Tiki Central Canada – Details, episodes & analysis

Hi folks, Sorry we have been not online for some time...it has been items such as schedules, work, private lives and other items that has set us back. We will work harder to bring you the shows and thanks for sticking with us. This episode, we will be talking about the Pago Pago cocktail and its origins. There was a time where in North America there was several tiki bars named Pago Pago and a few still stand today. The main item we discuss on the origin of this drink t=is two little islands in the Pacific ocean that are surrounded by the international date line. This imaginary line has gone through so many changes as to which areas it covers. So one of the islands West Samoa and the American Somoa islands are on opposite sides of this line. The capital city of American Somoa is Pago Pago. The line is by the way not a true straight line as you will see on any map. By the way depending who you reference the line it changes depend if its Google maps or other sources.  For the cocktail, we will give you not one or two recipes but 3 different recipes to this cocktail. Some ingredients can be hard if not impossible to find especially the Chartreuse.  On Mark's adventures: we finally get to a location in Canada. The Shameful Tiki Room in BC Canada is the next location Mark has adventured to and will give us a full report on. This unique bar (as there are not many at all of tiki bars in Canada) has tons of character, drinks, rums, music and décor to discuss. It has been operating for 10 years now and just has its anniversary celebration which Mark was part of. Links to the show: Recipes from the show: https://tikicentralcanada.ca/recipes-page-2/ International Date line YouTube video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aBppb2quqkE Mark's Adventures page: https://tikicentralcanada.ca/marks-tiki-page/

Hi guys, Sorry for the delay we had a recording session that was a bad recording and so we had to re-schedule this show to get a good recording. So this past year we lost a famous and pioneer in the tiki world, Harry Yee at the age of 104 years old. Wow, that in itself is an amazing accomplishment. Do you want to grow that old? I'm aiming for 100!! Anyways, on this show we will cover two of Harry's cocktails: Tapa Punch (1959) and Chimp in Orbit (1961), Tapa Punch was the first cocktail to have a parasol incorporated in a drink. The Chimp in Orbit was named after a chimpanzee also known as Ham the Chimp and Ham the Astrochimp, was the first Great Ape launched into space. Both of these drinks will include some Puerto Rician rum and Jamaican. We also get into Harry's life story and where and how he started his journey to the tiki world and some of the accomplishments he made along the way that we know and cherish today.  Here is a sample of some of these facts such as he flew in World War II for the Chinese air force. He also worked for Don the beachcomber and Trader Vic which we know are the pioneers of tiki. He then moved onto the Hilton Hawaiian Village Waikiki Beach Resort is a resort hotel on Waikiki Beach in Honolulu, Hawaii.  There several show including Hawaiian Eye and the movie Blue Hawaii were shot and Harry created drinks for them. He also was approached by Bols to create a nice tropical blue cocktail to go with their new Blue Curacao liqueur.  On "Did you know?" segment: we will give you some cools facts about Hawaii like did you know there are no snakes on the plane (ops, I meant island...sorry Samuel)!! There are also no billboards and they are the only state of USA that still honors a king!! and much more..... Links to the show: Recipes from this show: https://tikicentralcanada.ca/recipes-page-2/ The YouTube Video for Tapa Punch: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gMuelHTwFCU Another YouTube video for Tapa Punch: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=278HKOc3dHA Chimp In Orbit Cocktail YouTube video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Md8jpp9xS-Y&t=67s

