Mundo Perdido translates to “lost world”, and I found it in one of my favorite cocktail books, Smuggler’s Cove. This book is from the brilliant mind of Martin Cate, one of the leading figures in the modern tiki revival movement. He opened the iconic tiki bar by the same name in San Francisco in the mid-2000’s and it has been hailed as one of the most authentic tiki bars in the world. I have yet to go, but it is definitely on my “must-visit” list.

Smugglers Cove is a great resource for anybody curious or wanting to learn about proper tiki culture. It has a plethora of recipes ranging from classic tiki creations half-a-century old, to modern concoctions that pay homage to the height of the tropical movement. Also included is an in-depth history on the birth of tiki and its cultural impact over the decades. This book documents the opening of Smuggler’s Cove (the bar) and gives insight on the nearly infinite expressions of rum. There’s even a chapter on how to properly construct a tiki-style drink and how to properly throw a tiki shindig.

This drink echoes the qualities of a drink I would improvise: apple and spice, a combination so nice. In this daiquiri variation, black rum is split with apple brandy, while the sweetening element is split between cinnamon and demerara syrup. This evokes a brown sugar, apple cinnamon flavor profile. And the lemon juice substitute brightens the drink without the bitter sharpness associated with lime. The lemon perfectly brings out the fruitiness of the apple brandy and provides a refreshing, citric roundness to the drink.

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/brandennguyenmusic/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/brandennguyenmusic

Branden Nguyen

S2E13 // "Mundo Perdido" [Modern Twist]