{"id":9202,"date":"2015-02-19T16:53:39","date_gmt":"2015-02-19T21:53:39","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.slammie.com\/atomicgrog\/blog\/?p=9202"},"modified":"2016-01-09T18:31:09","modified_gmt":"2016-01-09T23:31:09","slug":"bam-its-tiki-time-at-the-south-beach-wine-food-festival","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.slammie.com\/atomicgrog\/blog\/2015\/02\/19\/bam-its-tiki-time-at-the-south-beach-wine-food-festival\/","title":{"rendered":"Emeril brings Tiki to South Beach during Wine & Food Festival cocktail showdown"},"content":{"rendered":"

Updated May 19, 2015<\/em>
\nThe South Beach Wine & Food Festival was hit by a Tiki tornado on Friday night, when more than 700 people packed the Shore Club’s poolside patios for a whirlwind event hosted by celebrity chef Emeril Lagasse. Seven of the country’s top mixologists competed in “The Art of Tiki: A Cocktail Showdown,” bringing a true taste of the tropics to South Beach.<\/p>\n

Tiki roundup:<\/strong> Reviews and ingredients for all the competing cocktails<\/a>
\nBonus cocktail recipe:<\/strong> The Mai-Kai’s Molokai Swizzle<\/a>
\nPhoto gallery:<\/strong> Exclusive images from The Atomic Grog<\/a>
\nMore below:<\/strong> See the full event preview and participant bios<\/a><\/p>\n

\"Brian<\/a>
Brian Miller and his Pain Reliever.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

When the smoke cleared, the winner of the Judge’s Choice award (and a $5,000 check) was veteran New York City bartender Brian Miller<\/strong>, host of the popular Tiki Mondays With Miller events. The People’s Choice award went to a local favorite, Miami Beach craft cocktail bar The Broken Shaker<\/strong>. Bartenders Randy Perez and Gui Jaroschy accepted the $2,000 prize after spending several hours feverishly mixing drinks for the South Beach masses. Other bars and mixologists competing were The Mai-Kai (Fort Lauderdale), Frankie’s Tiki Room (Las Vegas), Royal Kona Resort (Hawaii), The Rum Line (Miami Beach), and Sunny’s (Miami).<\/p>\n

Lagasse was joined by an esteemed crew of VIP judges: Author and bar owner Jeff “Beachbum” Berry (Latitude 29, New Orleans), bar owner and rum expert Martin Cate (Smuggler’s Cove, San Francisco), plus rum ambassador and consultant Lynnette Marrero (Diageo; DrinksAt6, New York City). There were also food stations scattered around the Shore Club’s two pools featuring notable chefs from South Florida and beyond. <\/p>\n

After winning his top prize and posing for photos, Miller said he hoped to use the money to help fund an upcoming move to Los Angeles. Miller said he wanted to “take a seat at the big boys’ table” and “hopefully pick up where Don (the Beachcomber) left off.” However, less than a month later, Miller said via e-mail that he scuttled those plans and will be staying in New York.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

\"Judges<\/a>
Judges Martin Cate (left) and Beachbum Berry enjoy The Mai-Kai’s Molokai Swizzle.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

The event ran smoothly despite an unusually cold and blustery night at the beachside Shore Club. A light drizzle sporadically appeared near the end of the three-hour party, but it was not enough to dampen any spirits. Kudos to the festival and hotel staff, who kept things running smoothly all night. Attention was paid to many details, including having such a large and attentive staff on hand that you had to be careful that your drink wasn’t snatched up if you left it unattended for a few seconds.<\/p>\n

The one logistical snag, in my mind, was the layout of the bar stations, which formed a “U” shape around the main pool. Because the judges were set up in a blocked-off private area at the top of the U, guests who reached the last kiosk were confronted with a dead end. This created gridlock and some crowd issues at that end of the pool. Having the path continue around the pool in a circle would have made the flow much better.<\/p>\n

