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Smuggler's Cove: Exotic Cocktails, Rum, and the Cult of Tiki
Goodreads Choice Award
Nominee for Readers' Favorite Food & Cookbooks (2016)Cast aside your cares and worries. Make yourself a Mai Tai, put your favorite exotica record on the hi-fi, and prepare to lose yourself in the fantastical world of tiki, one of the most alluring—and often misunderstood—movements in American cultural history. Martin and Rebecca Cate, founders and owners of Smuggler’s Cove (the most acclaimed tiki bar of the modern era) take you on a colorful journey into the lore and legend of tiki: its birth as an escapist fantasy for Depression-era Americans; how exotic cocktails were invented, stolen, and re-invented; Hollywood starlets and scandals; and tiki’s modern-day revival.
Featuring more than 100 delicious recipes (original and historic), plus a groundbreaking new approach to understanding rum, Smuggler’s Cove is the magnum opus of the contemporary tiki renaissance. Whether you’re looking for a new favorite cocktail, tips on how to trick out your home tiki grotto, help stocking your bar with great rums, or inspiration for your next tiki party, Smuggler’s Cove has everything you need to transform your world into a Polynesian Pop fantasia.
Featuring more than 100 delicious recipes (original and historic), plus a groundbreaking new approach to understanding rum, Smuggler’s Cove is the magnum opus of the contemporary tiki renaissance. Whether you’re looking for a new favorite cocktail, tips on how to trick out your home tiki grotto, help stocking your bar with great rums, or inspiration for your next tiki party, Smuggler’s Cove has everything you need to transform your world into a Polynesian Pop fantasia.
352 pages, Hardcover
First published June 7, 2016
511 people are currently reading
2513 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 126 reviews
June 21, 2016
Exotic drinks can be so intimidating, with all the different rums, syrups, fruits, etc. When I finally began trying to make some years ago, I became frustrated with recipes that led to sugary, undrinkable crap.
Now, every drink I make is amazing. Now, I can drink like I'm at Smuggler's Cove, but eat anything I want at the same time. (Smuggler's Cove doesn't serve food. This is good, because if they had food, there would be no reason to leave.)
This book has all the answers to questions like, "Why tiki? How do I build my bar? How are Martin Cate's cocktails so damn good? How can I invent my own fantastic cocktails?"
Anyway, now I'm spending all my money on rum and I'm loving it.
Tip #1: Blended Aged Rum (3) is called for a lot. Get that first. Plantation 5 Year Rum has been both available and affordable at BevMo.
Tip #2: I don't squeeze all the juices on demand. I'm sorry. I have kids and people get so judgy when I neglect them for liquor. Santa Cruz Organic Juice is excellent for both lime and lemon juices. I find these at crunchy supermarkets like Whole Foods. Juices that come in plastic containers that look like fruit are not excellent.
Tip #3: Some of the drinks call for a drink mixer. I only have a Vitamix. If you are trying to use a blender like me, try to leave fairly large chunks of ice in the drink. If you find that the drink is becoming flavorless, you're probably blending it too much and all the little ice is watering down your drink. There are no smoothies or frozen daiquiris in this book, so don't blend like there are. Blend so that people think you made your cabana boy crush all that ice for you.
Tip #4: Get yourself some tiki mugs and large straws. It's more fun that way.
Now, every drink I make is amazing. Now, I can drink like I'm at Smuggler's Cove, but eat anything I want at the same time. (Smuggler's Cove doesn't serve food. This is good, because if they had food, there would be no reason to leave.)
This book has all the answers to questions like, "Why tiki? How do I build my bar? How are Martin Cate's cocktails so damn good? How can I invent my own fantastic cocktails?"
Anyway, now I'm spending all my money on rum and I'm loving it.
Tip #1: Blended Aged Rum (3) is called for a lot. Get that first. Plantation 5 Year Rum has been both available and affordable at BevMo.
Tip #2: I don't squeeze all the juices on demand. I'm sorry. I have kids and people get so judgy when I neglect them for liquor. Santa Cruz Organic Juice is excellent for both lime and lemon juices. I find these at crunchy supermarkets like Whole Foods. Juices that come in plastic containers that look like fruit are not excellent.
Tip #3: Some of the drinks call for a drink mixer. I only have a Vitamix. If you are trying to use a blender like me, try to leave fairly large chunks of ice in the drink. If you find that the drink is becoming flavorless, you're probably blending it too much and all the little ice is watering down your drink. There are no smoothies or frozen daiquiris in this book, so don't blend like there are. Blend so that people think you made your cabana boy crush all that ice for you.
Tip #4: Get yourself some tiki mugs and large straws. It's more fun that way.
October 27, 2016
A recent acquisition by my local library, I thought this would be a fun random book to pick up during a cold and dreary Chicago autumn; and generally I was right, although this suffers the same problem that most books of this type do, that it works a lot better as simply a pretty object to stick on your coffeetable than to actually read. (Featuring a history of American tiki bars written by the owner of a contemporary one in San Francisco, it becomes clear right away that Martin Cate is firmly a restaurateur and not a writer.) I mean, it does come with nearly a hundred recipes for exotic tiki cocktails; but you can find all those for free on the internet, meaning that what you're mainly paying for here are all the pretty pictures and graphic design, not the actual content.
