Mai Tai Exchange

Dearest Eric,
I decided to try the Barefoot Contessa’s Mai Tai recipe recently and am sad to say it did not come out well. It tasted AWFUL. I even tried using a dark rum for more depth but all I could taste was the citrus from the orange juice and heat from the alcohol. Boring! Here’s the recipe:

½ Cup white rum
¼ Cup Triple Sec
¼ Cup Fresh Lime Juice
¼ Cup Fresh Orange Juice

How can we improve upon this recipe? Summer is here and I need a cocktail while I sit on my lounge chair and watch Bucky the bunny run amok in the garden.

Regards,
Jackie


Dearest Jackie,
I did some research into Mai Tai’s and it seems every modern recipe references Trader Vic’s original recipe except the Barefoot Contessa. The key ingredient seems to be orgeat syrup which is an almond syrup, which you can find at Beverages and More. After comparing multiple recipes, here is an amalgamation for you that relies heavily on Trader Vic’s recipe from his 1946 cookbook. Tell me what you think!

Juice of 1 orange
Juice of ½ lemon
2 ounces golden rum
½ ounce curacao
1 teaspoon sugar
½ teaspoon orgeat syrup

Shake all together with ice and garnish with an orange or pineapple slice.

Regards,
Eric

image via myrecipes.com