Hey guys, We finally got this show out after Lockdown and other obstacles that delayed out show. We are glad to have Paola back on the show after she had to go back to Brazil for family affairs.  Today, we will give you two cocktails and also they both have one key ingredient in them. Bali Hai cocktail and Muerto Bali Hai (which is a spin off the original drink). Kahlua liqueur is used in both these drinks as it is National Kahlua Day February 27th. Now, I have a bad experience with this particular liqueur in my past. Do you remember that one spirit or liquor that you stay away from due to some dramatic event that happened with you at a young age. Kahlua is mine!! Listen tot he show to hear just what happened to me. So Bali Hai is a bar we covered previously on Mark's Adventures and has quit the background story. This bar was built originally for a movie crew filming  and needed their own watering hole after a long day of shooting the film. It then was taken apart and transported to Shelter Island, San Diego. This man made island started with "The Hut" (which is Bali Hai before it was named). It wasn't doing well and so a financial advisor came into the bar to evaluate the value of the bar. He saw the view on the upper 360 deck and said "Bali Hai". This reference is to the movie South Pacific where secluded island was called Bali Hai by the locals.  Mark tells this story better than me and so listen to his explanation of this bar.  Now the Bali Hai cocktail usually is served in a Mr. Bali Hai mug which Mark will explain its history. On "Did you Know?" segment: we cover the cool facts about Kahlua (yes, I know...I talk about the one thing I am not a fan of).  Cools facts like in Mexico the crops of coffee beans and sugar cane are across from each other and the locals have been combining them since 1936. Also, it is a key item in drinks like the White Russian, Black Russian, B-52 shooter, Espresso Martini, Brown Cow, Mudslide and more. You can also make your own Kahlua at home (why easier and last longer though to buy at the store, but if you want to experiment then we will tell you how).  Links to the show:  Mark's Adventures (Mr Bali Hai Bar): https://tikicentralcanada.ca/marks-tiki-page/ Recipes to the show: https://tikicentralcanada.ca/recipes/ Bali hai video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q3bizWYER8Y Muerto Bali Hai video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SMjE3vjcTRk Origin of Kahlúa: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fmVKZMZr34g How to make Kahlua videos: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MCKEB5vSumo OR https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y02xyNzYiK0 Beachbum Berry's Intoxica! Book by Berry, Jeff (2002) Spiral-bound: https://www.amazon.ca/Beachbum-Berrys-Intoxica-Berry-Spiral-bound/dp/B011WA29HS/ref=sr_1_1?crid=2K6I7BSI8VFR4&keywords=berry+intoxica&qid=1648504599&sprefix=berry+intoxica%2Caps%2C110&sr=8-1 Distinguished Spirits YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/c/DistinguishedSpirits Difference between Mezcal and Tequila YouTube video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ub0nPImpMlM

We are covering today the Singapore Sling. Yes, that classic drink you hear get ordered once in awhile at a bar but always wondered what is in this drink and where did it come from? Hmmm...Singapore! This classic cocktail doesn't exactly fall into the tiki cocktails but its tropical and we will talk about when, where and what has happened to this drink over the years. It was forgotten for awhile and but then re-surfaced with questions on its recipe. We go through what is a sling and its origin as well. Two great recipes we will discuss and give you below to try out and see which one you prefer. Now you are asking yourself what kind of gin would I use int his amazing drink, we will cover that too. We get into the Smuggler's Cove story about an amazing bar and actually the book as well which most bartenders call the "tiki bible" now. New Segment: Word Translation which we will do basic words and phrases and translate them into Hawaiian and Spanish for you to learn on those tropical trips down south. On "Did You Know?" we will cover some Polynesian facts and cool things like bread in a mailbox. Yes...you will have to find out why. recipes: Boon recipe: 1 1/2 oz Gin 1/2 oz Cherry Herring 1/4 oz Cointreau 1/4 oz Benedictine 4 oz pineapple juice 1/2 oz lime juice 1/3 oz grenadine, and dash Angostura Bitters smuggler’s Cove recipe: 1 1/2 oz Gin, 1/2 oz Cherry liqueur (brandy), 1/4 oz Benedictine, 1/4 oz Simple Syrup, 1/2 oz Lemon Juice, 2 oz Soda Water, dash Aromatic Bitters, dash Orange Bitters word translation: English to Spanish to Hawaiian: Hello: HOLA Aloha, Good bye: Adios Aloha, How are you? Como Estas Pehea’oe, Thank you: Gracias Mahalo