Also -- and I don't know why it took me so long to finally realize this -- but after literally decades now of dealing with modern hipster fascination for the Mid-Century-Modernist tiki craze, it wasn't until reading this book that it occurred to me how weird and borderline-racist that crazy actually is. For the modern retro craze for tiki is not like the original -- a craze for ripping off an entire region's culture and then bastardizing it into something palatable for middle-class suburban white people -- but instead an obsessive longing for a time in history when white people were allowed to get away with that, in effect a big thumbed nose at the very idea of multiculturalism, racial diversity, and respect for the native habits of other lands, only popular here in the 2010s by nearly 100 percent middle-class Caucasians and no one else. (For example, out of the 150-odd photographs featured in this book, literally only one of them contains a person of color, and even that is only a shot of the busboys at the Smugglers Cove bar and restaurant that Cate owns; but meanwhile, nearly half the photos feature either a woman with a Betty Page haircut or a dude with one of those annoying "short hair-unruly beard" combos so popular among white hipsters in the 2010s.) I'm not saying we should entirely get rid of tiki bars altogether because of this -- I like drinks served in coconuts as much as the next guy -- but perhaps people devoted to the "tiki lifestyle" shouldn't be so unapologetically excited anymore about declaring, "Wasn't it great when white people could steal the culture away from colored people and then turn it into a cartoon for their own amusement? Gee, I wish we could live in those times again!"
Also -- and I don't know why it took me so long to finally realize this -- but after literally decades now of dealing with modern hipster fascination for the Mid-Century-Modernist tiki craze, it wasn't until reading this book that it occurred to me how weird and borderline-racist that crazy actually is. For the modern retro craze for tiki is not like the original -- a craze for ripping off an entire region's culture and then bastardizing it into something palatable for middle-class suburban white people -- but instead an obsessive longing for a time in history when white people were allowed to get away with that, in effect a big thumbed nose at the very idea of multiculturalism, racial diversity, and respect for the native habits of other lands, only popular here in the 2010s by nearly 100 percent middle-class Caucasians and no one else. (For example, out of the 150-odd photographs featured in this book, literally only one of them contains a person of color, and even that is only a shot of the busboys at the Smugglers Cove bar and restaurant that Cate owns; but meanwhile, nearly half the photos feature either a woman with a Betty Page haircut or a dude with one of those annoying "short hair-unruly beard" combos so popular among white hipsters in the 2010s.) I'm not saying we should entirely get rid of tiki bars altogether because of this -- I like drinks served in coconuts as much as the next guy -- but perhaps people devoted to the "tiki lifestyle" shouldn't be so unapologetically excited anymore about declaring, "Wasn't it great when white people could steal the culture away from colored people and then turn it into a cartoon for their own amusement? Gee, I wish we could live in those times again!"
September 24, 2018
Among books that exist primarily to create a snapshot of a specific bar, Smuggler's Cove may not be the best on any rational metric, but it certainly brought me the most joy. The book itself is pleasing to the eye and the touch and is remarkably well edited (presumably by Ms Cate). Even its essay–recipe–essay–recipe alternation, which makes it a less navigable recipe book, gives the reading experience a relaxed feeling that jibes with its subject matter. The serious effort that went into categorizing rums is admirable and (within certain metrics) truly informative.
I am left with two misgivings: First, the histories are thin on inline citations (although Mr Cate doesn't really seem to be claiming much in the way of original research, so maybe we can give him a pass). Second, the book does amazingly little to address the discrepancy in skin color between the people supplying the culture, the rum, and (where relevant) the live entertainment and the the people partaking of these things. While a blithe cultural consumption was built into white America's DNA during tiki's original reign, the almost perfectly uniform whiteness of twenty-first-century tiki revivalists (as documented in dozens of photographs throughout the book) suggests that not very much has changed in the intervening 70 years.
(I wrote an in-depth review of this book for The Rum Reader . You can find it here.)
I am left with two misgivings: First, the histories are thin on inline citations (although Mr Cate doesn't really seem to be claiming much in the way of original research, so maybe we can give him a pass). Second, the book does amazingly little to address the discrepancy in skin color between the people supplying the culture, the rum, and (where relevant) the live entertainment and the the people partaking of these things. While a blithe cultural consumption was built into white America's DNA during tiki's original reign, the almost perfectly uniform whiteness of twenty-first-century tiki revivalists (as documented in dozens of photographs throughout the book) suggests that not very much has changed in the intervening 70 years.
(I wrote an in-depth review of this book for The Rum Reader . You can find it here.)
March 10, 2020
Late last year, I had the pleasure of visiting Smuggler’s Cove, in the midst of a tiki bar crawl in San Francisco with my buddy Jeff. The whole tiki bar culture has been new to me, and kind of overwhelming. Those who know me know that I rarely relax, and the whole point of tiki is relaxation and escape. Also, I don’t really drink that much.
Except ... maybe now I do. Because tiki bar crawls are not really unusual for me anymore. I’ve developed a taste for rum along with my interest in the mystery and wonder of the wholly imagined and absolutely real culture of tiki.
Martin and Rebecca Cate’s book is partially about the history of their bar - which is astounding - but it’s also the history of everything in the exotic world of tiki. It touches on all the mainstays: Donn Beach and Trader Vic, the origins and evolution of tiki bars, the history of a movement that was largely invented by frustrated mid-century men who needed a release valve.
But the Cates go deeper, and we get into the history and manufacture of rum (and rhum), a chapter I thought I would find dull but was actually fun and informative. Near the end, there are tips for starting your own home tiki bar, how to throw the best tiki party, and where to get aloha shirts that won’t embarrass you when you travel out to the Tiki Oasis gathering. Sprinkled throughout are classic and new tiki cocktail recipes, some - like the mai tai - with accompanying histories, all fascinating.
It may not be the definitive history of the universe of Polynesian Pop, but it’s damn close. All I want right now is an A-frame roof, some exotica on the jukebox, and a chilled rum cocktail in my hand. Reading this book made me feel like all those things were happening. I LOVED this book.
Except ... maybe now I do. Because tiki bar crawls are not really unusual for me anymore. I’ve developed a taste for rum along with my interest in the mystery and wonder of the wholly imagined and absolutely real culture of tiki.
Martin and Rebecca Cate’s book is partially about the history of their bar - which is astounding - but it’s also the history of everything in the exotic world of tiki. It touches on all the mainstays: Donn Beach and Trader Vic, the origins and evolution of tiki bars, the history of a movement that was largely invented by frustrated mid-century men who needed a release valve.
