Mai Tai

As we are winding down #cookoutweek2018, I had to share my new favorite barbecue cocktail - Pineapple Rum Mai Tais! I’m such a fan of tropical drinks. I’ve had Mai Tais at Trader Vic’s in Las Vegas, while swimming around a pool in Mexico, and while hanging out in the bar at the Tide Table in Majuro (Marshall Islands). I’m sad to confess that this is the first time I’ve made a Mai Tai at home. Part of it was not having the critical ingredient for a Mai Tai: Orgeat or almond syrup. Fortunately, Amazon Prime is my friend and I was able to check out the review for about a dozen different brands of almond syrup and then order the best looking one to make these Pineapple Rum Mai Tais. Which was a good thing, as I’m taking a staycation this week and next and, while the weather is definitely not tropical, I do live on the coast and can at least hear the ocean from our patio if the tides are just right. Pineapple Rum Mai Tais are on my list of cocktails to make several times over the next week.

My other secret ingredient for these Pineapple Rum Mai Tais is the pineapple rum itself. I’m also super lucky to live in the same town as Stillwagon Distellery. Stillwagon makes the most amazing rums - while the pineapple rum is my favorite, I’m also a huge fan of the cranberry rum, as well as the Persian Reed Vodka. Stillwagon Distillery products are available in many liquor stores across Oregon, but if you happen to be on the Southern Oregon coast, it’s a treat to go to one of the tasting rooms in Bandon and in Florence.

Back to the Pineapple Rum Mai Tais. You can definitely make these with other rums - I’d suggest a dark rum for maximum flavor. So shake up a cocktail, relax, and enjoy the summer!