Mai Tai -- A tropical vacation in a glass.

The saliva-inducing smell of barbecue wafting through the air, the sounds of children reveling in the end of structured learning, and pasty white legs protruding from Bermuda shorts are all long-awaited signs that summer is here.  It’s finally the season for sipping fruity drinks with friends while laying the foundation for future melanoma.  Unfortunately, too many would-be party makers give up their ambitions of summer festivities because of the work and expense involved in hosting a party.  That is bad and potentially corrosive to the very fabric of American society… or at least to summer fun.  But there’s no need to call in the Predator drones just yet, because the 30-Second Bartender has plenty of tips on how to host a top-notch summer bash without spending a lot of time and money.

The first tip is to embrace the flip-flop-casual nature of summer parties, which generally allows for less elaborate preparations.  Pretty much a barbecue, standing and sitting space, and a simple bar are all you need.  But, the trick is to keep things simple without making the guests feel simple.  A good way to bring some pizzazz to the party is offering fun and exotic drinks.  The thought of novelty drinks may make the hair on the back of your neck stand up as you recall the last party where you blew a fat wad of cash to set up the bar and then spent nearly the entire party trapped behind that bar making drinks.  But, there’s no need to relive the trauma.  You’ll spend less money setting up and less time behind the bar if you simplify your drink recipes, stock only what you need, and pre-mix some or all of the ingredients.

One of my favorite tropical drinks is the Mai Tai.  It always makes me feel like I’m on vacation even when I’m just sitting next to a Tiki torch in my back patio.  The down side to the Mai Tai is that many recipes are very complex and require a lot of specialty ingredients.  Some of the ingredients like Orgeat, Amaretto, and Cherry Heering are pricey, can be hard to find, and may not have a lot of crossover uses.  These are one-hit-wonders that you’re likely to end up using once and then storing the bottles for years.

This 30-Second Bartender Mai Tai recipe is designed to use easy-to-find ingredients that are simple to mix and can be easily stored.  An added bonus is that this recipe can be pre-mixed leaving only the Grenadine and garnish to add at the last minute to create the beautiful color that makes a Mai Tai a party hit.

                                          30-Second Bartender Mai Tai

                                                         Ingredients

* 1 oz. Dark Rum * 1 oz. Light Rum * ½ oz. Triple Sec * ½ oz. Lime Juice * 3-4 oz. Pineapple juice * Splash of Grenadine * 1 Pineapple spear

The ingredients listed above are portioned for a single drink, but pre-mixing is the way to go if you’re planning on making more than two or three individual drinks.  Multiply the measurements above by the number of drinks you want to have ready to pour and add all of the ingredients, except for the Grenadine and pineapple garnish, to a large pitcher.  Stir well.  Keep in mind that pineapple juice needs refrigeration, so if you’re mixing more than 30 minutes ahead of serving keep the pitcher cold.

When you’re ready to pour individual drinks, make a line of 8-10 ounce glasses in the Highball or Collins family.  Outside and poolside parties are often better off with plastic, but I recommend clear cups so guests can appreciate the drink’s tropical beauty.  Fill each glass halfway with ice and add the premix, leaving room for the Grenadine and garnish.  Then add a splash of Grenadine for a tasty red top to your tropical delight and garnish with a pineapple spear.  I suggest pineapple spears as a garnish because cutting up a pineapple into traditional slices is a pain and Safeway carries pre-packaged pineapple spears that will save you a lot of time.

The result is a quick, easy, and tasty tropical party drink that will transport you and your guests to the state of relaxed summer fun.  And, the moral of the story is that it’s absolutely possible to offer tasty party drinks without a lot of work, money, or 10-years of bartending experience.  Leave the complicated drink recipes in the fancy bars where they charge $10 a pop.  It’s okay to modify a drink to make it cheaper and easier to make, so long as it still tastes good.  If you want to uncomplicate your party, you can find tasty, streamlined recipes for summer-friendly drinks like the Mai Tai and Mojito, as well as some fun how-to videos at www.30-SecondBartender.com.  You can also keep up with the latest booze news on Facebook.  Live the Party!

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