But the Cates go deeper, and we get into the history and manufacture of rum (and rhum), a chapter I thought I would find dull but was actually fun and informative. Near the end, there are tips for starting your own home tiki bar, how to throw the best tiki party, and where to get aloha shirts that won’t embarrass you when you travel out to the Tiki Oasis gathering. Sprinkled throughout are classic and new tiki cocktail recipes, some - like the mai tai - with accompanying histories, all fascinating.
It may not be the definitive history of the universe of Polynesian Pop, but it’s damn close. All I want right now is an A-frame roof, some exotica on the jukebox, and a chilled rum cocktail in my hand. Reading this book made me feel like all those things were happening. I LOVED this book.
November 12, 2024
This lavish book is a number of things. First and foremost, it is a celebration of one of the best bars in America: Smuggler’s Cove. In this aspect, it is at its most successful, with loads of photos, recipes and frank discussion of the factors that have contributed to its success as a San Francisco institution.
If you’re not personally familiar with Smuggler’s Cove, however, you might come away from this book with the mistaken impression that it’s an exotic restaurant along the lines of Trader Vic’s, because the book leads with considerable verbiage on the history of Polynesian Pop, mid-century exotic drinks and the restaurants and people that created them. This material is okay, but it’s largely derivative, under-attributed, and you’re better off going straight to the books of the more primary sources: Jeff “Beachbum” Berry and Sven A. Kirsten.
While exotic drinks have always been featured at Smuggler’s Cove—and the bar does have some “tiki” trappings—it’s always been most fundamentally a rum bar. The third section of this book, particularly the chapter “Understanding Rum”, is therefore of acute interest, because it lays out Martin Cate’s nuanced conceptualization of this unruly spirit category. The only comparable scheme I’m aware of is that of blogger Matt Pietrek (http://cocktailwonk.com/2016/10/categ...). While neither scheme is greatly satisfying, both writers have—in their own styles—done a service by showing the many variables that matter, and therefore, why it’s so hard to organize sugar cane spirits.
Bottom line: this is a decent book with superb production values, and every tiki-phile or rum nut is going to want it on their shelves, period. Fans of the bar, likewise.
If you’re not personally familiar with Smuggler’s Cove, however, you might come away from this book with the mistaken impression that it’s an exotic restaurant along the lines of Trader Vic’s, because the book leads with considerable verbiage on the history of Polynesian Pop, mid-century exotic drinks and the restaurants and people that created them. This material is okay, but it’s largely derivative, under-attributed, and you’re better off going straight to the books of the more primary sources: Jeff “Beachbum” Berry and Sven A. Kirsten.
While exotic drinks have always been featured at Smuggler’s Cove—and the bar does have some “tiki” trappings—it’s always been most fundamentally a rum bar. The third section of this book, particularly the chapter “Understanding Rum”, is therefore of acute interest, because it lays out Martin Cate’s nuanced conceptualization of this unruly spirit category. The only comparable scheme I’m aware of is that of blogger Matt Pietrek (http://cocktailwonk.com/2016/10/categ...). While neither scheme is greatly satisfying, both writers have—in their own styles—done a service by showing the many variables that matter, and therefore, why it’s so hard to organize sugar cane spirits.
Bottom line: this is a decent book with superb production values, and every tiki-phile or rum nut is going to want it on their shelves, period. Fans of the bar, likewise.
Read
April 29, 2021I went into this knowing literally nothing about tropical cocktails other than that I like the flavor profile. And while I learned a lot of things about rum, cocktails, and mixology in general (from the perspective of a complete beginner, I can't speak for how valuable of a resource this would be for someone with more experience or someone who has read more than this one book on the subject), the whole "tiki culture" thing made me feel kind of icky. First of all, the people pictured throughout the book are overwhelmingly white-- somehow the mid-century "tiki culture" garb managed to crank the whiteness up to 11. Second, Cate's reasoning for how tiki isn't cultural appropriation is flimsy at best, and he spent more of his word count on the morality of wearing a vintage aloha shirt whose original owner is probably dead now than he did on the impact of colonialism on the islands that distill the spirits he loves so much (which is still a HUGE problem, btw) -- one of the only mentions of it I could find lets you know that rums are classified as "French" or "English" based on the country that colonialized the island upon which a particular rum is produced.
September 25, 2020
My wife and I have been dabbling with cocktails for a while now. Well, a short while.
Okay, it all started in 2017 when we went on our gold country trip and stayed in Columbia. We had this pair of cocktails:
[On my blog, there is a picture here.]
which, I'm pretty sure, was the first time I'd ever had a cocktail. Maybe I'd had a pina coloda -- I don't really remember when we started making those -- but that would have been about the extent of it.
After or trip, we started trying cocktails when we would go out to places that served cocktails. Sometimes, we even looked for places that served cocktails as part of our decision process. Of course, we don't really go out a lot, so it's not like it was something that happened very often.
So we started making the occasional cocktail at home, especially pina colodas, the family favorite (because you can leave the rum out for the kids). I learned how to make margaritas. But that's where we hit a wall, I guess, because my wife bought me a book, Be Your Own Bartender, and I learned how to make a daiquiri. A real daiquiri, not those slushy monstrosities.
We tried out other things from that book, but it was too all over the place. I'm not saying it's a bad book or anything -- it definitely served a purpose -- but it only had a very limited number of drink options for any given category and it became a hassle trying to get just the various base alcohols for the different drinks. That and we discovered that my wife really just likes rum. Rum for cocktails, not on its own. On its own, I'd much rather have whiskey, which I like straight, but I'm not going to drink rum on its own.
All of which led to my wife buying for me for our anniversary this year the book at the top of the post, Smuggler's Cove, a book all about tiki cocktails, most of which are made from rum. Nearly all, actually. Did you know that cocktails originated with rum? And, kind of, with pirates. This is why pirates beat ninjas. They fucking invented cocktails! That's free information; I don't know if it's in the book or not.
