of Scialom along with more vintage recipes.

But the Mai-Kai’s version of the Suffering Bastard has nothing to do with the original. Mixologist Mariano Licudine, like many in the mid-century, improvised a new drink while using the popular name that many customers were likely requesting whenever they went out to an exotic bar. This was not an unusual scenario. Perhaps the most famous tropical drink, the Mai Tai, became the victim of so many bastardized versions that most blasé drinkers couldn’t name any of the ingredients in Trader Vic’s original recipe.

Suffering Bastard and Mai Tai tribute recipes, prepared by The Atomic Grog in March 2013. (Photo by Hurricane Hayward)

Coincidentally, it was Trader Vic who may have inspired the Mai-Kai’s version of the Suffering Bastard. Capitalizing on the popularity of his trademark cocktail, Vic simply made his version of the Suffering Bastard a stronger Mai Tai with a heavier dose of rum and the unusual addition of a cucumber strip for garnish.

Licudine took the same approach at The Mai-Kai, where the Suffering Bastard was merely a higher octane Mai Tai with a huge cucumber strip replacing the flowers and pineapple, according to manager Kern Mattei. When Mattei brought the Suffering Bastard back from the dead at multiple events in 2013, we had the opportunity to compare the two drinks at length. While the cucumber adds a completely different bouquet and the rum profile is indeed a bit stronger, there’s no doubt that it’s the same drink.

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SUFFERING BASTARD

Okole Maluna Society review and rating

The Suffering Bastard returns to The Mai-Kai in March 2013. (Photo by Hurricane Hayward)

Size: Medium

Potency: Strong

Flavor profile: Sweet fruit juices, strong rum and a whiff of cucumber.

Review: Very similar to the Mai Tai, with the cucumber garnish adding a totally different aromatic.

Rating: 3 1/2 out of 5 stars (see how it ranks). On today’s menu, it would most likely rank near the Mai Tai, just below the top 20.

Ancestry: A descendant of the legendary 1940s drink in name only, The Mai-Kai’s version took its cue from Trader Vic and is simply a stronger version of the Mai Tai.

Bilge: At Trader Vic’s, the Suffering Bastard used to be served in one of the most distinctive Tiki mugs ever made: A squatting Moai holding his head in his hands.

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Suffering Bastard tribute by The Atomic Grog. (Photo by Hurricane Hayward, March 2013)

Tribute to The Mai-Kai’s Suffering Bastard
By The Atomic Grog

* 1/2 ounce fresh-squeezed lime juice
* 1/2 ounce fresh-squeezed orange juice
* 1 ounce all-natural pineapple juice
* 1/4 ounce rich honey mix
   (2 parts honey to 1 part water; mixed, then chilled)
* 1/4 ounce falernum
* 1 ounce Kohala Bay dark Jamaican rum (see below)
* 1 ounce Appleton Special gold Jamaican rum
* 3-4 drops of Pernod
* Dash of Angostura bitters
* Dash of grenadine
* 1/4 teaspoon fassionola (see below)
* 1 1/2 ounces club soda

Pulse blend with 1 heaping cup of crushed ice for 5-7 seconds and pour into a double old-fashioned glass. Garnish with a cucumber spear.

Notes

As stated above, this is simply the Mai Tai with a stronger rum, most likely the 87.6 proof Kohala Bay. The descendant of a distinctively funky Jamaican rum called Dagger, this hard-to-find brand is shipped to The Mai-Kai and just a few retail outlets in Florida. [Click here for more on Kohala Bay and Dagger.] The recommended substitute is equal parts Smith & Cross Jamaican rum and El Dorado 12-year-old Demerara rum.

See the Mai Tai tribute recipe for details on some of the other ingredients, including the obscure syrup known as fassionola.

Thanks to the overproof rum, the Suffering Bastard is stronger than the already strong Mai Tai and showcases the potent rum kick. Bewared this Bastard’s after-effects.

Agree or disagree with this review? Share your comments below!

Okole maluna!

Laramie Dean with drummer Jimmy Dale and bassist Trevor Lucca at The Vagabond in Miami, opening for Dick Dale on June 12, 2011.

Guitarist Laramie Dean, who kick-started the South Florida surf rock scene before moving to Los Angeles in 2009, returns for his first area gig since touring with the legendary Dick Dale in 2011.

Joining him on drums is Dick’s son, Jimmy Dale, on this special “Dean & Dale Tour” that will cross the country this summer. The Miami date will be an old-school “surf-punk party” featuring bands representing both genres.

Touring with Dean and Dale is California punk band Hardship Anchors, featuring bassist Trevor Lucca, who does double-duty in both bands.

South Florida is represented by popular Miami power-pop punk band Pool Party, traditional surf combo Jimmy & the Stingrays from Deerfield Beach, and fledgling Fort Lauderdale surf-punk band Sandrats (ex-Gutter Queens). And don’t forget D.J. Skidmark spinning surf and punk classics all night.

Related links
Laramie Dean | Pool Party | Skinny Jimmy & the Stingrays
Hardship Anchors | Churchill’s

Past Atomic Grog coverage
* Review: Laramie Dean with Dick Dale in June 2011
* Dick Dale tour was 7 years in the making

See below: Ancestor/tribute recipe | Cuban Daiquiri review
Related: Mai-Kai cocktail guide | More “lost cocktails”

Arguably the most definitive rum cocktail, perhaps even the prototype for all future tropical drinks, is the humble daiquiri. This simple combination of rum, lime and sugar mixed with ice can be traced back to Cuba in the early 1900s.

From a Don the Beachcomber menu.

While not nearly as old as proto rum cocktails such as the British Navy Grog or pre-colonial punches, the Daiquri is distinctive for its precise craft and reliance on ice as a crucial ingredient. Though deeply linked to Cuba, the Dauquiri was reputedly invented by an American, mining engineer Jennings Cox, who was working in Cuba during the Spanish-American War.

The drink quickly became a favorite among the military, then the tourists who flocked to the Caribbean island, especially during Prohibition. It’s likely both Donn Beach (aka Don the Beachcomber) and Victor Bergeron (aka Trader Vic) ran across the daiquiri during their travels in the Caribbean before opening their bars in California that kick-started the Tiki cocktail craze in the 1930s.

The Beachcomber and Trader Vic menus are loaded with daiquiris, as is the menu at the iconic Mai-Kai in Fort Lauderdale. Open since 1956, it still features many drinks traced back to Donn Beach (Special Reserve Daiquiri) but also the traditional Floridita Daiquiri and an acclaimed original creation of mixologist Mariano Licudine, the Derby Daiquiri.

But the most short-lived Mai-Kai cocktail was the Cuban Daiquiri, which lasted until 1958-59, when it likely became a victim of the era’s political upheaval, not to mention the U.S. economic embargo against Cuba that began in 1960 and lasts to this day. The word “Cuban” in a drink name was not a wise marketing move at this time. Before the 1958 revolution, Mai-Kai owners Bob and Jack Thornton were known to take weekend jaunts to the island aboard a private plane.