Also, someone needs to explain to those in charge that when you create an immersive Tiki experience, electronic dance music is totally inappropriate. I know this is South Beach, but give us a break with the annoying club music. There’s a wide array of tropical-themed genres that would have worked wonderfully in the DJ’s playlist. Or better yet, book a live band or small combo (where were you, Gold Dust Lounge?).<\/p>\n

But that was not enough to take away from our enjoyment, thanks to the top-notch cocktails and small bites. Was it worth the $95 price tag? That’s probably a matter of personal expectations. It wasn’t difficult to grab the sample cocktails and go back for seconds or thirds of your favorites. But I was so busy sampling the drinks and chatting, I ran out of time to hit more than half of the food booths before they stopped serving. More time and more food would have been nice.<\/p>\n

\"Randy<\/a>
Randy Perez (left) and Gui Jaroschy from The Broken Shaker in Miami took home the People\u2019s Choice award.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Of those I tried, I was impressed by all the chefs. I savored the rich salt-baked American red snapper from Eric Grutka of Ian’s Tropical Grill in Stuart. The one-bite servings were doled out in spoons, the perfect way to nosh when you’re also juggling cocktails. The pork tacos from Scott Linquist of Miami’s Coyo Taco were delicious, though the corn tortilla was a bit difficult to handle with one hand. But the bite of the night was the decadent sliders from Steve Rhee, chef at the Shore Club’s Terrazza restaurant. [See photo]<\/a> A Hawaiian sweet roll was filled with braised kalbi short rib with kimchi slaw and a fried quail egg, topped with cilantro aioli. This is an instant Tiki bar classic.<\/p>\n

But my main order of business was to sample all of the competing cocktails and give them an unbiased but critical rating. Maybe I’d agree with the judges and the “people’s choice” votes, maybe not. Before I got started, I ran into one of the judges, Martin Cate, who let me know that the number of contestants had dropped from eight to seven. Unfortunately, Paul McGee could not get away from his booming new bar in Chicago (Lost Lake). This eliminated one of the top contenders, IMHO. But Cate noted that it also removed his conflict of interest since he runs the Lost Lake rum program. Emeril’s Tchoup Chop had a booth (featuring a tasty Pi\u00f1a Colada Mojito) but was not part of the competition for obvious reasons.<\/p>\n

Now, on with the cocktail adventure: We arrived at 10 p.m. from blustery Collins Avenue, through a portal and into a tropical cocktail oasis on South Beach. Booths and drinks are listed in order as we wound our way clockwise around the pool, which was awash with the projected logo of sponsor Captain Morgan rum. <\/a> <\/p>\n

The Shore Club showdown: Tackling the Tiki tornado<\/strong><\/p>\n

\"Brian<\/a>
Brian Miller (Tiki Mondays With Miller, New York City) accepts the top prize, the Judge\u2019s Choice award, from Emeril Lagasse.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

First, a quick recap of the rules: Mixologists had to use rums provided by Diageo, owner of the Captain Morgan brand. Their cocktails could contain no more than seven ingredients, including their own unique infusions or flavors. Recipes were approved in advance, and ingredient lists were posted at each booth. <\/p>\n

The judges were given some general guidelines by organizer Francesco Lafranconi, executive director of mixology and spirits educator for Southern Wine and Spirits of Nevada. He was quoted as saying the best cocktails should showcase the “holy trinity” of Tiki drinks: Rum, fresh exotic flavors (such as tropical fruits), and spice (cinnamon, nutmeg, anise, allspice, etc.). The bartenders prepared full-sized drinks in special mugs and glasses with elaborate garnish for the judges. In addition to the winner, the panel also named a runner-up and third-place finisher.<\/p>\n

Guests had a much more simple task: We were each given a sand dollar to place in a treasure chest at our favorite drink’s station. I went one step further, rating each cocktail on a 10-point scale. My criteria include not only those the judges pondered, but also such things as balance, creativity and use of ingredients. Also, I didn’t consider presentation as much as the judges did since I didn’t see the full-blown mugs and garnishes that they did.<\/p>\n

\"The<\/a>
The Mai-Kai’s Kern Mattei and Troy Gallant are busy preparing the Molokai Swizzle.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