However, the book is full of all kinds of history, which I will get around to reading at some point. I just haven't had a chance yet. My attention has been on the cocktail recipes themselves, over 100 of them. My personal favorite, at least so far, is the Planter's Punch. Which is not exactly accurate, because the recipe in the book is just an example of -a- planter's punch. It was just a catchall name given to a class of drink of which there were endless variations because every plantation owner had their own specific recipe. My wife has discovered that she loves Mai Tais, which, by the way, despite its association with Hawaii, was invented right here in Oakland, California. Also, by the way, the Hawaiian version, which adds pineapple juice, is vastly inferior to the original, basic Mai Tai.
I'm actually a little upset with my book. My wife got me this nice hardcover copy of it, and it's a first edition, and I am going to wear the shit out of it. Not that I think this book will necessarily become valuable, but it ought to. It's that good.
Aside from being chock full of recipes, there is also a section about how to create your own cocktails. I've been fiddling around in there quite a bit and have devised two of my own that I find quite tasty. As I continue to experiment, I'll post my personal recipes here on the blog. However, I'm not going to share recipes from the book unless I've adapted it in some significant way.
None of the cocktails I'm making at the moment are as pretty as the ones in the picture above, but they are very good. At some point, I'll start working on presentation and figure out how to make drinks as pretty as those up top.
Anyway, if you're interested in cocktail making, especially rum and/or tiki drinks, I'd give this book a strong recommendation.
Well, this became more of an actual book review than I'd intended, but I guess that's okay. I'll have some cocktail recipes posted soon.
Okay, it all started in 2017 when we went on our gold country trip and stayed in Columbia. We had this pair of cocktails:
[On my blog, there is a picture here.]
which, I'm pretty sure, was the first time I'd ever had a cocktail. Maybe I'd had a pina coloda -- I don't really remember when we started making those -- but that would have been about the extent of it.
After or trip, we started trying cocktails when we would go out to places that served cocktails. Sometimes, we even looked for places that served cocktails as part of our decision process. Of course, we don't really go out a lot, so it's not like it was something that happened very often.
So we started making the occasional cocktail at home, especially pina colodas, the family favorite (because you can leave the rum out for the kids). I learned how to make margaritas. But that's where we hit a wall, I guess, because my wife bought me a book, Be Your Own Bartender, and I learned how to make a daiquiri. A real daiquiri, not those slushy monstrosities.
We tried out other things from that book, but it was too all over the place. I'm not saying it's a bad book or anything -- it definitely served a purpose -- but it only had a very limited number of drink options for any given category and it became a hassle trying to get just the various base alcohols for the different drinks. That and we discovered that my wife really just likes rum. Rum for cocktails, not on its own. On its own, I'd much rather have whiskey, which I like straight, but I'm not going to drink rum on its own.
All of which led to my wife buying for me for our anniversary this year the book at the top of the post, Smuggler's Cove, a book all about tiki cocktails, most of which are made from rum. Nearly all, actually. Did you know that cocktails originated with rum? And, kind of, with pirates. This is why pirates beat ninjas. They fucking invented cocktails! That's free information; I don't know if it's in the book or not.
However, the book is full of all kinds of history, which I will get around to reading at some point. I just haven't had a chance yet. My attention has been on the cocktail recipes themselves, over 100 of them. My personal favorite, at least so far, is the Planter's Punch. Which is not exactly accurate, because the recipe in the book is just an example of -a- planter's punch. It was just a catchall name given to a class of drink of which there were endless variations because every plantation owner had their own specific recipe. My wife has discovered that she loves Mai Tais, which, by the way, despite its association with Hawaii, was invented right here in Oakland, California. Also, by the way, the Hawaiian version, which adds pineapple juice, is vastly inferior to the original, basic Mai Tai.
I'm actually a little upset with my book. My wife got me this nice hardcover copy of it, and it's a first edition, and I am going to wear the shit out of it. Not that I think this book will necessarily become valuable, but it ought to. It's that good.
Aside from being chock full of recipes, there is also a section about how to create your own cocktails. I've been fiddling around in there quite a bit and have devised two of my own that I find quite tasty. As I continue to experiment, I'll post my personal recipes here on the blog. However, I'm not going to share recipes from the book unless I've adapted it in some significant way.
None of the cocktails I'm making at the moment are as pretty as the ones in the picture above, but they are very good. At some point, I'll start working on presentation and figure out how to make drinks as pretty as those up top.
Anyway, if you're interested in cocktail making, especially rum and/or tiki drinks, I'd give this book a strong recommendation.
Well, this became more of an actual book review than I'd intended, but I guess that's okay. I'll have some cocktail recipes posted soon.
July 17, 2025
A fantastic guide to all things tiki! Recipes, history, culture. A welcome addition to any bartender’s bookshelf.
May 15, 2020
Surprisingly light on the fascinating history of tiki, surprisingly heavy on a self-serving, self-mythologizing narrative that nearly completely obscures the inherent racism of tiki culture and the strange cultural appropriation of it. It is extremely uncomfortable to see photo after photo of white people decked out in other cultures’ garb.
However, what else should I expect from a book from a tiki bar? Well, I should expect drink recipes and there are plenty of those. I’ve tested a number of them out and they are quality. And ultimately that’s what I should judge this book on, not the page-count padding filler surrounding them.
However, what else should I expect from a book from a tiki bar? Well, I should expect drink recipes and there are plenty of those. I’ve tested a number of them out and they are quality. And ultimately that’s what I should judge this book on, not the page-count padding filler surrounding them.
August 15, 2016
A history of tiki from its origins to the Internet age, 100 drink recipes, and a really nice primer on the production of rum. Nice photos, and an enthusiastic, easy to read style.