At The Mai-Kai, the acclaimed Derby Daiquiri took the Cuban Daiquiri’s place on the menu and the drink became largely forgotten. It continued to be featured at Don the Beachcomber restaurants, albeit under a new name (the Royal Daiquiri) and most likely a different rum.

While the daiquiri name was later sullied by cheap imitations and dreaded frozen slushie-style machines, the classic recipe has maintained a quiet dignity and has seen a resurgence during the craft cocktail revival that’s been brewing for the past several decades. It’s worth taking a look back at a true original.

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Cuban Daiquiri tribute by The Atomic Grog. (Photo by Hurricane Hayward, May 2013)

ANCESTOR/TRIBUTE RECIPE
Cuban Daiquiri
(Adapted from traditional version)

* 1 ounce fresh lime juice
* 3/4 ounce rich sugar syrup
   (2:1 sugar to water, heated and cooled)
* 2 ounces silver Cuban rum

Pulse blend with 1 cup of crushed ice for 5 seconds. Strain into a cocktail glass with an optional ice shell.

Notes

Like another lost cocktail in the daiquiri family, Liquid Gold, this drink appeared on the 1956 menu with a distinctive ice shell. However, just like the Don the Beachcomber ancestors shown above, it has a slightly smaller cove of ice. So I simply made both at the same time and modified the Cuban Daiquiri’s ice feature just a bit [see photo]. Also refer to the Special Reserve Daiquiri recipe for step-by-step instructions on making the shell.

The Cuban rum of choice in the 1950s was most likely Havana Club, then made by Bacardi. After the revolution, the government took over the business and Havana Club is now one of the world’s most popular rum brands (co-owned since 1994 by Pernod Ricard). Except in the United States, of course. Due to the embargo, it’s considered contraband.

I was lucky enough to snag a couple bottles a few years ago, however. Though my supply is dwindling, I had to break it out to make this cocktail. A traditional daiquiri contains only silver rum, and Mai-Kai manager Kern Mattei basically confirmed that the above recipe is accurate. However, feel free to use 1 ounce of gold along with 1 ounce of silver rum to amp up the flavor a bit. Most U.S. residents may need to find a substitute rum. I’d recommend both the silver and gold “Cuban-style” rums from Ron Matusalem, an award-winning brand from the Dominican Republic with family roots that go back to Cuba.

Also, there are slightly different recipes floating around with varying amounts of lime and simple syrup. Imbibe magazine considers this one the “classic.” Adjust to your own taste, but I went with a dose of rich syrup that’s heavier than some to keep it in line with the rest of the sweet and savory cocktails on The Mai-Kai menu.

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CUBAN DAIQUIRI

Okole Maluna Society review and rating

Size: Small

Potency: Mild

Flavor profile: Tart lime, light yet flavorful rum and a touch of sweetness.

Review: A classic daiquiri using the finest ingredients.

Rating: 2 1/2 out of 5 stars (see how it ranks). On today’s menu, it would rank at the lower end of the rankings due mainly to its simplicity and lack of a “wow factor.”

Ancestry: The Mai-Kai’s take on a traditional daiquiri from the land where the drink was invented was also likely an exact copy of the same drink on Don the Beachcomber’s menu (see story above). It was featured on the original 1956 Mai-Kai menu but quickly removed and doesn’t appear on the 1958-59 menu, most likely to avoid any reference to the embattled nation just 90 miles south of Key West.

Bilge: The name Daiquiri comes from a beach near Santiago, Cuba. It’s also the name of an iron mine in the region.

Agree or disagree with this review? Share your comments below!

Okole maluna!

See below: Ancestor recipe | Tribute recipe | Liquid Gold review
Related: Mai-Kai cocktail guide | More “lost cocktails”

Most classic cocktails at the venerable Mai-Kai Polynesian restaurant – both existing and retired – are descendants of Prohibition-era Tiki bar pioneer Don the Beachcomber. But even when it’s clear which drink is the ancestor, it can become a challenge to pinpoint the correct version.

This tendency of Don the Beachcomber namesake Donn Beach to create multiple versions of the same drink became a point of frustration for tropical drink historian and author Jeff “Beachbum” Berry as more and more historic recipes turned up. One of the most confusing cases is that of Beachcomber’s Gold. Berry devotes five pages in his 2010 book Remixed to this dilemma and explores three different recipes.

All three are authentic and represent different eras in Beach’s career. Our task was to find the one that was most likely known best by original Mai-Kai mixologist Mariano Licudine when he created the restaurant’s 1956-57 menu and a drink called Liquid Gold. We also sought the drink that fit The Mai-Kai’s distinctive cocktail style.

A 1970s version of Beachcomber’s Gold fit neither criteria and was quickly eliminated. Another, possibly dating from a 1980s menu, was my favorite and had the right flavor notes, but it was way too late to be influential on Licudine. The obvious winner was the version that comes from the Don the Beachcomber in Hollywood, Calif., circa 1937. The same recipe also turned up in a bartender’s recipe book at the Beachcomber restaurant in Palm Springs in the 1950s. This recipe comes from the exact same time when Licudine worked for Beach in California and Chicago.

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Two different ice shells are prepared for the Beachcomber’s Gold and Liquid Gold (left) and the Cuban Daiquiri. (Photo by Hurricane Hayward, May 2013)

ANCESTOR RECIPE
Beachcomber’s Gold
(By Don the Beachcomber, from Beachbum Berry’s Remixed)

* 1/2 ounce fresh lime juice
* 1/2 ounce sugar syrup
* 1 ounce gold Puerto Rican rum
* 1/2 ounce gold Jamaican rum
* 1/2 ounce dark Jamaican rum
* 6 drops (about 1/8 teaspoon) Pernod
* 4 drops almond extract

Blend with around 1/4 cup of crushed ice and strain into a champagne saucer or cocktail glass lined with an ice shell (see photo).

This is the “Hollywood and Palm Springs” version of the Beachcomber’s Gold, which Berry traced back to 1937 (see story above).

Tasting notes

A very complex cocktail spotlighting, not surprisingly, the gold rums. The underlying sour and anise notes give it a nice dry finish, while the almond and sugar add a subtle sweetness.

The only problem: Like many 1930s-era Donn Beach cocktails, this is not as sweet and savory as most of the drinks you’ll find on The Mai-Kai menu. Licudine was a master of taking Beach’s classics and making them more palatable to the mid-century tourist crowd that was The Mai-Kai’s bread and butter. The following tribute recipe extrapolates on that theory.

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Liquid Gold tribute by The Atomic Grog. (Photo by Hurricane Hayward, May 2013)

Tribute to The Mai-Kai’s Liquid Gold
By The Atomic Grog

* 1/2 ounce fresh lime juice
* 1/2 ounce rich sugar syrup
   (2:1 sugar to water, heated and cooled)
* 1 ounce gold Puerto Rican rum
* 1/2 ounce gold Jamaican rum
* 1/2 ounce dark Jamaican rum
* 4 drops Pernod or Herbsaint
* 1/4 ounce orgeat syrup

Pulse blend with 1 cup of crushed ice for 8-10 seconds and strain into a frozen cocktail glass (with optional ice shell).

