Demonstrated by A.J. Iammarino of Trader Vic's Dallas
Guess what? Marilyn Manson is now shilling absinthe. Yep, as if Cabo Wabo and Trump Vodka weren't enough, now everyone's favorite goth poster boy is in bed with the naughty green fairy. We'll file it somewhere between the Danny DeVito Limoncello and Willie Nelson's Old Whiskey River Bourbon in our overflowing celebrity-branded liquor cabinet.
Long before any of these big name bandwagon jumpers joined the party, Victor J. Bergeron--better known as Trader Vic--had built a rep as one of the original celebrity cocktail gurus...and not just for slapping his name on a pretty bottle, either. It all started in 1932 at a little pub in Oakland with Polynesian flair, and when the concept lit up like a flaming Dr. Pepper, the Trader went on to build an empire of tiki-rific restaurants that now stretches from Atlanta to Abu Dhabi.
Trader Vic's extensive menu of "lethal libations" includes the likes of Tonga Punch, the Suffering Bastard and the Zombie, but the poison folks still pick the most is the Mai Tai. Created by the Trader himself in 1944, this cocktail's cute little Tahitian name belies a hell of a hard-hitting kick. Today, the adorable A.J. Iammarino of our own Big D Trader Vic's will share the secret recipe for this potent punch--but sip it slowly. You've been warned.
Step 1: Combine the following in a tiki-themed tumbler:
Juice of ½ lime
Dash of fresh lemon juice
½ oz. Orgeat (almond-flavored syrup)
½ oz. Orange Curaçao
2 oz. Royal Amber Rum
Step 2: Transfer to a shaker filled with crushed ice and shake until nice and frosty.
Step 3: Garnish and serve (fruit kebab optional). A.J. tells us lots of celebs pop into Trader Vic's for a Mai Tai on their way through town. Are they just looking for a vacation in a glass or researching their next career move? We're thinking maybe both.