June 28, 2021
20021 bk 181. Tiki's - images of the 1960's, 1970's. Nixon photographed at the door of Trader Vic's with his wife wearing a lei for her birthday, exotic pictures on lp albums, amazing drinks with flowers and umbrellas served in television and movies and above all else, the Tiki Room at Walt Disney World. We loved the exotic dream fantasy of faraway places, exotic foods, and time away from the cares of the world. Smuggler's Cove is both the name of this book and a Tiki Bar in California. The author carefully crafts the history of Tiki in America (and I was surprised at how many names and faces I knew from other readings) and a cast of exotic drinks that are no longer secrets locked away in the minds of a few bartenders. Want to do a Tiki Themed party for your next birthday? Run and buy this book, Cate gives you all the needed ingredients. Want to visit a Tiki Bar, there is a list for that. Want to hone your bartending skills? Cate even offers a perspective on that career. A well written book, slightly heavy (I had to use a tv tray to read this), but very enjoyable.
July 11, 2020
I've been cribbing and mixing recipes contained within this book for a few years now but I decided it was time to get my own copy - I'm so glad I did and I read it from cover to cover. Much more than recipes - this is a complete tiki resource covering history, culture, and techniques informing one of the great bars in the US. The recipes are great but what's greater is that the Cates' book provides you a leaping off point - I have so many ideas of things I want to try or create after reading this (not to mention a bunch more books I'd like to read). This was a great reminder that as much as cocktails are about having delicious drinks - it's a culture, an aesthetic, and a history that have drawn me in over the years.
January 15, 2021
The definitive tome on variation in rum and tiki cocktails both historically and in the modern day. It was a pleasure to read all the way through, and will be a permanent fixture to my coffee table/bar cart for permanent reference. Cannot wait to make it to Smuggler's Cove in San Francisco sometime to thank the Cates personally!
July 1, 2022
Autobiographical personal anecdotes can be forgiven in a book that so comprehensively examines tiki from a historical and practical perspective. Purchased AFTER reading. Any fan of tiki should read this.
March 13, 2019
🗿🗿🗿🗿🗿/🍍🍍🍍🍍🍍
January 5, 2023
A must-have tiki bible! Such an invaluable resource!
February 17, 2025
4.3.
A little pretentious in the best way, when you come across a true afficionado of the subject ( think Sheldon with trains). A defense of Tiki/ Polynesian Pop with several recipies sprinkled throughout. I'd love to try a lot of them but the fiancee is allergic to almonds, which was a major component of half of them. Additionally, I'm poor and can't get some of the specialty rums it calls for. But his knowledge shines through and now I want to go to a true tiki bar. Or open a new one.
A little pretentious in the best way, when you come across a true afficionado of the subject ( think Sheldon with trains). A defense of Tiki/ Polynesian Pop with several recipies sprinkled throughout. I'd love to try a lot of them but the fiancee is allergic to almonds, which was a major component of half of them. Additionally, I'm poor and can't get some of the specialty rums it calls for. But his knowledge shines through and now I want to go to a true tiki bar. Or open a new one.
March 3, 2018
Got this for a library because it looked fun and after a few weeks, a couple bottles of rum, and multiple tiki cocktails, I bought it for keeps. Another reviewer described this book as a "celebration" and that's definitely what it is. A sprinkle of history, a shake of technique, a twist of exotica, topped with a wide variety of fruity and boozy rum recipes - it is perfectly balanced like the cocktails themselves.
The classification system for rum makes the recipes more accessible. If you are starting from scratch on building your home bar, I recommend buying these bottles first in this order: blended agegd rum, blended lightly aged rum, curcacao, blended black rum, Falernum (can be DIY), apricot liquor, gin, St. Elizabeth Allspice Dram (also can be DIY), column still aged rum, pot still lightly aged rum, peach liqueur). These are the easiest to find/cheapest bottles and give you access to the most recipes. If you buy one a week you are well on your way to having a stocked home tiki bar. DIY recipes are online.
Also, don't be afraid to stray from the recipes a little. There is no need for the fruit juices to be fresh. Your glasses can be different. Your techniques can be different if you don't have the equipment. Garnishes are obviously optional. This is definitely a book that you can adjust to your skill level and make the recipes more extravegent as you go.
The classification system for rum makes the recipes more accessible. If you are starting from scratch on building your home bar, I recommend buying these bottles first in this order: blended agegd rum, blended lightly aged rum, curcacao, blended black rum, Falernum (can be DIY), apricot liquor, gin, St. Elizabeth Allspice Dram (also can be DIY), column still aged rum, pot still lightly aged rum, peach liqueur). These are the easiest to find/cheapest bottles and give you access to the most recipes. If you buy one a week you are well on your way to having a stocked home tiki bar. DIY recipes are online.
Also, don't be afraid to stray from the recipes a little. There is no need for the fruit juices to be fresh. Your glasses can be different. Your techniques can be different if you don't have the equipment. Garnishes are obviously optional. This is definitely a book that you can adjust to your skill level and make the recipes more extravegent as you go.
July 3, 2016
Cate's contribution to the tiki literature is a seminal work, reexamining and refining the study of a sub-culture that is very much alive and well. He details the history of tiki through eras, each tied to a founding figure, and comes out the other side to explain the often baffling and always complex world of rums, nomenclature, categories and even coconuts. It is an exhaustive book, and each chapter ends with elaborate recipes to satisfy any tiki-phile. Great care has been taken to make the book feel like it was a flattened and bound version of a high tiki bar. Each page is decorated with Polynesian filigree, and the photography is spot on, shedding light on the dark and cozy nooks and crannies of tiki bars, often with drinks posing for the shot. Cate is an excellent writer, too, professional and witty, with some casual language slipped here and there to make him personable and approachable, like a good bar tender. I met Cate once at Tiki Oasis in San Diego in the Summer of 2015, and he came off as a humble, intelligent and ambitious guy. All of that shows in this volume, a masterpiece of a study of tiki, a monument to his own creation of Smuggler's Cove, and a tome to empower aspiring fans of the "exotic drink" category.