The reinterpretation

The first order of business was creating an ice shell to make the drink as authentic as possible. Luckily, I’ve had plenty of practice with a previous review. The Special Reserve Daiquiri recipe includes step-by-step instructions. While I was at it, I made a more diminutive shell for the Cuban Daiquiri, which appears smaller in the menu artwork.

Like the previously reviewed Island Queen, Beachcomber’s Gold was a very simple Don the Beachcomber drink from the late 1930s that doesn’t leave a whole lot of room for improvisation. It’s unlikely Licudine changed much, but I made just a few adjustments to hopefully bring it more in line with his vision. As I learned later (see photo below), it was pretty close.

An authentic Liquid Gold sample at The Mai-Kai. (Photo by Hurricane Hayward, May 2013)

I cut back to 1 1/2 ounces of rum and reduced the Pernod/Herbsaint slightly to cut back on the intensity. This was likely a mild drink aimed at the ladies. I used a rich (2-to-1) sugar syrup to increase the sweetness and took a different approach with the almond. Orgeat was the logical choice, a sweeter and more floral way to infuse almond into a cocktail that was popularized by Trader Vic’s Mai-Tai. Orgeat was also detected in the aforementioned Island Queen, but in a much smaller dose. It combines with the Herbsaint to create a distinctive, complex flavor. Make sure you use a high-end syrup to complement the expensive liqueur.

My recommended rums are Ron del Barrilito from Puerto Rico and Appleton from Jamaica. The Mai-Kai likely used Bacardi, but in today’s market I’d go with slightly superior product such as the “rum from the little barrel.” Appleton’s Special Gold and 12-year-old Extra Dark are both highly regarded and widely used at The Mai-Kai. [Click for a review of all the Appleton cocktails]

Weeks after completing this tribute, I received a rare treat at The Mai-Kai late one night when general manager Kern Mattei reached back into the archives for the original recipe and whipped up a little sample (see above). My notes from that small tasting mention the clear presence of gold rum, plus a unique and fragrant syrup. “A special ingredient,” is all Mattei would reveal. The Mai-Kai’s house-made orgeat, perhaps? Some mysteries are best kept secret.

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LIQUID GOLD

Okole Maluna Society review and rating

Size: Small

Potency: Mild

Flavor profile: Gold rum, lime and exotic flavors.

Review: A complex and dry daiquiri featuring sweet gold rums perfectly accented by anise and orgeat notes that are both tasty and aromatic.

Rating: 3 out of 5 stars (see how it ranks). On today’s menu, it would rank somewhere near another retired cocktail, the Island Queen, at the bottom of the 3-star drinks.

Ancestry: The Mai-Kai’s version of Beachcomber’s Gold, a Don the Beachcomber drink that dates back to the early days of tropical cocktails. Liquid Gold was an opening-day cocktail that was last seen on a 1980s menu but fell out of favor sometime after that. Mattei explained that small 3-4 ounce cocktails became less and less popular as the decades went by.

Bilge: Donn Beach designed different cocktails to be imbibed at different times of day. Beachcomber’s Gold, which was allegedly the favorite of actress Marlene Dietrich, was intended for sundown [citation].

Agree or disagree with this review? Share your comments below!

Okole maluna!

With just over a week before The Hukilau invades South Florida for its 12th annual vintage Polynesian Pop extravaganza, attendees can look forward to a great assortment of recently announced goodies from sponsors and the event organizers.

The Hukilau: June 6-9, 2013, at the Sheraton Fort Lauderdale Beach Hotel (Yankee Clipper), Best Western Oceanside, and The Mai-Kai restaurant. Tickets, schedule and updates at TheHukilau.com and Facebook.
Previous posts: The Hukilau crowns winner of Deadhead Rum Cocktail Contest
The Hukilau announces new art show, entertainers, more updates for Tiki fest in June

NEW SPONSORS JOIN THE PARTY

Angostura Rum and Bitters has not only joined The Hukilau as a sponsor, the venerable spirits company is sending brand ambassador David Delaney to the event to mix up some special tropical cocktails. Look for Delaney at the Angostura booth in the Tiki Treasures Bazaar at the Yankee Clipper on Friday, June 7, from 2 p.m. to 5 p.m.

Also joining as a sponsor in 2013 is Barritt’s Ginger Beer, a classic Caribbean brand that will be featured in cocktails Thursday evening in the Tiki Treasures Bazaar. While you’re in the bazaar, keep an eye out for these cocktails and other special events, such as Saturday’s 1 p.m. memorabilia signing by classic pin-up photographer Bunny Yeager and mid-century Polynesian dancer and actress Nani Maka.

Previously announced sponsor Deadhead Rum will be hosting The Hukilau’s Official After Party at The Mai-Kai on Thursday, June 6, from 9 p.m. to midnight. There will be special Deadhead Rum cocktails served all night by guest mixologists from New York City, including the winning drink from The Hukilau’s recent contest for attendees. The party’s festive atmosphere will be amped up by Tallahassee’s The Intoxicators performing their infectious blend of high-energy instrument surf music. Deadhead is also an official vendor and will be providing tastings and selling their rum, which is not yet available in Florida and some other states, at the event in the Tiki Treasures Bazaar at the Yankee Clipper.

Another new rum sponsor, Ron Diplomatico from Venezuela, will be featured all weekend. Jeff “Beachbum” Berry will be using this great aged rum in cocktails during his symposium, The Wild West Indies, on Friday at 5:30 p.m. at the Yankee Clipper. And The Mai-Kai will be mixing cocktails with Ron Diplomatico throughout the weekend.

Returning sponsor Fee Brothers is providing many of its excellent products such as bitters and cocktail syrups for use by many of the mixologists during The Hukilau, including Beachbum Berry. Other sponsors include The Mai-Kai, Tropic magazine, Tiki Magazine, and South Pacific Promotions.

ART, COCKTAILS, VENDORS FROM FAR AND WIDE

The Tiki Treasures Bazaar will be the nerve center of the event and will be open to guests of The Hukilau from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. Thursday, 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Friday and 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday. In addition, guests staying at the beachfront Yankee Clipper can enjoy early entry for a special preview party at 5 p.m. Thursday. And for the first time in The Hukilau’s history, the bazaar will be free and open to the general public for all six hours on Saturday. The Sheraton Fort Lauderdale Beach Hotel is located at 1140 Seabreeze Blvd. on the south end of the beach near the 17th Street Causeway. [Map]

Mookie Sato’s artwork for the Bon Voyage: Sailing the South Seas show.