This great episode talks about one of the original drinks of tiki culture. Yes, as usual both Trader Vic and Don the Beachcomber have their spin on this drink and claim to have created it back in the 1940s. These recipes have many ingredients and boozy components to them. And what kind of glassware does such a drink go into and why? We will cover that and its history to that crazy tiki mug you always see. An ingredient we do discuss from this recipe is Pisco. What is Pisco? Find out! We give you an insight to what is Polynesian and its amazing history it has. The Polynesia region is in the Pacific Ocean which is the largest ocean in the world. We go over some cool facts that will blow you away ...literally! In Mailbag segment, we find out what is "tiki" means. Let us know what you think of this great show and if you have questions, please email them to me. Here are the recipes for the show: Trader Vic's Fogcutter: 2 oz lemon juice (Yes..I said lime on the show because I use lime over lemon), 1 oz orange juice 1/2 oz orgeat syrup 2 oz light rum, 1 oz brandy 1/2 oz gin, 0.5 oz sherry float Don the Beachcomber's Fogcutter: 2 oz lime juice 1 oz orange juice 1/2 oz orgeat syrup 2 oz GOLD rum, 1 oz Pisco, 1/2 oz gin, 0.5 oz sherry float

This episode covers the history of what we call the “Breeze” family (cocktails). In history, we have seen one cocktail being transformed into another by simply adding another spirit or ingredient to make a new cocktail. Drinks in this group are the Screwdriver (vodka & OJ), Cape Cod (vodka&cranberry), Bay Breeze (vodka, cranberry and pineapple juice), and finally the Sea Breeze (vodka, cranberry and grapefruit juice). These drinks also have modified throughout time and we talk about that. We cover the “dry shake” method of making cocktails. In this business, we see silly and strange laws that simply never apply, and we cover a few I seen or heard of in USA. We start a new segment titled: “Where did it come from?” that covers a rum from an international destination and some cool facts about it. We get a question about simple gin and tequila recipes to start with and I give up a new recipe for you all. A few links to check out about Chairman’s rum: https://chairmansreserverum.com/ or Mai Tai competition: https://youtu.be/b4INKC7etZo Plata Fresca recipe: 1 oz silver tequila, 0.5 oz maraschino liqueur (I use BOLS), 0.5 oz of Galliano liqueur, 0.5 oz lime juice and top with 7up (in a Collins glass or hurricane glass)

So today we talk about Canada's national drink: the Caesar. This is a great drink that everywhere you go there is a different spin on this great classic drink. Cam unfortunately is not on the show but we do have some guests (Chris Howell from Evoo Greek Kitchen and Landon from the Algonquin College Bartending Program). We go over the origin to the drink and the difference between a Caesar and a Bloody Mary. How it got its start. We cover some information on the Algonquin College program and what you can expect to get out of the program. We talk about some variance in the Caesar drink that you will see out there and some recipes of our own as well. Basic Caesar: 1-2-3-4-5 : 1.5 oz vodka, 2 dashes of Tabasco, 3 dashes of salt and pepper, 4 dashes of Worcestershire sauce, and 5 oz of Clamato juice. Landon's recipe: 1.5oz Vodka, 0.5oz pickle juice, 1-2oz of pineapple juice, 1.5oz of bold BBQ sauce, 4 dashes of worchestier sauce, 2 dashes of tobasco sauce, 5-6 shakes of salt and pepper, one shake of MTL steak spice Fill with "The Works" Clamato juice Rim with MTL steak spice and salt and pepper Garnish with bacon, shrimp, sausage and 2 spicy beans Chris' recipe: 1.5 oz Vodka, 0.5 oz lime juice, 2-3 dashes of Worcestershire, 1/2 tsp Horseradish, 1 tsp Maple Syrup, 2 dashes of Saline, 2 pinches pepper, 4-6 oz Clamato juice Rim: Ancho chiles, celery salt and sugar (My favourite rim but pick your favorite or available rim). Garnish, naturally, with maple bacon, lime and any other veggies of your liking (my partner loves pickles and pickled beans) Here is the link to the exciting Algonquin College Bartending Program: http://www.algonquincollege.com/hospitalityandtourism/program/bartending/