January 18, 2018
I highly recommend this book to anyone interested in the subject. I have known Martin Cate for several years, but really only came to know his sense of humor this year. The man can be a cut-up and this humor comes through in his writing style, which is clear, concise and interesting. He explains the history of Tiki culture, Polynesian Pop and that of his own cocktail bar, while never boring, going into too much nor too little detail. Oh, and by the way, hundreds recipes for cocktails - original and classic - are interspersed throughout the book with details about the techniques, bar equipment, tinctures, special ingredients, garnishes and styles of rum. The book is very thoughtfully arranged, laid out and illustrated. Highly recommended.
September 25, 2019
I never thought I'd be writing a post where 'Boozehound' intersected with 'Bookshot' but here we are to take a peek into the strange and exotic world of tiki with the excellent and lovingly knowledgeable book, Smuggler's Cove: Exotic Cocktails, Rum and the Cult of Tiki. Written by Martin and Rebecca Cate, the founders and owners of one of the foremost Tiki bars in America today, San Francisco's Smuggler's Cove, the two of them take the reader on a journey into the origins of the tiki, the hidden depths and complexities of rum and the rise, fall and eventual revival of tiki over the course of the latter half of the 20th century.
Why the sudden interest in the secrets of tiki? Well, two reasons really- one is that over the course of the past few years we've had a stop or two at Psycho Suzi's Motor Lounge up in Minneapolis and the experience was incredible. The pizza was tasty, the drinks exactly what you'd expect and more- the place is out a wee bit from downtown Minneapolis and looks like it was built in a former church and I highly reccommend it. The second reason is that I saw a set of Star Trek themed 'geek tiki' glasses and threw them up on the old Amazon wishlist a couple of years back and someone actually got me them for my birthday.
So the way I see it- I've been to a tiki bar and enjoyed the experience, I've got this set of tiki glasses that I want to actually use from time to time- so it only made sense to me to try and get some more knowledge about tiki and find out what it's all about.
From a historical point of view, it's a fascinating trip: The Cates lay out the backstory of the two great titans of the early tiki movement: Donn Beachcomber and Trader Vic Bergeron. The two men have different stories but made equally important contributions to the emergence of tiki in the pre-war and post-war years. Donn Beachcomber kind of caught the initial wave: post-Prohibition the nightclub era of dining was sort of fading out and people were intrigued by an establishment that provided the same excellent food/drinks but didn't require you to wear a suit. Vic sort of took that and added his own flair before partnering with the Hilton hotel chain to get Trader Vic's all over the country. The end of World War II only intensified the interest in tiki as returning soldiers had served in and seen the paradise the tiki talked about themselves.
By the late 60s and early 70s, the culture was changing-- though in a fascinating tidbit, I learned that Richard Nixon was a fan of Navy Grogs and used to slip in to a Trader Vic's late at night and pour 'his heart out' to the bartender during the Watergate scandal. (No secrets, the book advises, were every divulged by the bartender.)
Tiki kind of faded out into the 80s, but enthusiasts across the country harnassed the power of the internet to create a revival that is now in full bloom as we head into the second decade of the 21st century.
The story of tiki has to go hand in hand with the story of rum. I should have known better, but it really was surprising to learn about the complexity and the depth of rum-- the news that Captain Morgan was only introduced to the United State in 1984 means that a lot of the original recipes in this book don't use spiced rum at all- in fact, most of them don't. The book also covers the origins of rum, the differences in rum and what the difference between rhum and rum are. (The former is from Martinique)
The Cates don't just talk about the history of the movement though: the offer insights into the design aesthetic of tiki and how they created their own bars-- they offer resources and advice for those who want to start their own tiki bars and talk about the various tiki gatherings around the country that helped spur the revival in tiki. Of course, interspersed in between all of this knowledge are more recipes than you could possibly imagine.
Overall, this volume delivers. You find out everything you could possibly want to know about tiki and then some- and you get recipies aplenty to boot. Will it persuade you to start your own tiki bar? That, I don't know... the Cates are refreshingly blunt about it: this is an expensive vice to have. And even when you get to the nitty gritty of the actual cocktails themselves, there are a lot of ingredients. There are a few relatively simple ones you can start with, but building from there will take creativity and probably a lot of searching on the internet for the right ingredients. That said, the allure of tiki is strong- especially with winter looming in a few months- just know that a vice like this is going to be a marathon and not a sprint. All of that said: there's a reason that this is a volume that everyone reccommends for anyone looking for more info on tiki- it's excellent from start to finish. My Grade: **** out of ****
Why the sudden interest in the secrets of tiki? Well, two reasons really- one is that over the course of the past few years we've had a stop or two at Psycho Suzi's Motor Lounge up in Minneapolis and the experience was incredible. The pizza was tasty, the drinks exactly what you'd expect and more- the place is out a wee bit from downtown Minneapolis and looks like it was built in a former church and I highly reccommend it. The second reason is that I saw a set of Star Trek themed 'geek tiki' glasses and threw them up on the old Amazon wishlist a couple of years back and someone actually got me them for my birthday.
So the way I see it- I've been to a tiki bar and enjoyed the experience, I've got this set of tiki glasses that I want to actually use from time to time- so it only made sense to me to try and get some more knowledge about tiki and find out what it's all about.
From a historical point of view, it's a fascinating trip: The Cates lay out the backstory of the two great titans of the early tiki movement: Donn Beachcomber and Trader Vic Bergeron. The two men have different stories but made equally important contributions to the emergence of tiki in the pre-war and post-war years. Donn Beachcomber kind of caught the initial wave: post-Prohibition the nightclub era of dining was sort of fading out and people were intrigued by an establishment that provided the same excellent food/drinks but didn't require you to wear a suit. Vic sort of took that and added his own flair before partnering with the Hilton hotel chain to get Trader Vic's all over the country. The end of World War II only intensified the interest in tiki as returning soldiers had served in and seen the paradise the tiki talked about themselves.
