I was recently lucky enough to enjoy a relaxing getaway to beautiful Jupiter Island, FL. One night, we stopped in at the Square
Grouper, a legendary tiki/beach bar. It sits by the water, serves fabulous fruity
drinks under giant palm trees, and is pretty much everything you’d ever wanted
from a tropical Florida getaway.
I’m normally more of a beer and wine drinker. But that night, I ordered a fruity, citrus-based tiki-style cocktail. When in Rome, do as the
Romans do—and when at a Florida tiki bar, order tiki drinks!
What’s a Tiki Bar?
 |
| “Thatch Tiki Bar” (c) 2008 ryan harvey, CC-BY-SA 2.0 |
Tiki bars (which are not the same as beach bars) never
really went out of style in Florida. But if you live in the rest of the
country, you
may not know what this quirky tradition is all about.
Tiki has many elements, but it typically features tropical plants and gardens, a “woodsy,” yet colorful
look, tiki (Polynesian humanoid)
carvings, tropical-style music (sometimes with live performers or a Polynesian theme),
and of course, very elaborate tiki cocktails.
Tiki Cocktails
So, what makes a cocktail “tiki”? Usually there are lots of ingredients,
plenty of rum, spiced syrups, and tropical juices and fruits. Tiki drinks also almost always use citrus
juices, like orange, lime, lemon, and grapefruit. They’re often served in fancy “tiki” mugs and include fun garnishes, like little umbrellas
or flowers. Some drinks are big enough to share.
Popular Tiki Drinks
While the list of tiki drinks goes on and on, here are a few
that are especially popular. Recipes are often “secret,” so opinions differ on
what exactly to include. However, the main elements usually stay the same.
The Rum Runner has quite a long list of ingredients, including (of course) rum, orange juice, lime
juice, pineapple juice, grenadine, banana liqueur and blackberry liqueur.
The Navy Grog plays to the tradition of “drinking citrus in
the navy to prevent scurvy.” It always includes rum, lime juice, and white
grapefruit juice.
The Scorpion is a strong drink that includes gin, rum, brandy, wine, orange juice, lemon juice,
and orgeat, an almond syrup.
The Zombie may feature rum, white grapefruit juice, cinnamon,
lime juice, lemon juice, orange curacao, grenadine, falernum, and/or bitters.
The Mai Tai calls for rum, lime juice, almond syrup,
and mint.
The Magic of White Grapefruit
Authentic tiki recipes typically date back to the
1950s or even earlier-- before today's very sweet pink and red
grapefruit were introduced. What this means is that tiki drink recipes were written to match the tarter,
fuller, brighter flavor profile of white grapefruit. It's just the perfect choice for these classic recipes, and goes especially well with warm spices, like nutmeg and cinnamon.
Yet white grapefruit can be hard to find these days. So lovers of authentic tiki cocktails are often a little frustrated in their quest to to buy white grapefruit for tiki drinks. In fact, many web posts on tiki drink forums
feature tiki lovers wondering where to find white grapefruit. We’re happy to help here at Florida Fruit!
Florida Tiki
Want to enjoy some tiki culture yourself? A search for tiki bars in Florida yields hundreds of enticing
options, from Jacksonville to (of course) the Keys. If you live in or visit the
state and have never visited one of these tropical getaways, you owe it to
yourself to check one out. Choose one by
the water, and go at sunset. As the palm fronds wave overhead and you enjoy a
delicious beverage, alcoholic or not, you’ll likely enjoy some feelings of
well-being and relaxation…perhaps even a slight sense of time travel.
Of
course, if you can’t get to a tiki bar, that’s okay! Pick up some of
these ingredients and enjoy concocting one of these delicious beverages at
home.
