These make great appetizers or small plates bites.  Serve with Crab Rangoon and chicken wings for a cocktail party.

Ingredients:

• 1 cup lemongrass, topped and tough bottom removed
• 1 cup sugar (this is a marinade so you need to use sugar and not substitute)
• ½ cup fresh ginger peeled and chopped
• 4 Thai chilies, stems removed
• 6 cloves garlic, crushed
• 1 Tbl. turmeric
• 1/4 cup fresh lime juice
• 1/4 cup dark rum
• 1 oz. tequila
• 2 Tbls. fish sauce
• 1/2 cup coconut milk
• 12 boneless chicken thighs
• 1/2 cup chunky peanut butter
• 2 Tbls. soy sauce
• 3 Tbls. water
• bamboo skewers
• Kosher salt, to taste
• Vegetable oil, as needed

Directions:

1. Remove a few outer layers of the lemongrass, thinly slice, and set aside.
2. In a food processor, combine the lemongrass, sugar, ginger, Thai chile, garlic, turmeric, lime, rum, tequila, and fish sauce. Process until the mixture is as smooth as possible. Scrape down the sides of the processor periodically to ensure an even puree. Remove the mixture from the processor and transfer to a bowl. Whisk in the coconut milk.
3. Cut the chicken thighs into strips about 1/2-inch wide. Place the chicken in a freezer bag with the marinade and refrigerate for at least 24 hours or up to 48 hours.
4. Soak bamboo skewers in cold water for 1 hour before threading.
5. Make a peanut sauce by whisking the peanut butter, soy sauce and water together in a small bowl.  Set aside.
6. Begin threading the chicken and allow for approximately 1 thigh per skewer. If the chicken thighs are big, 1/2 a thigh per skewer will suffice.
7. Heat a cast iron griddle or grill on medium-high flame. Season the chicken with sea salt on all sides and grill.
8. Serve with peanut sauce

• 1 part passion fruit puree – Goya brand available in Mexican Markets or large grocery stores
• 1 Part simple syrup

1. Combine and store in glass bottle for a few days refrigerated

As in Donn Beach

Total Time: 2 1/2 hours

Makes up to 6 cups

• 2 parts white grapefruit juice
• 1 part cinnamon syrup – see below

1. Mix, bottle and store in the refrigerator.

Cinnamon Infused Syrup

• 3 cinnamon sticks, crushed
• 1 cup water
• 1 cup sugar or WheyLow

1. Bring all ingredients to a boil in a small sauce pan.
2. Reduce heat and simmer for 2 min.
3. Remove from heat, cover and allow mixture to stand for 2 hours
4. Strain and bottle
5. Keep refrigerated

This syrup is simple to make and is a required ingredient in several Tiki drinks.  It’s also good in several soft drinks.  See simple syrup.

• 8 oz. Overproof rum
• 50 cloves
• 1T whole allspice
• 1 whole nutmeg
• 8 limes, zested (Make sure to get as little pith as possible, nitrogen cavitation seems to really go for the bitter flavor in pith)
• ½ C thinly sliced ginger
• 1 ½ C 2:1 simple syrup

1. Grind or bash spices
2. Add all ingredients to whipper and follow instructions for nitrogen cavitation
3. Add the 2:1 simple syrup to the strained liquid.

This should be served flaming.  Either double the recipe and serve in a scorpion bowl, or float an inverted lime half with 151 rum soaked piece of bread.  You can sub the Key Lime Bitters with orange bitters.

Key Lime ‘O’

• 2 oz. Mount Gay Gold Rum
• 1 oz. Orange juice
• 1 oz. Passion Fruit Syrup
• ½ oz. Pineapple
• 1/2 oz. Grenadine
• ½ oz. Orgeat
• ¼ oz. Falernum
• 2 dashes key lime bitters
• 8 oz. crushed ice

1. Shake all ingredients with crushed ice
2. Pour unstrained into tall glass

The first “Blue Drink.”  Invented  in 1957 by Harry Yee of the Hilton Hawaiian Village.  It was an instant hit and, yes, the movie was named for the drink!

Blue Hawaii

• 1 ½ oz. vodka
• 2 oz. pineapple juice
• ¾ oz. lemon juice
• ¾ oz. blue curacao
• ¼ oz. simple syrup
• ½ t. cream

1. Shake with crushed ice
2. Pour unstrained into tall glass
3. Garnish with fruit stick

Created at the bar in Burbank where the show’s actors hung out after filming.

• 1 oz. Gold Rum
• ½ oz. Light Rum
• ½ oz. lime juice
• ½ oz. Falernum
• ½ oz. simple syrup
• 8 oz. crushed ice

1. Blend for 5 sec.
2. Pour unstrained into glass
3. Garnish with cherry and lime

From the Kuala Lumpur Hilton.

• 1 ½ oz. dark Jamaican Rum (such as Appleton)
• ¾ oz. Campari
• 4 oz. pineapple juice
• ½ oz. Lime juice
• ½ oz. simple syrup

1. Chill an old fashioned glass with ice and water
2. While the glass chills, combine all of the ingredients in a shaker.
3. Shake with ice until shaker is fully frosted: 10 – 15 seconds
4. Pour unstrained into chilled glass
5. Garnish with a cherry and lemon and orange wheels

This is Trader Vic’s original recipe.

• 1 oz. Appleton Extra
• 1 oz. Mount Gay Gold Rum
• ½ oz. Curacao
• 1 oz. Lime Juice
• ¼ oz. orgeat
• ¼ oz. simple syrup

1. Shake all ingredients with crushed ice
2. Pour unstrained into old fashioned glass
3. Add crushed ice to fill
4. Garnish with a mint sprig

If there is such a thing as an elegant Tiki drink, this is it!  Even if your party isn’t Tiki themed, this simple drink will impress. 

• 1 oz. Plymouth Gin
• ¾ oz. Lemon juice
• ¾ oz. Passion fruit syrup

1. Chill cocktail glass with ice and water
2. Add all ingredients to a shaker and shake with ice
3. Strain into chilled cocktail glass