By the late 60s and early 70s, the culture was changing-- though in a fascinating tidbit, I learned that Richard Nixon was a fan of Navy Grogs and used to slip in to a Trader Vic's late at night and pour 'his heart out' to the bartender during the Watergate scandal. (No secrets, the book advises, were every divulged by the bartender.)
Tiki kind of faded out into the 80s, but enthusiasts across the country harnassed the power of the internet to create a revival that is now in full bloom as we head into the second decade of the 21st century.
The story of tiki has to go hand in hand with the story of rum. I should have known better, but it really was surprising to learn about the complexity and the depth of rum-- the news that Captain Morgan was only introduced to the United State in 1984 means that a lot of the original recipes in this book don't use spiced rum at all- in fact, most of them don't. The book also covers the origins of rum, the differences in rum and what the difference between rhum and rum are. (The former is from Martinique)
The Cates don't just talk about the history of the movement though: the offer insights into the design aesthetic of tiki and how they created their own bars-- they offer resources and advice for those who want to start their own tiki bars and talk about the various tiki gatherings around the country that helped spur the revival in tiki. Of course, interspersed in between all of this knowledge are more recipes than you could possibly imagine.
Overall, this volume delivers. You find out everything you could possibly want to know about tiki and then some- and you get recipies aplenty to boot. Will it persuade you to start your own tiki bar? That, I don't know... the Cates are refreshingly blunt about it: this is an expensive vice to have. And even when you get to the nitty gritty of the actual cocktails themselves, there are a lot of ingredients. There are a few relatively simple ones you can start with, but building from there will take creativity and probably a lot of searching on the internet for the right ingredients. That said, the allure of tiki is strong- especially with winter looming in a few months- just know that a vice like this is going to be a marathon and not a sprint. All of that said: there's a reason that this is a volume that everyone reccommends for anyone looking for more info on tiki- it's excellent from start to finish. My Grade: **** out of ****
April 26, 2021
If you've ever been to a tiki bar or a friend's party based on the tiki concept or are simply a fan of rum and exotic cocktails along with a Polynesian flare, this quite likely would be a book for you to read. If you have already been bitten by the tiki bug, then this is a must-buy.
From the brilliant color photographs and colorful illustrations from menus through the history of the tiki bar from Beachcomber Don and Trader Vic's to the history of rum itself, this book only starts with the fascination, the sense of escape and wonder and mystery of the tropical islands of the South pacific and Caribbean that led to the fusion of culture and landback exotica called tiki.
Started in the 1920's, Don the Beachcomber opened in 1931 in Hollywood as an island rum shack with 'beach-combed' decorations and the origin of the "Zombie". Trader Vic's in Oakland traded food and drinks for curios and the creator of the Mai Tai and Crab Rangoon. But the fad was beginning to fade by the end of the 1960's and with the loss of those tiki bars, also faded was the knowledge of bartender techniques and the recipes of many drinks.
In the 1980's - 1990's, the Tiki Revivalists - of which the writer is one - was finding a restaurant-labelled tiki mug at Goodwill. Or maybe a menu or a matchbook and would attempt to gather information on these long-lost bars and restaurants. And some of these same collectors would be the owners of today's tiki bars or the creators of the decorations that cover the walls.
Dozens of recipes from the classical cocktails to punch. 'Exotic cocktail' creation techniques and prep for the home Tiki bar owner or the novice bartender. The history of rum from pot belly stills to column stills to blended rums. Rhum agricole - made from sugarcane - and rhum traditionnel - made from molasses. The 7 different varieties of rum (and how their differences may affect the flavor) and examples of each level which means if you want to try your hand at sampling, there is likely one anyone's wallet can handle. Resources and references as well as how to construct your own tiki bar with music and lighting and atmosphere.
Cate - the actual owner of the renowned Smuggler's Cove tiki bar in San Francisco - seems more interesting in spreading the 'cult of tiki' and the appeal of good rum across the world than keep recipes that he has redacted and recreated. Although there are a couple that he refuses to give the ingredient list *grin*
The reader doesn't need to be planning a Polynesian-type party or want create their own home bar as an excuse for buying a copy of this book. It's just a fun and informative read with lots of pictures of happy people in Hawaiian shirts.
2021-082
From the brilliant color photographs and colorful illustrations from menus through the history of the tiki bar from Beachcomber Don and Trader Vic's to the history of rum itself, this book only starts with the fascination, the sense of escape and wonder and mystery of the tropical islands of the South pacific and Caribbean that led to the fusion of culture and landback exotica called tiki.
Started in the 1920's, Don the Beachcomber opened in 1931 in Hollywood as an island rum shack with 'beach-combed' decorations and the origin of the "Zombie". Trader Vic's in Oakland traded food and drinks for curios and the creator of the Mai Tai and Crab Rangoon. But the fad was beginning to fade by the end of the 1960's and with the loss of those tiki bars, also faded was the knowledge of bartender techniques and the recipes of many drinks.
In the 1980's - 1990's, the Tiki Revivalists - of which the writer is one - was finding a restaurant-labelled tiki mug at Goodwill. Or maybe a menu or a matchbook and would attempt to gather information on these long-lost bars and restaurants. And some of these same collectors would be the owners of today's tiki bars or the creators of the decorations that cover the walls.
Dozens of recipes from the classical cocktails to punch. 'Exotic cocktail' creation techniques and prep for the home Tiki bar owner or the novice bartender. The history of rum from pot belly stills to column stills to blended rums. Rhum agricole - made from sugarcane - and rhum traditionnel - made from molasses. The 7 different varieties of rum (and how their differences may affect the flavor) and examples of each level which means if you want to try your hand at sampling, there is likely one anyone's wallet can handle. Resources and references as well as how to construct your own tiki bar with music and lighting and atmosphere.
Cate - the actual owner of the renowned Smuggler's Cove tiki bar in San Francisco - seems more interesting in spreading the 'cult of tiki' and the appeal of good rum across the world than keep recipes that he has redacted and recreated. Although there are a couple that he refuses to give the ingredient list *grin*
The reader doesn't need to be planning a Polynesian-type party or want create their own home bar as an excuse for buying a copy of this book. It's just a fun and informative read with lots of pictures of happy people in Hawaiian shirts.