The Mai-Kai: Molokai Swizzle<\/strong> (Captain Morgan Black and Zacapa rum, lime juice, honey, passion syrup, Angostura bitters, Pernod). The historic Fort Lauderdale restaurant was easily the most venerable in the contest. Established in 1956, its roots go back even further with its canon of classic cocktails created by Tiki godfather Don the Beachcomber in the 1930s. The Molokai Swizzle is a new drink from head mixologist Troy Gallant and manager Kern Mattei that follows that legacy, including many classic ingredients. [See recipe below]<\/a> It’s sweet, tart, and impeccably balanced with all the ingredients uniting in perfect harmony. And I loved the light touch of Pernod, an anise liqueur that pays tribute to Tiki history. Rating: 8<\/strong><\/p>\n

Tiki Mondays With Miller: Pain Reliever<\/strong> (Myers’s rum, Zacapa rum infused with coffee, homemade coconut creme, fresh pineapple juice, fresh orange juice, fresh lemon juice, Don’s Spices #4). Brian Miller, New York City’s Pied Piper of exotic cocktails, matched The Mai-Kai in Tikiness by using coffee and an obscure Don the Beachcomber spice (though Don’s Spices #4 is actually just a cinnamon simple syrup). The coffee blends well with the coconut, cinnamon, dark rums and juices in the Pain Reliever, creating a rich and distinctive flavor. Extra points for creativity. Rating: 7.5 <\/strong><\/p>\n

Sunny’s: Haole Punch<\/strong> (Captain Morgan Original Spiced rum, grapefruit juice, Pi\u00f1a Colada mix, honey, diced ginger, crushed pineapple, lemon juice, orange juice). Iron Chef competitor and Washington, D.C., restaurateur Spike Mendelsohn seems to have exceeded the 7-ingredient limit with this surprisingly balanced mish-mash of flavors. Representing his upcoming Miami restaurant, this cocktail is very spicy thanks to the fresh ginger, though it tends to be a bit one-note. Still, it was quite a surprise and Mrs. Hurricane’s favorite of the night. Rating: 7 <\/strong><\/p>\n

\"P<\/a>
P Moss (left) from Frankie\u2019s Tiki Room in Las Vegas and Randy Perez from The Broken Shaker in Miami in the heat of the battle.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Royal Kona Resort: Don’s Gal Ginger<\/strong> (Captain Morgan Black and Naked Turtle rums, Angostura bitters, ginger-infused simple syrup, Goya guava nectar, ginger beer). Jeff Isbister, the food and beverage director at the resort on the Big Island of Hawaii, also went with a ginger cocktail but wasn’t as successful as Mendelsohn. Not only was the ginger a bit heavy-handed, the drink suffered from a lack of balance and sweetness. It was a valiant effort to stand out from the rest of the crowd, but at the end of the day it was not as tasty as the others. Rating: 5 <\/strong><\/p>\n

The Broken Shaker: Paradise Found<\/strong> (Captain Morgan Coconut and Captain Morgan Original Spiced rums, St. Elizabeth allspice dram, watermelon, lime juice, mint syrup, Bittermens Tiki Bitters). Perhaps the most creative cocktail of the night came from the Miami Beach bar known for its unique flavors. Randy Perez created a clean, sweet and exotic drink that not only won the People’s Choice award but also came in third in the judges’ voting. I enjoyed this smooth and balanced effort that hit all the right notes. Rating: 8<\/strong><\/p>\n

Frankie’s Tiki Room: Siren’s Reef <\/strong>(Captain Morgan Grapefruit and Zacapa rums, sweetened condensed milk, Goya mango nectar, li hing powder). The cocktail from the popular tropical outpost in Las Vegas was sweet and creamy but lacked a true exotic flavor. Owner P Moss and his team tried to incorporate li hing, a salty and sweet powder found in Hawaii and made from ground plum skin and pickled in licorice. It has recently become popular as an additive to cocktails, often replacing salt in tequila drinks. It certainly seems exotic, but the combination of the powder and the sweet milk didn’t make for a harmonious (or tasty) drink in my opinion. However, the judges thought highly enough to make it their runner-up to Brian Miller. Rating: 5 <\/strong><\/p>\n