Located in two Yankee Clipper ballrooms, the spacious sponsor and vendor area will also be the home of “Bon Voyage: Sailing the South Seas,” a Tiki art show curated by The Hukilau’s organizer, Christie “Tiki Kiliki” White, and benefiting Abandoned Pet Rescue of Fort Lauderdale. There will be an artist’s reception on Thursday at 5 p.m. for Yankee Clipper guests and 6 p.m. for other attendees. Participating artists include Lisa Petrucci, Doug Horne, Brad “Tiki Shark” Parker, Dawn Frasier, Eric October, Thor, Junkhauler, Mookie Sato, Amore Hirosuke, Rod North, El Gato Gomez, Mateo, Jeff Chouinard, Robert Jimenez, Chris Chapman, Brian Potash, Nicholas Dewey, Dart Daugherty, Vikki Vaden, Vena, and more. Attendees can also have their portraits painted live by Erin Chainani.

Vendors from around the world flock to The Hukilau to sell their vintage and retro-themed goods. Be sure to take the time to check out the many booths scattered throughout the bazaar. This year’s participants include Deadhead Rum, Tiki Tower, Tiki Skip, Art & Alligators, Harold Golen Gallery, Livin’ a Dream, Tahiti Joes Hot Sauces, Basement Kahuna’s Annual Tiki Yard Sale, Johnnie Velour, PinUpalooza, EekumBookum, The Modern Historic, Roadside Attraction, Island Arts, Tiki Diablo, Tiki 65, The Green Tiki, Tropiki: A Florida Original, and New Atmosphere Productions.

As announced earlier, The Hukilau is being dedicated to the late, great Wayne Coombs, the legendary artist who left us in September. For 45 years, Coombs produced an army of his distinctive Tikis and other works of art at his Mai Tiki studio in Cocoa Beach. It’s fitting, then, that a live Tiki carving session has just been added to the schedule. Hosted by Tampa artist Jeff Chouinard, this carving demo will be held on Fort Lauderdale Beach on Friday at 3 p.m.

AN ECLECTIC ASSORTMENT OF OFFICIAL MERCHANDISE

The Hukilau’s Coconut Mug.

The bazaar is also the exclusive location of The Hukilau’s official merchandise booth. And for 2013, Tiki Kiliki has assembled a wide assortment of special swag for festival attendees. If you’ve already ordered a ticket, you’ve received a special link to order in advance. These items are in limited quality, so it’s a good idea to pre-order if you can. If not, you can see what’s left at the booth during the event. All merchandise is intended for pick-up at the event. Only if merchandise is left over after the event will it again be offered online and shipped.

In addition to the Official Mug (see below) The Hukilau is offering a special Coconut Mug in tribute to Trader Vic’s iconic drinking vessel. Featuring the distinctive event logo by Kevin Kidney, the mug is limited to 150.

Even more limited is a Snifter Glass featuring Kevin’s logo and artwork that was originally released for The Hukilau’s 10th anniversary in 2011. Only 40 are available for mixing up a Mai-Kai Black Magic, Mutiny or The Hukilau. Also returning in 2013 is a fabric design from acclaimed artist Shag that first appeared on clothing in 2010. The Shag Toss Pillow Cover, featuring the artist’s unique take on iconic images from The Mai-Kai, is a perfect decorative accessory for any Tiki room or mid-century pad.

The Hukilau’s 2013 Official Pendant.

The Official Pendant, like the Official Mug, is an interpretation of a Tiki found in the gardens at The Mai-Kai. Chris Chapman (aka Tiki65) created this wearable art that’s limited to a pressing of 150. The Hukilau’s Official Glassware for 2013 is a set of double old fashioned glasses that toast the Yankee Clipper’s own Marina the Fire Eating Mermaid. The artwork for the Official T-Shirt, like the glassware, was designed by Japanese artist Mookie Sato.

OFFICIAL MUG NEARLY SOLD OUT

Perhaps the most sought-after of all The Hukilau collectibles is the Official Mug, designed annually by some of the Tiki world’s top artists. For the second year in a row, this functional work of art has been conceived and produced by Tiki Diablo, aka Southern California carver and mug producer Danny Gallardo.

The Hukilau’s 2013 Official Mug features a faux lava rock coaster and LED light.

Gallardo out-did himself in 2013, producing a one-of-a-kind mug as a tribute to another great carver, mid-century icon Barney West. It’s based on the 50-something-year-old Tiki carved by West that lives in The Mai Kai gardens (see pendant above). “Barney was an old salt and larger than life character — just like his massive sculptures carved from immense redwood logs that dot the globe at some of the best tiki establishments,” Gallardo wrote on his website. The hand-applied finish emulates the patina that the carving has picked up over the decades in Fort Lauderdale’s tropical climate.

The mug, which holds 8 1/2 ounces of your favorite Tiki beverage (Gallardo suggests the Jet Pilot), has some fantastic features such as a faux lava rock coaster and LED light (see photo above). There were just 200 produced, 100 each in Sausalito Brown and Redwood Ember.

After 48 hours of exclusive sales to event attendees, it was released to the general public but nearly sold out in days. As of Saturday, the brown mugs were sold out. “We still have red mugs, but not a whole lot,” Gallardo wrote on Facebook. If you want your own copy of this historic piece of Tiki history, click here to order now.

SYMPOSIUMS SOLD OUT, BEACHBUM BERRY MOVED TO THE MAI-KAI

The official mug is not the only thing in high demand at The Hukilau. Rooms at the Yankee Clipper sold out in April, and last week it was announced that all seats at the symposiums had sold out in advance.

This week, logistical issues also caused organizers to move Jeff “Beachbum” Berry’s symposium to The Mai-Kai, unfortunately altering the day and time of two others. Berry’s presentation will now take place at 2:30 p.m. Saturday, directly before the Main Event. It had also been announced that standing-room tickets would be made available, but this plan has been dropped. No more symposium tickets will be sold.

Beachbum Berry’s Navy Grog Ice Cone Mold.

It was no surprise that Beachbum Berry’s symposium based on his upcoming book, Potions of the Caribbean: 500 Years of Tropical Drinks and the People Behind Them, is extremely popular. Berry is one of the pre-eminent speakers on Tiki cocktails and is currently in the midst of a world tour that included stops in Buenos Aires and Amsterdam.

At The Hukilau, Berry promises “a booze cruise through time to Panama 100 years ago, when canal workers met their maker in Colón’s notorious Bottle Alley … to Trinidad, Haiti and Cuba between the wars, where Don The Beachcomber and Trader Vic were inspired to create the Tiki drinks we know and love today … and to Jamaica in the Jet Age, where those Tiki drinks came home to roost in Montego Bay’s glamorous midcentury-modern resorts.”

As an added bonus, Berry will have 100 pre-releases of his new Navy Grog Ice Cone Molds for sale and will be autographing boxes after his symposium. This unique product, manufactured by Cocktail Kingdom, will be making its world premiere at The Hukilau. It takes all the bother out of making a perfect ice mold for a classic Navy Grog (or Yeoman’s Grog as it’s known at The Mai-Kai).

