Trader Vic's Book of Food and Drink [Doubleday & Company:Garden City NY 1946] is introduced
by the venerable Lucius Beebe and authored by "Trader Vic" (Victor Bergeron). This is the first of several
books authored by Mr. Bergeron. Writing style is casual, irreverant, exotic and fun.
Serving Trader Vic's signature cocktails with original recipes. Compare with cocktails served at New York's exclusive
The Stork Club (1946), Burke's Complete Cocktail & Drinking Recipes (1936)
& Prohibition-era cocktails (1927).
Dr. Funk
"Here is a drink which can be served any time of the day or evening, when something refreshing is on order. This drink and the sunrise
in the morning are the only sure things they count on in Tahiti. I think it was invented to cure the cafard (Loss of one's mind from the heart.]"
2 1/2 ounces dark Jamaica or Martinique rum (Red Heart or Myers's, or Rum Negrita)
1/4 ounce Pernod or Herbsaint
1/2 ounce lemon juice
1/4 ounce pomegranate syrup (or grenadine)
1 lime
1/2 teaspoon sugar
Charged water
Add liquid ingredeints to crushed ice in shaker. Cut limes in half and squeeze into shaker, dropping in the shells; add sugar. Shake well; pour the whole mess into a 12-ounce chimney glass; fill rest of glass with charged water and decorate with fruit or freshly picked geranium leaf." (p. 54)
Mojito
"I don't know who originated this one, but every bar in the West Indies serves it, practically every rum recipe booklet gives a
formula for it, so my little collection of rum drinks would hardly be complete withojut it. Such popularity must be deserved, and it
is. It's a swell drink!
1/2 lime
1 teaspoon sugar
Mint leaves
2 ounces Puerto Rican Rum (Ron Merito, Boca Chica, or Brugal)
Charged Water
Squeeze lime and drop shell in 10-ounce glass; add sugar to juice, add mint leaves, and fill glass with shaved ice. Pour rum over ice and swizzle. Add dash of charged water." (p. 57)
Mahukona
"There's a good story about this drink, but sitting here trying to remember it, I'm stuck. I know I got the drink from some
place, because I still have the scrap of paper I scribbled it down on...Anyway, I've served it for many years here in my little
saloon to the satsifaction of those who want a good drink without too great alcoholic strength.
2 dashes Angostura bitter
1/2 ounc Triple Sec (De Kuyper or Nuyens)
1 ounce Puerto Rican Rum (Ron Merito or Brugal)
2 tablespoons crushed pineapple
1/2 ounce lemon juice
1 scant teaspoon sugar
Fill 10-ounce glass with shaved ice; add two dashes of bitters. Shake rest of ingredients and pour over shaved ice. Insert bar spoon without stirring so bitters are not completely mixed in drink. Decorate with maraschino cherry." (p. 56)
Zombie
"Here's my idea of a killer-diller. Why people drink then I don't know, but I'll bet you make one before you throw this book
away, and I'll bet you drink more of these than ony other drink in the book. Don the Beachcomber originated the drink and since then therer have been as many
different formulas as there are for Planter's Punch. Here's a simplified version for home use.
1 ounce Jamaica rum (Red Heart or Myers's)
2 ounces Puerto Rican rum (Ron Merito or Brugal)
1/2 ounce Demerara 151 proof (Lemon Heart)
1 ounce orange curacao (De Kuyper or Nuyens)
1 ounce lemon juice
1 ounce orange juice
1/2 ounce grenadine
1 dash Pernot or Herbsaint
Put ingredients in a large mixing blass with a large piece of ice; stir well and pour over cracked ice ina 14-ounce chimney glass. This drink may also be made in large quantities for use in punch bowls. Oh-ho, what a party that'll be! Personally, I think it's too damn strong but people seem to like it that way." (p. 70-71
Fish House Punch
"...Classic among punches, Fish House Punch is our oldest formula, reeking with tradition and vaporizing visions of
George Washington, Lafayette, and the 'Spirit of '76.' Roll out the drums!
1 pound brown sugar
1 quart lemon juice
2 quarts Jamaica rum
1 quart cognac
2 ounces peach brandy
2 quarts water
Slack sugar in punch bowl; when completely dissoved add lemon juice and let stand. Combine rest of ingredients and let stand in separate container. Two hours before serving time, combine lemon juice mixture and liquor in punch bowl with large cake of ice and let chill to acquire proper dilution. In winter, when ice melts slowly, more water may be used, but in warm weather the melting ice will dilute the mixture sufficently." (p. 78-79)
Planter's Punch--Trader Vic
"Every bartenders' guide gives a recipe for Planter's Punch, and they're usually all different. I'll give you my wan of making one
along with several others and you can pick your own.
3 ounces Jamaica rum (Red Heart or Meyers's)
1/2 ounce grenadine
1 lime
1/2 ounce lemon juice
1/4 teaspoon sugar
Charged water
Pour rum, grenadine, lime and lemon juice, in a mixing glass with large pieces of ice. Add sugar. Stir thorougly and pour into 12-ounce glass filled with cracked ice; fill rest of glass with charged water." (p. 61)
Flamingo
"For good old American guzzling, this is terrific...
1 1/2 ounces Puerto Rican rum (Ron Merito or Brugal)
1 dash Angostura bitters
1 slice cucumber rind
7-Up
Use a 12-ounce glass; add rum, bitters, cucumber rind, crushed ice; fill rest of glass with 7-Up.
Northside Special
"This is a specialty of the famous Myrtle Bank Hotel in Kingston, Jamaica, and no treatis on rum would be complete without it.
