Working man’s Mai Tai

This is not the “ultimate” Mai Tai, an endlessly elusive target — the pursuit of which can be complex and expensive (though always fun).  The google offers endless ratholes to join that merry chase.  But this tasty recipe is fast, easy & cheap, kind of how I like my [content edited]. Anyway, enjoy!

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Working man's Mai Tai Yum

There is no garnish in this recipe. Mai Tai's normally have a hunk of pineapple and/or various other goodies on a pick. I once told a bartender I wanted a "stealth Mai Tai". He asked "what's that?" & I replied "A Mai Tai with too much rum and no garnish".

Having said that I readily confess my addiction to a Meyers rum floater. And I love the look of a small amount of grenadine syrup drifting languidly downwards through the drink if added JUST before serving. But that show is short, and at the end the syrup pools at the bottom, providing a sometimes cloyingly sweet finale to an otherwise nicely balanced experience. I normally skip it. Sure is purdy tho!

Course

Side dish

Cuisine

American

Servings

batch

Ingredients

• 2 parts your favorite rum — Light, gold, dark or a mix. NOT a spiced or flavored rum. YES a fancy expensive estate rum can still shine through this modest recipe.
• 2 parts sweet & Sour mix — Whatever brand floats your boat.
• 2 parts Pineapple juice — Fresh juiced is spectacular, but canned Dole is super convenient and not bad.
• 1 part amaretto or orgeat — Cheap probably works... but Di Saronno is not that horribly expensive.
• 1 part Triple Sec or Curacao — or maybe Grand Marnier in a pinch, but that might be weird
• OPTIONAL garnish — Yer on yer own. I've already said my piece.
• Floater Meyers rum — about a Tbsp per glass, gently added after the drink is poured.
• OPTIONAL dash Grenadine syrup — JUST, like IMMEDIATELY before serving. Not too much! Maybe use a small straw as a pipette to control the "dose".

Course Side dish Cuisine American Servings batch Ingredients 2 parts your favorite rum — Light, gold, dark or a mix. NOT a spiced or flavored rum. YES a fancy expensive estate rum can still shine through this modest recipe. 2 parts sweet & Sour mix — Whatever brand floats your boat. 2 parts Pineapple juice — Fresh juiced is spectacular, but canned Dole is super convenient and not bad. 1 part amaretto or orgeat — Cheap probably works... but Di Saronno is not that horribly expensive. 1 part Triple Sec or Curacao — or maybe Grand Marnier in a pinch, but that might be weird OPTIONAL garnish — Yer on yer own. I've already said my piece. Floater Meyers rum — about a Tbsp per glass, gently added after the drink is poured. OPTIONAL dash Grenadine syrup — JUST, like IMMEDIATELY before serving. Not too much! Maybe use a small straw as a pipette to control the "dose".

Recipe Notes

If each part = 6 oz you'll have a quart for the refrigerator after pouring two nice drinks.  And empty 6 oz cans of Dole pineapple juice make a convenient measuring tool for the other ingredients

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