The symposiums at the Yankee Clipper include Tales of the Yankee Clipper at 4 p.m. Friday (previously on Saturday), Tom “TikiTomD” Duncan’s fascinating look at the 57-year-old vintage hotel’s rich history; and The Culture of Vintage Hawaiian Shirts at 11:30 a.m. Saturday by pop culture historian Gary Moss, proud owner of more than 300 vintage rayon Hawaiian shirts from the 1930s and 1940s.

Tattoo artist and historian Paul Roe will take attendees on a safari Hunting the Urban Primitive at 1 p.m. Friday to find out how ancient styles evolved and how they’re used today. Roe also announced last week that Tattoo Magazine will be attending and will be looking for Tiki-themed tattoos to photograph. In a reprise from last year, Roe will also be giving a special tattoo to Tiki Kiliki on Friday morning. The magazine will record the event and also photograph “villagers” and their body ink between 10 a.m. and noon.

MORE SPECIAL PERFORMANCES AND ENTERTAINERS ADDED

Marina the Fire Eating Mermaid and one of her aquaticats as seen from the Wreck Bar at The Hukilau in June 2010. (Photo by Hurricane Hayward)

Marina the Fire Eating Mermaid (Medusirena) is a fixture at the Yankee Clipper with her weekly swim shows in the pool just above the famous Wreck Bar. Viewable through portholes in the bar, her performances have been a favorite among locals and tourists alike. For The Hukilau, she and her co-performers (a “pod” of up to eight “aquaticats”) will be adding a pearl diving show at 11:30 p.m Friday to the previously announced late Thursday night (1 a.m.) and Saturday afternoon (12:30 p.m.) swims. At noon Friday, special guest Bre-elle Ishtar (aka Tiki Bree), who trained with former mermaids at the famed Weeki Wachee attraction in Central Florida, returns to the Yankee Clipper pool for the first time since 2006.

For many, The Hukilau wouldn’t be as entertaining as it is without the wide assortment of musical acts that come from around the world to perform. Last week, The NovaRays (an Orlando-based surf band) were added to the already stellar lineup. Look for them at The Mai-Kai on Saturday, June 8.

The NovaRays

The most anticipated performance will be the U.S. debut of Ìxtahuele, a Swedish exotica group that just related their debut album, Pagan Rites. The band is dedicated to recreating the sounds of 1950s and ’60s classic exotica in the style of Martin Denny and Arthur Lyman. [Click here to see the band's first video from the album.] Catch Ìxtahuele on Friday night at the Yankee Clipper and Saturday night at The Mai-Kai.

Two California bands will be making their debut at The Hukilau in 2013. The Ding Dong Devils and The Hula Girls bring their unique brand of party music that includes surf, rockabilly and “hulabilly” influences to the East Coast Tiki crowd. Both will be performing Friday night at the Yankee Clipper and Saturday night at The Mai-Kai.

It wouldn’t be The Hukilau without the sizzling surf rock of The Intoxicators, who will be performing their traditional show-closing late-night set on Saturday at The Mai-Kai in addition to Thursday’s Official After Party at The Mai-Kai mentioned above.

Two mainstays of the South Florida’s small but burgeoning surf music scene also have slots on the weekend schedule. Miami’s Gold Dust Lounge (surf/spy/lounge) will be performing Thursday night at the Yankee Clipper. Deerfield Beach’s Skinny Jimmy & the Stingrays will close out The Hukilau with their traditional instrument surf tunes on Sunday afternoon at The Mai-Kai.

As always, presiding over the festivities will be master of ceremonies King Kukulele, a California-based comedian and ukuleleist who always keeps the energy level high and the atmosphere loose. You can’t miss the King, aka Denny Moynahan, in his ever-present aloha shirt, straw hat, grass skirt and lei. When you see King Kukulele in the house, you know the good times are about to begin.

HISTORIC MAI-KAI HOSTS SATURDAY MAIN EVENT, SUNDAY FINALE

The Mai-Kai’s Polynesian Islander Revue. (Photo by Go11Media.com)

Last but certainly not least is the traditional climax of The Hukilau, Saturday evening’s dinner shows and live music at The Mai-Kai, the revered 57-year-old Polynesian supper club on Federal Highway in Fort Lauderdale. The first dinner show featuring the restaurant’s Polynesian Islander Revue is already sold out. Call (954) 563-3272 to reserve your seats for the second show ($10.95 per person). Established in 1961, it’s the longest-running authentic South Seas stage show in the United States.

There will be two happy hours in The Molokai (4:30 p.m.-5:30 p.m. and 7 p.m.-8:30 p.m.) with bands performing at 4:30 p.m. (The Hula Girls), 7 p.m. (The Ding Dong Devils) and around midnight (The Intoxicators). In addition, bands will be performing in the secluded Samoa dining room at 8:30 p.m. (Ìxtahuele) and 10 p.m. (The NovaRays). Also, locals please note: A wristband for The Hukilau (which comes with a multi-day pass) is now required for Saturday’s Main Event. Those without a wristband will be charged a $10 cover.

On Sunday, The Hukilau presents rare opportunity for guests to explore The Mai-Kai during afternoon hours (it’s been a dinner-only establishment since 1956). The Molokai bar opens at noon, and Skinny Jimmy & the Stingrays will wake up the crowd with a set of classic surf tunes to get everyone primed to enter the grand dining room for the premiere of the film Plastic Paradise: A Swingin’ Trip Through America’s Polynesian Obsession. In the works for several years, this documentary by Miami filmmakers Common Machine takes an inside look at the Polynesian Pop revival via footage and interviews at The Hukilau and other Tiki locations. There will be a $5 cover charge for non-passholders. After the film, The Mai-Kai will remain open for drinks and more live surf music as attendees begin to wind down from the wild weekend. Locals can get in free at 3 p.m. for the post-party.

HOTELS, TICKETS, SCHEDULE AND MORE

If you didn’t get a room at the Yankee Clipper, don’t fret. Right next door, the Best Western Oceanside offers a special rate for The Hukilau. You must call to get the discount. Check the accommodations page on the official website for details. There are also plenty of other accommodations in the area in all price ranges. After all, Fort Lauderdale is America’s Vacationland.

There are also plenty of general event tickets to be had. You can buy them now on TheHukilau.com ticketing page. They include:

* An Aloha Pass ($95) that gets you into Thursday night’s Kickoff Party, Friday night’s Main Event plus any Saturday and Sunday happenings at the Yankee Clipper (excluding symposiums).

* A Friday-Saturday-Sunday Pass ($75) gives you the same access as the Aloha Pass, with the exception of Thursday’s events.

* Individual event tickets are available online for the Thursday night Kickoff Party ($27), and Friday night’s Main Event ($40).

Online sales end Tuesday, June 4. But you can still get tickets at The Hukilau registration desk in the Yankee Clipper lobby all day Thursday, June 6, (noon to 10 p.m.) and Friday (10 a.m. to 10 p.m.). This is where you can also pick up whatever symposium tickets are made available to those who missed the online sales. Details will be available at the registration desk.