1 orange
2 teaspoons bar sugar
1/2 ounce lemon juice
2 ounces Myers's jamaica rum
Charged water
Squeeze orange into 12-unce collins glass; add sugar, lemon juice, rum, and cracked ice. Fill glass with charged water; stir slightly and serve with straws." (p. 59)
Rum Fix
"Fix qhat? You'll be in a hell of a fix after you've had two or three of these, I promise you!
1/2 lemon
1 teaspoon sugar
Dash of curacao (De Kuyper or Nuyens)
2 ounces Puerto Rican rum (Ron Merito, Boca Chica, or Brugal)
Squeeze lemon juice into small highball glass; add sugar, curacao and rum; fill glass with shaved ice; stir and decorate with fruits in season. Serve with straws." (p. 65-66)
Shingle Stain
Now don't take a shingle off the roof. This is really good. No fooling.
1/2 lime
1 ounce dark Jamaician rum (Red Heart or Meyers's)
1/2 ounce St. James Rhum
1/4 ounce Pimento Dram
Dash of pomegranate syrup (grenadine)
Shake with cracked ice and pour over cracked ice in a 12-ounce chimney glass." (p. 67-68)
Trader Vic's Punch
"Here's a drink that's easy to make and especially enjoyed on hot days.
1/2 orange
1/2 lemon
1 1/4 ounces dark Jamaica Rum (Red Heart or Myers's)
1 1/4 [ounces] Puerto Rican rum (Ron Merito or Brugal)
1 slice pineapple
1 teaspoon sugar
1/2 teaspoon orgeat syrup (almond flavoring)
Squeeze orange and lemon; drip in glass; add handful shaved ice, liquor, fruit, and rest of ingredients; hand-shake and serve unstrained in a 14-ounce stubby glass." (p. 69)
Scorpion
"Honolulu's famous Scorpion, a drink which does not shilly-shally or mess around in getting you under way. As originally mae, with
okelehao and rum, the Scorpion is at its best, but the following formula is practically as good as infusion as the original...Serves about 12 people
1 1/2 bottles Puerto Rican Rum (Ron Nerito or Brugal)
2 ounces gin
2 ounces grandy
16 ounces lemon juice
8 ounces orange juice
8 ounces oregat (almond flavoring)
2 sprigs mint
1/2 bottle white wine
Mix thorougly, pour over cracked ice; let stand two hours and add more ice. Garnish with gardenias." (p. 77)
Hibiscus
"You know, bartending is a lot of hokum. You leave out one ingreceint, or put in another and give the thing a different name, and you've got
a new drink. Or have you! Don't be fooled. This is just another variation of the Cuban Presidente.
Juice of 1/4 lemon
1 teaspoon French vermouth
1 teaspoon grenadine
1 1/2 ounces Puerto Rican rum (Ron Merito, Boca Chica, or Brugal)
Shake ingredients in shaker with ice, strain into chilled cocktail glass." (l96)
Devil's Leap
"It's hard to tell where fact leaves off and fancy begins, but it is said that the Devil himself took a swig of this and then took a
running jump in the lake.
1/2 ounce Puerto Rican rum (Ron Merito, Boca Chica, or Brugal)
1/2 ounce Swedish Punch liqueur
1/2 ounce applejack or clavados
Shake well with ice; strain into chilled cocktail glass." (p. 93)
Chaparra
A rum cocktail comparable to a Manhattan from La Florida Bar in Havana.
3/4 ounce Bacardi
3/4 ounce sweet vermouth
1/2 teaspoon sugar
1 lemon peel thoroughly squeezed
Cracked ice
Mix and stir in mixing glass; do not shake. Strain and serve very cold, leaving lemon peel in glass in the shape of a spiral." (p. 89)
B.V.D.
"This is an oldy and has nothing to do with underwear. It's worth a try though.
3/4 ounce Bacardi
3/4 ounce French Vermouth
3/4 ounce Dubbonet
Stir ingredients in mixing glass with large pice of ice; strain into chilled cocktail glass." (p. 87-88)
Hot Benefactor
"Hot rum with a European touch and a good deal.
2 lumps sugar
2 ounces Jamaica rum (Red Heart or Myers's)
2 ounces burgundy
Hot water
Slice of lemon
Nutmeg
Dissolve the sugar in a little hot water in a sauce pan; add rum and burgundy and heat; pour into heated mug and add boiling water to fill mug. Serve with slice of lemon and a dash of nutmeg." (p. 115-116)
Fog Cutter
"This is delicious but a triple threat. You can get pretty stinking on these, no fooling.
2 ounces Puerto Rican rum (Ron Merito, Boca Chica, or Brugal)Mbr< 1 ounce brandy
1/2 ounce gin
1 ounce orange juice
2 ounces lemon juice
1/2 ounce orgeat
Sherry wine float
Build this in a 14-ounce glass. Shake with cracked ice, pour into tall glass with ice, and add sherry wine float. Serve with straws." (p. 121)
Falkland Island Warmer
"A very charming and prim little old lady gave me the recipe for this drink many years ago. She called me over to the table, where she and a
party of elderly women were having dinner, and told me about a drink the natives in the Falkland Islands used to make when they
were cold and tired and in need of a stimulant. As she had a particularly unromantic name, I named the drink the Falkland Island
Warmer...
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1/4 teaspoon sugar
1 ounce Drambuie
Hot water
Mix lemon juice and sugar in an Old-Fashioned glass; add Dranbuie and hot water and stir." (p. 112)
Wahine
"This is a cutie, especially recommended for the gals. You can knock their eyes out with this when it's your turn to entertain the
club at luncheon. As a special feminine touch, garnish each drink with a small gardenia and serve with short straws.
2 ounces pineapple juice
2 ounces Puerto Rican rum (Ron Merito, Boca Chica or Brugal
Mix and serve in fresh coconut shell with large piece of ice." (p. 108)