TIKI CULTURE

The Mai-Kai’s Barrel O’ Rum: Your Weekend Tiki Bar Drink!

We’re heading to the Mai-Kai tonight for The Hukilau kickoff party. It’s a hell of a kickoff when it happens three weeks before the actual event, huh? Anyhoo, since the Barrel O’ Rum is one of everyone’s favorites, and it’s pretty simple to make as far as Tiki/exotic cocktails go, I figured I’d feature it this week! Here’s the recipe that I found that seems to mimic the Mai-Kai’s recipe…

The Barrel O’ Rum

• 2 oz good Silver rum (I like Meyers Silver, or even 10-Cane, which is a little different)
• 2 oz Appleton Estate rum
• 2 oz fresh-squeezed Lime juice
• 2 oz fresh-squeezed Orange juice
• 2 oz fresh-squeezed Grapefruit juice
• 2 oz Passion fruit syrup
• About a teaspoon honey
• splash of soda
• A few dashes Angostura bitters
• Ice

Colleen & I at the Mai Kai

Throw everything together in a blender and blend for 5 seconds, then pour it into the barrel. Goooood stuff!

The Rum Barrel is also going to be the featured drink at this year’s Hukilau’s Master Mixologist Cocktail Challenge. Contestants get to devise a better barrel. I hear the competition is going to be pretty heavy, so if you’re going, make sure you check it out poolside at Bahia Cabana. See Hurricane Hayward’s post at Atomic Grog for more info!

-Tiki Chris P, reporting from the Molokai Bar at The Mai-Kai, Fort Lauderdale (well, OK, not yet, but I will be soon)

Beachbum Berry’s Rumposium at The Hukilau 2011

If you’re in Fort Lauderdale on Saturday, June 11th, and if you like rum, and if you like Tiki drinks, then you’ll have to find yourself a way to swing down to The Hukilau 2011…especially for Beachbum Berry’s Rumposium at the Mai Kai.

What the hell is a Rumposium? Pretty much what it sounds like. Here’s the description from The Hukilau’s website:

“The Bum’s Rumposium — a Hukilau tenth-anniversary exclusive — will be a rollicking ride down the rapids of a river of rum, an exhaustive and literally explosive look at rum in history, rum on the high seas, rum in Tiki drinks, how to pair rum with food, how to pair rums with each other, how to keep zombies away using rum, and how to use rum in Zombies. Don’t miss the cocktails, the tall tales … or the gunpowder test!”

Beachbum Berry

The Rumposium costs only $35. It starts promptly at 2pm, and will segue into the first seating for the Polynesian Show & Dinner at the Mai Kai. Reservations are required for both, so if you haven’t done it yet, get on the ball and get your tickets! Visit The Hukilau’s website at www.thehukilau.com/2011.

Remember, this is the 10th anniversary of The Hukilau, so there are all kinds of fun events, music, performances and kool stuff to buy this year!

-See you there, Tiki Chris P.

Volunteer at The Hukilau 2011 for free tickets!

The wonderful kids running The Hukilau in Fort Lauderdale, Florida are looking for volunteers to help on-site during the event. A few hours of volunteer work will get you a special 3-Day pass to The Hukilau! This can save you a lot of lettuce, lettuce you can use for more Mai Tais and Crab Rangoon.

The Hukilau 2011 is celebrating their 10th anniversary this year, so the festivities promise to be swankier than ever. It will be held mainly at the Bahia Mar Hotel in Fort Lauderdale, with additional events at Bahia Cabana, The Yankee Clipper, The Fort Lauderdale Museum of Art, The Mai Kai and more. Dates are June 9th through 12th.

Your truly, Tiki Chris will be there for the duration. I’ll be helping out this year as Vendor Coordinator, so if you’re planning on setting up a table at the event, we’ll become good friends in a short time!

See you in June!

(Note: Not all events are included in the special 3-day volunteer pass, but you get A LOT. For more information, visit the Hukilau website at http://www.thehukilau.com/2011/contact/)

2011 Hukilau (Fort Lauderdale) Website is now Live!

Ok swingin’ Tiki lovin’ kats and chicks, it’s time to start thinking of June, and the 10th Anninversary of

The Hukilau!

in beautiful, sunny Fort Lauderdale, Florida.

This year’s Hukilau will take place from June 9th through 12th at Bahia Mar and Bahia Cabana Hotels just across from the white sandy beaches of the famous South Florida resort town.

This year promises even more great entertainment, great art, great gifts and great exotic cocktails. For a complete list of events, etc. visit The Hukilau website at www.thehukilau.com/2011.

Me, our friend Molly and my wife Colleen at the Mai Kai, Hukilau 2010.

This year also marks the 55th Anniversary of the World’s Greatest (IMHO) Tiki Bar, The Mai Kai. As always, the Saturday night extravaganza will feature dinner and Polynesian show at the Mai Kai. It’s fantabulous, kids!

I am also very excited to announce that yours truly, Tiki Chris will be helping out the fine folks at The Hukilau this year as Vendor Coordinator. So if you’re setting up shop at The Hukilau, I’ll be talking to you soon. For the rest of you kids, I’ll be there all four days so look me up! I’ll be the guy in the Hawaiian shirt

-Tiki Chris reporting from a cabana on the beach in Fort Lauderdale, Florida.

Tiki News: Hukilau 2011, June 9-12, Fort Lauderdale, Florida

Just Announced! Hukilau 2011 Tickets On Sale Now!

Hey swingin’ Tikiphiles, here’s a great way to start the New Year…

Mark your calendars for June 9th through 12th for The Hukilau 2011 in Fort Lauderdale, Florida.

This year marks the 10th Anniversary of The Hukilau and the 55th Anniversary of the Mai Kai, so it will certainly be a swingin’ shindig. But Tickets for the events online here. The Official Hukilau website with all the details will be coming soon.

To book a room in Fort Lauderdale one of the two official hotels:

Bahia Cabana: 954-254-1555
You can book online with the Bahia Mar HERE.

I’ll have more info posted as it becomes available. Mahalos to you all in the New Year, see you in June!

-Tiki Chris