If the thought of a mai tai brings forth memories of a sugary concoction, you’ve never enjoyed this drink properly — that is, until you've tried this mai tai cocktail recipe. First made with rum, lime, orange curaçao, French orgeat and just a dash of rock candy syrup, the original mai tai is a beautifully layered tipple.
And how fitting that one of the most iconic of tiki drinks was created at world-famous tiki bar Trader Vic’s by its namesake owner. One fateful night in 1944, Victor J. Bergeron mixed up a new cocktail and served it to his friend from Tahiti. Upon sipping it she exclaimed, “mai tai roa ae,” which means “out of this world” in Tahitian, and thus the mai tai was born.
The Shameful Tiki Room in Toronto's Parkdale neighbourhood uses a spent lime shell with a bread crumb and lemon oil to light up their mai tai for a hot take on this classic drink. Try it for yourself or leave the pyrotechnics up to the professionals and follow this simple mai tai recipe below.