Times and performances are always subject to last-minute changes, so be sure to check the official online schedule before you go.

If you’re short and cash and long on time and interest in participating, there may be spots still be available on The Hukilau’s team of volunteers. E-mail Volunteer@TheHukilau.com to inquire about available positions. Volunteers receive free passes based on the amount of time they contribute.

And if for some reason you miss all of this, be sure to circle June 12-15, 2014, on your calendars now. That’s when The Hukilau returns to the Yankee Clipper and The Mai-Kai for its 13th annual bash.

Hukilau links
TheHukilau.com | Facebook page | Facebook group | YouTube | Event photos

Atomic Grog coverage
The Hukilau | The Mai-Kai | Mai-Kai Cocktail Guide

Rock ‘n’ roll icon Dick Dale is in the midst of a career resurgence at age 76, despite battling cancer and other serious health issues that would have derailed musicians half his age. He’s graced South Florida with three tours in the past three years, proving beyond a shadow of a doubt that he’s in no mood to let anything slow him down.

Legendary guitarist Dick Dale performs live on his 2013 tour at Grand Central in Miami on April 25.

Dale rarely does interviews anymore, preferring to let his music and legacy of a staggering 58-year career do the talking. But I was privileged to catch up with him via phone from his ranch in California before he set out on his latest tour in March. I promised to limit my questions and keep it brief, but Dale took the conversation in a dozen different directions, as he is known to do, and our talk lasted nearly 45 minutes. It was a fascinating glimpse into the world of not only one of the great guitarists of all time, but one of the most independent and strong-willed musicians to ever take the stage.

His Miami appearance in April showed once again how expertly Dale channels his talent and strength (with impeccable assistance from bassist Sam Bolle and drummer Dusty Watson) into his live shows. The band blasted through all of Dale’s instrumental hits, from Nitro to Miserlou. And when he grabbed the mic to sing a few songs, such as House of the Rising Sun, he quickly had the audience enthralled and singing along. Check out the photos below.

The interview below is edited. The questions and answers are slightly out of order and ellipses mark some deletions. But I tried to keep Dale’s stream of consciousness intact as much as possible. As Dale explained: “If you ask me what time it is, I’ll tell you how to build a clock.” This will hopefully hold over Dale and classic instrumental surf music fans until his next tour, which I’m sure won’t be too far off.

Interview with Dick Dale by Jim Hayward on March 18, 2013.
(Questions and notes highlighted in bold.)

On his early beginnings in country music, dispelling the popular notion that his career started with surf music at Southern California’s Rendezvous Ballroom in the early ’60s:

When I first started playing, it wasn’t at the Rendezvous Ballroom. I was playing on a television show called Town Hall Party with people like Johnny Cash, Ernest Tubb, Lefty Frizzell, Gene Autry … that was in 1955. Then I had my own little radio show, Dick Dale and the Rhythm Wranglers, on a station in Santa Ana. That was also in ’55. That’s when I started playing.

Dick Dale at Grand Central in Miami on April 25.

Asked if he ever thought he’d still be performing a half century later:

I never thought about it. My life is a different kind of life, and the way I look at life is different. I studied martial arts with masters from throughout the world. They gave me a different way of looking at life. We never look at the past because it’s been used and it’s all done. It’s either good or it’s bad. We also don’t look at the future, because in 30 seconds I could be dead. Or as I speak with you I could die. So we don’t worry about the future. We worry about only one thing: The moment of now. That’s why they call it the present. It’s a gift. … I can look back and remember certain things. I go, “Yeah, I remember that time.” But my mind only focuses on now. This moment.

How his live-in-the-moment mantra affects his music:

I never know what I’m going to perform because I don’t follow a list. I just get on the stage and say a prayer to whoever made me. I say, “OK, you’re in control. You’re either going to make me do good or you’re going to make me sound like crap.” But I’m not going to let that happen. I’ll get out there and I’ll start to play and I’ll start reading the audience. I never play the same song twice the same way. I’m always mixing it up in the middle of the song, going into another song. It’s like a Salvador Dalí painting. That’s why all my shows are always different. … I’ll play a song and my band members will go, “Holy mackerel, what’s he doing?” Because they have no idea what I’m going to play. Neither do I. And that’s what makes it so exciting and different every night.

On his popularity and approach to performing live:

People ask, “What was it like when fans were grabbing your clothes while you were on stage, and everybody swooning and screaming?” I’ve played to 490,000 people in Berlin, and when I go over there I always play concerts where there’s 30,000 people in tents and stuff like that outdoors. … Plus I play the clubs because it’s more intimate. But I don’t think of those things. All I think of is like I’m flying a high-performance aircraft. You have to think of what you’re doing. How do I make them scream louder for the next song? Things like that. I’m so involved in playing to the people, not to musicians. People count differently. They count on the one beat, not the off-beat like musicians. So I play and teach my band members to play on the on-beat like Gene Krupa did. Drums were my first instrument.” …

Dick Dale with bassist Sam Bolle and drummer Dusty Watson at Grand Central in Miami.

There are different audiences. When I played to 490,000 in Berlin it was just like Woodstock. Everybody was totally different looking. It was a mixture of everything. When I play a dinner house, they bring their kids in – 5, 6, 7 years old. And so I’ll play stuff that will appeal to them. I’ll play the piano, I’ll play my harmonica boogie-woogie. I’m not playing my trumpet or saxophone like I used to because it could cause bleeding … because of the radiation and the chemotherapy. … When I die, it’s not going to be in a rocking chair with a beer belly, it’s going to be onstage in one big explosion.

When I play, I play just as hard for 1,000 people or 500 people as I do for 300,000 people. I don’t cheat, that’s just me. I give my all to everybody because I appreciate them. I’m bigger now (around the world) than I’ve ever been in my life. Belgium is calling me, Russia is calling me, Poland is calling me, Austria is e-mailing me. They all want me to be there to do the concerts because I’ve done the commercials over there for VW, Renault, Nissan.

On why his son Jimmy and other members of his revolving three-piece band endure the “Dick Dale school of pain,” and his unique method of playing:

Jimmy plays with me sometimes. He doesn’t play with me all the time because he has his own life. He won’t be on this tour. I also have drummers that have been with me for years. … The drummer from Cheap Trick (Daxx Nielsen) was backing me for five years. Bryan Head has been with me for many years. Dusty Watson has been with me for many, many years on national tours. In fact, Dusty will be playing this tour with me. These guys have all gone through the Dick Dale school of pain. I’m very painful to work for. I don’t take any crap. I teach them how I want them to play. I tell them: Forget how you learned to play. I teach people the Gene Krupa method, striking on the one. They have accepted that – to learn, and study, and follow me. They’ve been taught to match my guitar. … That’s why we sound like 20 people up there.

The Dick Dale exhibit at the Musical Instrument Museum in Phoenix.

