As a gift to Maui Nō Ka ‘Oi readers, two ‘Aipono Award-winning restaurants, Lahaina Grill (2017’s Best Wine List) and Andaz Maui (2017’s Silver for Most Innovative Menu), generously agreed to share cocktail recipes that are perfect for the season. Glancing at the ingredients, I notice a constant—rum—and before I know it, I’m humming “Little Drummer Boy”: Pa rum pum pum pum, rum pum pum pum . . . me and my drum. How’s that for an upbeat way to celebrate the holidays!
Lahaina Grill’s Holiday Rum Cocktail 2 Ways
Spiced Pear
- 1½ ounces SelvaRey White Rum
- ½ ounce pear liqueur
- ½ ounce fresh lemon juice
- 1 ounce pear purée
- ½ ounce spiced simple syrup
Shake all ingredients in a cocktail shaker and strain into a cinnamon-and-sugar-rimmed martini glass. Garnish with lemon twist.
Naughty Elf
Naughty Elf- 1½ ounces Kraken Black Spiced Rum
- ½ ounce pear liqueur
- ¾ ounce lemon juice
- 1 ounce apple cider
- ¼ ounce spiced simple syrup
- dash bitters
Shake all ingredients in a cocktail shaker and strain into bucket with a large ice cube. Garnish with a clove-studded lemon peel.
Spiced Simple Syrup Recipe
Yield: 1 cup
- ½ cup sugar
- ½ cup water
- 1 cinnamon stick
- 2 cloves
- 3 allspice berries
- 4 black peppercorns
Bring to boil, cool and strain. Refrigerate.
Andaz Maui’s Queen’s Park Swizzle
In 2013, renowned New York mixologist Julie Reiner swizzled her variation of the classic mojito for Andaz Maui. The original was created in the 1920s in Trinidad; Reiner’s mojito carries more character and oomph, with mint from Maui’s Evonuk Farms and fresh-squeezed lime juice layered with flavors from the herbaceous bitters.
- 2 ounces aged Demerara rum (Reiner recommends El Dorado’s)
- 1 ounce fresh lime juice
- ½ ounce rich simple syrup (a sugar/water ratio of 2:1)
- crushed ice or pebble ice (slightly larger and more rounded than crushed ice)
- 2 dashes Angostura bitters
- 2 dashes Peychaud’s bitters
- 1 mint sprig, for garnish
Combine the rum, lime juice and rich simple syrup in a chilled Collins glass. Fill the glass with crushed ice and use a swizzle stick or bar spoon to mix the drink, then add more crushed ice, almost to the rim. Top with bitters and garnish with the mint sprig.