So, on this episode we are live from the Earl of Sussex!! This is our tenth episode and amazing we are still here…thanks to our listeners (Yes, you guys! And my mother). We have a special guest Rachelle O’Connor who is a wine expert and we will be talking about Sangrias. This refreshing drink goes back to the 1700 when water was not safe to drink so why not wine and juice! We get into what the differences are between red and white wines. How this amazing drink has changed over the years! We talk about what you can put into it to serve your guests at home. A cautionary tale that I’m sure all bartenders can relate to…Last Call!! Some cool facts about sangria you might not know (I didn’t). Rachelle’s personal recipe to try: (this makes a batch) • 1 oz brandy or cognac • 1 oz of any orange liqueur, Triple Sec or Grand Marnier (whatever you have on hand) • 1 bottle chilled sparkling wine - Cava or Prosecco • 1 bottle of white wine - I usually use Pinot Grigio • Lemon/lime soda water (to taste) • 7Up or Sprite (to taste - I don't like it to sweet) • orange, lime and lemon wedges and rounds) • A handful of frozen cranberries - they look great in the glass and keep it cool • a few sprigs of mint • Optional: Maple Syrup - 2 tablespoons to sweeten One of my favorite ones is this recipe: 1 oz vodka (flavoured like raspberry or green apple),2 oz Pinot Grigio wine, 0.5 oz apricot brandy, 2 orange juice, 2 oz cranberry juice and top with 7up/soda Couple of resources for sangria and wine: foodanddrink.ca (recipes and LCBO wine pairings), nataliemaclean.com (Rachelle’s wine reviews and others + blog + newsletter)

Hey folks, I just flew back from my trip to the Bahamas and man are my arms are tired. Yes that joke is as old as I am! This episode will cover the drink Bahama Mama and a few others from the great Bahamas. There are 700 islands in the Bahamas are we talk about at least three. One, owned by Eddie Murphy (you got not ice cream!) and one by the pigs! What? yes, find out why. The name is from a classic song back in the 30s and no not the Boney M version. Why are Americans drawn to these islands? Find out! Talk about a cool things to check out if you go visit there including the famous Senior Frogs bar. What does the Bahamas flag mean and something hidden in the coat of arms as well. These islands used to be a pirate haven and was home to a famous pirate...find out who! Even James Bond has a significance to these islands with the pigs of course! World famous Atlantis Resort with one of the world's biggest aquariums. In mailbag: how to make a sugar liqueur drink not so sweet! Recipes for the show: Bahama Mama: 1 oz white rum, 1 oz gold rum, 1 oz cream of coconut, 2 oz OJ, 2 oz pineapple juice, splash of grenadine (shaken) Goombay Smash: 2 oz Malibu rum, .25 oz light rum, .25 oz gold rum, .25 oz dark rum, 3 oz pineapple juice and 2 oz OJ (shaken) Liquid Steel: 1/2 pint of light beer, .5 oz triple sec, .5 oz peach schnapps, 1 cranberry juice, and .5 oz raspee puree (toss back and forth between two glasses to mix: do not shake this or build only this drink)

A nice surprise episode as we recorded this one on location of Evoo Greek Kitchen in Ottawa. With an amazing menu and cocktail selection, we got to sit down and talk with head bartender and mixologist Chris Howell. We get to talk about the classic tiki cocktail that was there from the beginning: The Zombie!!! We get in discussions about the drink, its history, tiki culture in general, rum (of course), and cool facts about Chris Howell and the "Made for Love" competition he was recently in. What is this competition? You will have to find out for yourself.