Whoever plays bass, they go through training of how they should play with me. Because they get into bad habits with other bands. … A lot of times drummers and bass players make it sound like it’s oatmeal, they’re all over the place. And the audience cannot make heads or tails of the rhythm that they’re playing. … So my sound will always be very, very powerful and strong because it’s the Dick Dale method, the Dick Dale way of playing. I just did a seminar at the MIM Museum in Phoenix, Arizona, and they have a 30-foot display on Dick Dale, and films, all my output transformers, and speakers and amp heads that we created. … I spent about two hours onstage with about 100 people who all came with their amplifiers. All ages, from teens to older people, and we had such a wonderful time. I had them all playing a certain way. … I teach people when they come to me, I help them. They take lessons for years and accomplish nothing but scales. You don’t need scales unless you’re going to be a studio recording musician or a sideman to record for other people. You need some music theory, but to learn to play an instrument you don’t need that. I’ll teach them in one day how to play a song. They go, “My god, I’m not going back to my instructor.” I also teach piano, bass, drums. I can play every instrument.

On bigger bands beyond his three-piece, what special event almost made him want to quit playing, and why he doesn’t consider himself a guitar player:

I’ve played with 17-piece rock bands with six horns and keyboards and six girl singers. I’ve had double drummers, I’ve had double bass players. In fact, I played with a classical orchestra not too long ago doing Miserlou. They allowed me to conduct a symphonic orchestra (at Fullerton College in California.) It was the most incredible feeling. It made me want to quit playing completely and become a conductor. Because I could see and feel what that classical symphonic orchestra was capable of doing, adding more. They followed me to a T and the audience went zonkers. And so did I. … I had them start Miserlou in the symphonic, melodic style with all the violins and everything. And I hid in the wings with my guitar plugged in. … Then all of a sudden I come walking (mimics sound of guitar) and the audience went insane. Then during certain parts I’d break and have the violins come in, then I’d break and have the timpanis and trombones and cellos come in. It was like painting pictures with them. … We did it all in parts, then we all came together at the ending with a big explosion. … What a feeling!

Dick Dale makes his guitar scream at Grand Central in Miami on April 25.

You see, I don’t call myself a guitar player. I’m a manipulator of an instrument. I just make a guitar scream with pain or pleasure. Some guy said I played my guitar like I cropped down a tree. Another person said I played the guitar like I was going through an exorcism. I’ve had critics say it’s like two oncoming trains crashing into each other. One said its like he’s throwing Molotov cocktails against a brick wall, then watching the flames slide down the wall. They have so many different opinions of what they feel when they see me play.

On his various interests outside of music:

I remember asking one of my [martial arts] masters one time, “Why can’t I be the greatest and be unbeatable in everything that I do?” I’ve been into many different things – archery, flying planes, scuba diving, all kinds of stuff. And he said: “Grasshopper, yes, you could be the greatest and be unbeatable, but you’d have to give up everything else in your life. You would have to eat it and breathe it and sleep it.” And he said, “Let me ask you a question: Would you rather be a jack of all trades and master of none, or a master of one?” If you’re a master of one, you’d be awfully dull at a gathering of people, wouldn’t you? Einstein couldn’t carry on a conversation with other people. … So I said I’d rather be a master of none and be a jack of all trades. So I got books and studied things. The only fiction I ever read was Heidi in school as a child. Everything I’ve ever read is factual, because it’s a waste of time to read fiction, I believe. Your brain wants to be educated. So now, because I’ve experienced being a plumber, being a house-builder, being an architect, being a draftsman and artist, there isn’t something I haven’t tried that I can’t talk about. Except drugs and alcohol. I’ve never put drugs or alcohol in my body. I used to smoke cigarettes, but I don’t do that anymore. My wife is the same way. I’ve been in the vegetarian world for many, many, many, many years. I’ve studied, I’ve had libraries of books ceiling to floor.

On why his life doesn’t revolve around the guitar:

It’s just one window in my life. … I used to tell my band members, just go home and do something else. Learn how to build a house. Learn surfing like I did. I used to surf sunup to sundown. I trained 40-50 different wild animals from all over the world. … I had lions, tigers, elephants, apes, hawks, eagles, falcons. … I have many windows. If you talk to a musician, he takes his guitar and goes to bed with it. I never play my instrument when I’m home. I don’t practice. I make it all up when I’m playing. The only thing I sit down with, sometimes, is my piano. I love my piano because I’ve always liked to play all types of music, like beautiful Latino songs for my mother. … I very rarely pick up the guitar, except when I’m going on stage.

On what advice he would give on having a happy life:

Get out there and don’t be harnessed to any particular thing. Whatever you do, be a jack of all trades. That makes your life so exciting and beautiful. I’m into photography, I’m into painting. I wanted to learn how to build a house, so I did that. I built my mom and dad’s house, 7,000 square feet. I tell kids, go out and do these things because you’re going to get sucked into hanging around with musicians. I don’t really like musicians. It’s all sex, drugs and rock ‘n’ roll. The only ones I like now are the guys who have made it through life, survived, and have learned not to put that shit in their body. Because I never did it, and I’m still here. … I tell musicians, “Have many windows in your life.” Maybe one day, God forbid, you won’t be able to play your instrument anymore. So you can go and do other things. There are so many other things you can do.

Dick Dale with with bassist Sam Bolle and drummer Dusty Watson at Grand Central in Miami on April 25.

On his recent health issues and he and his wife Lana’s holistic approach to healing:

I’ve been dealing with cancer, diabetes, my bladder is blown out from the radiation and the chemotherapy, and I’m in renal failure. It costs me $3,000 a month just to buy the medical aids I need because the insurance won’t cover it. I feel for the poor people who only live off of Social Security and have the same diseases I have. My diabetes is out of control, my doctor says. I’m one step from a machine. They tell you to take pain pills. I don’t take pain pills. I rode the train of pain. Because if you take a pain pill it will retard healing … in your body. And they don’t tell you that. There are all kinds of things that will destroy your liver. … I was taking a pill the doctor had given me for my blood and I saw on television that it could cause pancreatic cancer. Doctors tell me, “At your age we’re not worried about what it’s going to do in the long run, we need to bite it in the bud now. Give me a break! So I don’t take those.

My wife has saved my life three times when the doctors didn’t know what they were doing. … I was in an emergency room for 12 hours with five doctors and they couldn’t figure out why I had collapsed, and Lana showed them what it was. … We fight all this stuff with natural things, and we try to help other people who have the same diseases who are laying in bed rotting away because the insurance won’t cover what they need for their disease. They say, “We’ll only cover this much.” But they need more. … It’s so sad what they’re going through.” …

I’ve been through three operations, a total of 9 1/2 hours with three surgeons. I had both feet in the grave. So I don’t go back in for any more operations. Lana watches over me, we’re never separated. She sells the merch while we’re on the road. We watch over each other. She has her own disease. She has MS. So we’re a couple of sickies who treat each other. We heal each other. But we’re happier than we’ve ever been because we both love the same things. She loves the old Big Band-style music and so do I. She loves country music. We listen to Vince Gill all day long.