\"Brian<\/a>
Brian Miller (Tiki Mondays With Miller, New York City) shows off his check for winning the Judge\u2019s Choice award.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

The Rum Line: Port of Miami<\/strong> (Myers’s, Naked Turtle and Zacapa rums, fresh lime juice, passion fruit puree, almond milk, cinnamon-chili syrup). Representing the bar in the nearby Loews Miami Beach Hotel, mixologist Rob Ferrara came up with a sour and rummy drink with the feel of a classic cocktail. It was a solid effort, but none of the ingredients popped the way I had hoped, keeping it in the middle of the pack. Rating: 6<\/strong><\/p>\n

The results:<\/strong> With The Mai-Kai and The Broken Shaker in a virtual tie, I went with the sentimental favorite and dropped my sand dollar in the Molokai Swizzle’s treasure chest. The classic nature of the drink gave it an ever-so-slight edge over the unique and creative Paradise Found. Brian Miller’s Pain Reliever was close behind in third place, just a half-point below the others. The rest of the field had its moments, but none stood out for me like the top three did.<\/p>\n

A quick look at the ingredients shows a few interesting trends. Ron Zacapa, a premium 23-year-old rum, was not surprisingly the most popular spirit, showing up in four of the seven cocktails. My top four all featured lemon or lime juice as a sour element, but no other ingredient showed up more than twice, a testament to the creativity of the mixologists. Inspired, I came up with a close recreation of my favorite drink of the night: <\/a><\/p>\n

************************** <\/div>\n

MOLOKAI SWIZZLE<\/strong>
\nBy Troy Gallant, The Mai-Kai<\/p>\n

\"Molokai<\/a>
Molokai Swizzle by The Atomic Grog, February 2015. (Photo by Hurricane Hayward)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

* 3\/4 ounce fresh lime juice
\n* 3\/4 ounce rich passion fruit syrup
\n* 3\/8 ounce rich honey mix
\n* 2 dashes Angostura bitters
\n* 3-4 drops Pernod
\n* 1 1\/4 ounce Ron Zacapa 23 aged rum
\n* 1 1\/4 ounce Captain Morgan Black spiced rum
\n* 1 cup (8 ounces) crushed ice<\/p>\n

Pulse blend at high speed for 5-8 seconds. Pour into a double old-fashioned glass or Tiki mug. Top with more crushed ice. Garnish with a pineapple spear and fresh orchid if available.<\/p>\n

This is The Atomic Grog’s take on the cocktail served on Friday, Feb. 20, during The Art of Tiki: A Cocktail Showdown at the South Beach Wine & Food Festival. While The Mai-Kai typically doesn’t mix with either of these rums, the combination works well. Ron Zacapa brings sophistication and depth, while Captain Morgan Black adds richness and spice. <\/p>\n

The other elements are signature Mai-Kai ingredients. The Angostura-Pernod combo was a secret weapon Don the Beachcomber used in many classics. And If you’ve made any of the many Mai-Kai recipes on The Atomic Grog<\/a>, you’ll know that the honey mix and passion fruit syrup are extra rich to give the drinks additional body and sweetness. Combine 2 parts honey to 1 part water and mix well. Passion fruit syrup can be made by heating rich simple syrup (2 parts sugar to 1 part water) with frozen passion fruit puree. Fine bottled versions include Fee Brothers<\/a>, B.G. Reynolds<\/a>, Monin<\/a>, and Aunty Lilikoi<\/a>.
\nMore on The Atomic Grog:<\/B> Mai-Kai Cocktail Guide<\/a> | Tropical drink family tree<\/A>
\nThe Mai-Kai:<\/B> Official website<\/a> | Facebook page<\/A> | Flickr group<\/A> <\/a><\/p>\n

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EXCLUSIVE PHOTO GALLERY
\nThe Art of Tiki: A Cocktail Showdown<\/strong>
\n(Click on thumbnails to see larger images or to view as slideshow)<\/I>
\nPhotos by The Atomic Grog<\/p>\n