Here’s how to make the Scorpion Bowl, the classic tiki drink. This party-sized cocktail made with Gold Rum, London Dry Gin, Cognac-style Brandy, Orgeat, Simple Syrup, Lime Juice, Orange Juice, with an Orchid, Mint and an Orange Wheel for garnish. It has evolved from Trader Vic’s original 1940’s recipe, but has remained one of the most popular Tiki creations.
It was certainly in Vic’s top three in terms of popularity, along with the Mai Tai and the Fog Cutter. It was sweetened with one of his favorite exotic ingredients, orgeat, which appeared in his top three drinks as well as the likes of the Trader Vic Punch, Tiki Bowl, Kava Bowl and the Eastern, London and Munich Sours. The Scorpion Bowl appeared on Vic’s menus as early as 1941, along with a drink called “My Kava Bowl”, but the punch has roots in both American and Polynesian drinking traditions that stretch back centuries.
According to David Wondrich, in what is now the US, from about 1670-1850, punch reigned supreme, but by the time of Jerry Thomas, Harry Johnson and the Gilded Age, the cocktail had knocked punch off its throne, and by the time Prohibition rolled around, it was dead in the gutter. Vic, who opened a bar in Oakland right at the end of Prohibition, was already playing around with punches in the early 1940’s and in his 1946 book, he talked about wanting to raise punch from the dead and ward off the bad gris gris of punch’s reputation for behind served to stuffy crowds of people afflicted with Long Island lockjaw.
To help break away from it’s crusty reputation, Vic drew inspiration from the ritual communal drink, prevalent throughout Polynesia, of Kava. Kava is a plant that was central to Polynesian parties, ceremonies and entertaining visiting dignitaries from other tribes.
Vic took the communal aspect of the Kava Bowl ceremony, as a celebratory gathering point, and attempted to reenact that atmosphere in his restaurants by creating shared drinks (don’t call them punches). However, instead of everyone ladling from the bowl into their own cups, Vic had them use straws to all sip from the same bowl, which made for a more intimate, yet playful atmosphere.
Most modern Scorpion Bowls will be garnished with fire. Vic would garnish his with gardenias and that’s a good way to go, but I like creating a bouquet of an orchid in the bed of mint. The orchid, ever since its introduction by Harry Yee in the 50’s has become the universal tiki drink signifier. The mint harkens back to the original recipe that had mint leaves in the punch. The orange wheel acts as an anchor to hold it all together as you drink your way to the bottom of the punch.
Keep in mind, that unlike some modern tiki punches, this one is on the boozy-side. You can definitely taste the gin. In that sense, it feels like it could have been unearthed by David Wondrich from a 19th century handwritten recipe. And while it’s not as wild as something you’d get at Three Dots and a Dash in Chicago, it’s classic and you’ll know why as soon as you taste it. Okole Maluna!
Recipe:
4 oz (120 ml) Gold Cuban Rum
4 oz (120 ml) London Dry Gin
2 oz (60 ml) Brandy
2 oz (60 ml) Orgeat
1.5 oz (45 ml) Simple Syrup
2 oz (60 ml) Lime Juice
4 oz (120 ml) Orange Juice
garnish Orange Wheel, Orchid, Mint (optional)
Stir with ice. Pour into tiki bowl filled with 3 Cups (720 ml) of ice. Add straws and garnish. (Optionally, to simplify the recipe, abandon the Simple Syrup and use 3.5 oz/100 ml of Orgeat for the sweetener.)
Music:
Bateria Brasileira 3 by Martin Gauffin
via Epidemic Sound
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Featured in this Episode:
Panamá-Pacific Rum
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Sipsmith Gin
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Copper & Kings Brandy
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L’Orgeat
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Orchid
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Drummer Bowl from Trader Sam’s
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Imbibe! by David Wondrich
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Punch by David Wondrich
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Smuggler's Cove by Martin & Rebecca Cate
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Potions of the Caribbean by Jeff “Beachbum” Berry
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Bar Tools:
Volcano Bowl from RetroPlanet
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Copper Punch Bowl
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Japanese Style Jigger (Gunmetal Black)
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Beachbum Berry Skull Barspoon (Gunmetal Black)
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Koriko Weighted Shaker Set
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Bamboo Straws
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Fine Mesh Strainer
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Citrus Juicer (Lime)
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Cuisinart Citrus Juicer
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Cutting Board
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Small Knife
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