On his legacy and his bond with his fans:

More people are digging into history, like at colleges, and finding out about Dick Dale. They’re realizing that I was the guy splitting the atom in the beginning of amplification … with Leo Fender. I’m the “Father of Loud,” before heavy metal. … I’m the guy, along with Leo, who created the big 15-inch Lansing speakers with the big 100-watt transformers. … And hopefully they see me as a person who is like them. That’s the reason why I sign autographs at the end of the night. I don’t just play and leave. I stay until everybody leaves. I’m signing and I’m talking with families, and I’m talking to people with diseases. I make them laugh about it. I talk to little kids who come up to me. And I tell them to drink water and give their body a bath inside, to stay away from the soda pops and all that stuff. … I tell people, “Go home and hug your mother and father … Tell them how much you love them. … The point is to get children today to give the love to their parents that their parents gave to them. The parents sacrificed, and the kids take it for granted. I try to get that message out to them, because if they like my music they might listen to what I say.”

DICK DALE IN CONCERT, April 25, 2013
With Gold Dust Lounge and Skinny Jimmy & the Stingrays
(Photos by Jim Hayward; click on thumbnails for larger images and slideshow)

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* More 2013 tour reviews, photos: Atlanta | St. Louis

Past Atomic Grog coverage
2012 tour:
* Concert review: Dick Dale’s comeback revs into overdrive
* South Florida welcomes Dick Dale, but when will the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame?
* Nothing can stop surf guitar king Dick Dale
* The Atomic Grog celebrates first anniversary with the return of Dick Dale
2011 tour:
* Dale shreds all doubts with sizzling shows
* Dick Dale playing the tour of his life | What makes Dick Dale the ‘King’?
* Tour was 7 years in the making

Official sites
* DickDale.com | The Dick Dale virtual museum

The Hukilau: June 6-9, 2013, at the Sheraton Fort Lauderdale Beach Hotel, Best Western Oceanside, and The Mai-Kai restaurant. Latest updates at TheHukilau.com and Facebook.

A selection of Deadhead Rum products. (Photo courtesy of Lucky the Painproof Man)

Nearly a dozen mixologists answered the call and submitted their entries last month featuring Deadhead Rum, a new craft spirit from Mexico that comes in in a distinctive shrunken head. As one of the lucky judges, I had the pleasure of sampling some creative and tasty cocktails. Even more impressive were the photos. Today’s wave of Tiki home bartenders obviously takes their craft seriously.

The initial field was narrowed to three, and the finalists were provided care packages by Deadhead (see photo at right) so they could fine-tune their final entries. This gold rum, aged at least six years in sherry casks, features both molasses and sugarcane juice from Mexico’s agricultural regions. It’s great as both a sipping rum and a mixer, with a flavor profile that includes cloves, anise and caramel. It’s available in more than a dozen states, including California, but not yet in Florida.

The final entries were posted last week on The Hukilau’s Facebook page, with final judging concluded over the weekend. The cocktails were judged on the recipe, garnish, presentation and the name. When the smoke cleared, the winning drink was Tukupi’s Cup, a simple yet highly flavorful concoction from John Tremain and Matt Anderson.

The winner will receive the following prizes at the 12th annual Polynesian Pop weekender in June:
* A “Headhunter’s Ritual” performed by a special guest.
* A $150 gift certificate from The Mai-Kai.
* A complete set of The Hukilau’s 2013 glassware.
* The winning drink will also be served at the Deadhead-sponsored after party at a time and venue to be announced.

Below are recipes for the winner and two runners-up. If you can’t find Deadhead in your area, just substitute a crisp and dry, similarly aged rum such as Bacardi 8.

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TUKUPI’S CUP (winner)
Created by John Tremain and Matt Anderson (Seattle, Wash.)

* 2 ounces Deadhead Rum
* 3/4 ounce lime juice
* 1/4 ounce passion fruit syrup (1:1 mix of passion fruit pulp and rich simple syrup)
* 2 teaspoons maple syrup (grade B)
* 2 dashes Bittermens Elemakule Tiki Bitters (or substitute Angostura)

Shake ingredients with two cups crushed ice and pour unstrained into a double old fashioned glass or vessel of similar capacity. Garnish with three Deluxe Foods sour cherries, an orange twist, and thinly sliced lemon and lime wheels.

The drink name is our nod to Tukupi, legendary shaman and elder from the Shuar clan of the Jivaro tribe. These fierce warriors, who once reigned terror over the jungles of Ecuador and Peru, proclaimed their dominance and appeased their ancestors after battle by shrinking and preserving the heads (tsantsas) of their human conquests.

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JUNGLE FOGG (runner-up)
Created by David McCauley (Knoxville, Tenn.)

You’ve only just left the relative safety of the river boat when you begin to feel a light mist developing. The jungle track is no more than a slight gap through the overgrowth, but you press on. As the mist thickens, you begin to hear the tribal drums …

In a shaker, add:
* 2 ounces Deadhead Rum
* 1/2 ounce Lemon Hart 151 Demerara Rum
* 1/2 ounce Blue Curacao
* 1/2 ounce fresh-squeezed lemon juice
* 1/2 ounce fresh-squeezed white grapefruit juice
* 1 ounce fresh-squeezed orange juice
* 1/2 ounce vanilla syrup
* 1 1/4 teaspoons Don’s Mix
   (B.G. Reynolds’ brand, or mix 2 parts white grapefruit juice with 1 part cinnamon syrup)

Add 1/2 cup of crushed ice and shake thoroughly. Pour into highball glass and add crushed ice to fill. Garnish with a long cinnamon stick piercing a quarter lemon wedge (pulp removed).

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KULAU KAPU (runner-up)
Created by Lucky the Painproof Man (Pittsburgh, Pa.)

Deep in the jungles of Ecuador, there is a forbidden fruit. The natives of the Jivaro tribe know very well that eating the green coconut is forbidden by tradition. It is reserved only for the guardians of the ancestral caverns: eunuchs chosen through an ancient ritual that divines only the most pure tribesman. Eating the kapu kulau is punishable by death, and, of course, head shrinking. The drink you see made with the kapu kulau is surrounded by the heads of those that dared eat it.

* 1 ounce VSOP brandy (such as Paul Masson)
* 1 1/2 ounces Deadhead Rum
* 1 ounce unsweetened pineapple juice
* 1 ounce freshly-squeezed orange juice
* 1 1/2 ounces Coco Lopez

Shake vigorously. Pour into a rocks glass or Deadhead mug with coarsely crushed ice. Garnish with a Deadhead Rum swizzle: Two slices of dried orange, a slice of dried coconut and a dried pineapple slice.

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Hukilau links
TheHukilau.com | Facebook page | Facebook group | YouTube | Event photos

Previous coverage
* The Hukilau announces new art show, entertainers, more updates for Tiki fest in June
* The Hukilau releases schedule, updated website for Tiki celebration