Mai Tai’s take me back to mine & Mitch’s honeymoon in Maui. I miss it so much and the warmer weather is really make me reminisce about the beach. Since it’s not looking like a beach trip will be in the cards this year, I figured I can channel beach vibes with this super easy and delicious Mai Tai recipe.
Everyone assumes that mai tais originated in Hawaii but this isn’t true. The first mai tai was created at a restaurant most people are familiar with, Trader Vic’s, in Oakland, CA in 1944. Mai tais are a rum-based cocktail with fresh juices and an orange liqueur; however, there are other variations which include simple syrups, grenadine, bitters, etc. The best mai tai I have ever had was at Monkey Pod in Maui, HI. Their famous mai tais have a lilikoi foam which I believe is made with whipping cream, condensed milk and lilikoi juice. It’s so delicious- especially, on a mai tai! Next time, I’ll try to re-create the lilikoi foam…
I usually stay away from complicated cocktail recipes as I don’t like to go out and buy crazy ingredients that I will barely use again… typically, my go-to drink is a big glass of Cab Sauv. In this case, all of the ingredients used here can certainly be re-used very easily… margaritas & side cars require Grand Marnier!
I hope this recipe gives you all of the beachy vibes. Drink responsibly!
Mai Tai
Equipment
- Cocktail shaker & strainer
Ingredients
- 3 oz dark rum
- 1 1/2 light rum
- 1 oz Grand Marnier
- 1 oz simple syrup
- 2 oranges juiced
- 2 lemons juiced
- 2 limes juiced
- 1/2 oz pineapple juice
- 1 tsp grenadine
- orange slice garnish (optional)
- 1 pineapple slice garnish (optional)
- maraschino cherries garnish (optional)
Instructions
- Pour the first 8 ingredients into a cocktail shaker.
- Add ice and shake vigorously.
- Strain into a glass filled with ice.
- Pour 1 tsp grenadine into the cocktail and garnish with fresh fruit & cherries.
- Sip & enjoy!
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