2021-082
August 8, 2023
Tiki, Exotica, and Polynesian Pop are areas I find historically intriguing, and personally fascinating. If there was only one book available, at least this would be a good reference for the fun, and the facts of it all. I dread that all I can say is that it is a gorgeous book worthy to own for anyone that is interested in the period. There are photographs, and illustrations that set the mood, and give a glimpse into what the adventurous could experience at these ersatz-grass huts, and their offerings of décor, food, and beverage; and the cast of characters that brought it to fruition from the Birth, Golden Age, to the Revival.
How it all came about during a time that needed the unreal and fantastic to raise their spirits during hard times, and to celebrate an end to struggle. The people had a very vague idea of these far-away tropical lands, and merged it together into its own creation to delight, and entertain. The main feature being the unfamiliar of the wood carvings adorned the entrances, and dining room that offered "an atmosphere relaxation, wonder, mystery, or even danger". They were miniaturized into ceramic, souvenir drink glasses. Not to mention that fascination with hula, and grass skirts that swept the nation. The "authentically inauthentic" of the music that became know as Tiki, Lounge, and Exotica, and the cuisine based ever-so-loosely on Chinese were favorites for entertaining years after the trend receded from the mainstream.
The inclusion of a plethora of drinks recipes so that one can savor a bit of that over-sugared, heavy-liquor, exotic-named beverages that define the age. The tropical sweetness, and wild appellation, with an over-the-top presentation were vacation and journey enough for the average American to enjoy themselves and pretend to be upon the beaches they could never afford to reach. Anywhere with palm trees and a warm breeze be it Caribbean, or Pacific was all the same to these people. As many of the drinks required several ingredients, the authors make sure to go through some of the main components, and to familiarize the reader with various methods of decoration of these stunning potables.
How it all came about during a time that needed the unreal and fantastic to raise their spirits during hard times, and to celebrate an end to struggle. The people had a very vague idea of these far-away tropical lands, and merged it together into its own creation to delight, and entertain. The main feature being the unfamiliar of the wood carvings adorned the entrances, and dining room that offered "an atmosphere relaxation, wonder, mystery, or even danger". They were miniaturized into ceramic, souvenir drink glasses. Not to mention that fascination with hula, and grass skirts that swept the nation. The "authentically inauthentic" of the music that became know as Tiki, Lounge, and Exotica, and the cuisine based ever-so-loosely on Chinese were favorites for entertaining years after the trend receded from the mainstream.
The inclusion of a plethora of drinks recipes so that one can savor a bit of that over-sugared, heavy-liquor, exotic-named beverages that define the age. The tropical sweetness, and wild appellation, with an over-the-top presentation were vacation and journey enough for the average American to enjoy themselves and pretend to be upon the beaches they could never afford to reach. Anywhere with palm trees and a warm breeze be it Caribbean, or Pacific was all the same to these people. As many of the drinks required several ingredients, the authors make sure to go through some of the main components, and to familiarize the reader with various methods of decoration of these stunning potables.
Read
October 15, 2024This book is pure magic (with one thing that bugs me but I’ll get to that).
The Cates flawlessly move between topics all over the board— from the rise of Don and Vic, to how to categorize rums, to decorating your space for a party, just to name a few. Each topic is the perfect balance of detailed and succinct. I found the chapters that contextualized island escapism in terms of the historical events around the “tiki boom” particularly interesting, and I am sooo appreciative of how open handed they are with their recipes and techniques.
The book itself is *gorgeous.* Each page is thoughtfully laid out with relevant photos, blurbs, drawings, charts, you name it. I’ve put little flags on pages I keep referencing (a big pink one on the rums lol) but the index is also formatted in a way that make it easy to use as a tool. For instance, I’ll find myself interested in a certain ingredient and can just flip to the index to see each cocktail that calls for it. And can I just say what a great value it is too? There are other cocktail books that I haven’t gotten my paws on yet because they cost 3x what this one is. THANK you for making this more accessible to us poors.
Okay so I love almost everything about the tropical exotic cocktail scene. From my understanding it’s about escapism, getting lost in the moment around you, making a place that is truly special using art, tasty drinks, and good people… I don’t understand why the tikis are necessary? It seems like you can have all of the things “tiki” is about without actually using figures that I feel are being used in poor spirit? Okay I’m not going to go on too much about this, I’ve had hours long arguments about why I think tikis are not cool as American bar decs no matter what context you’re hanging them in, I’m happy to give you my views over a jungle bird if you really care to hear them lol
Y’all. This is the first paper book I’ve read with my eyeballs in over ten years. I would tell you about how audiobooks have helped me understand why I was bad at school and what “reading” is to me, but this is already way too long lol
The Cates flawlessly move between topics all over the board— from the rise of Don and Vic, to how to categorize rums, to decorating your space for a party, just to name a few. Each topic is the perfect balance of detailed and succinct. I found the chapters that contextualized island escapism in terms of the historical events around the “tiki boom” particularly interesting, and I am sooo appreciative of how open handed they are with their recipes and techniques.
The book itself is *gorgeous.* Each page is thoughtfully laid out with relevant photos, blurbs, drawings, charts, you name it. I’ve put little flags on pages I keep referencing (a big pink one on the rums lol) but the index is also formatted in a way that make it easy to use as a tool. For instance, I’ll find myself interested in a certain ingredient and can just flip to the index to see each cocktail that calls for it. And can I just say what a great value it is too? There are other cocktail books that I haven’t gotten my paws on yet because they cost 3x what this one is. THANK you for making this more accessible to us poors.
Okay so I love almost everything about the tropical exotic cocktail scene. From my understanding it’s about escapism, getting lost in the moment around you, making a place that is truly special using art, tasty drinks, and good people… I don’t understand why the tikis are necessary? It seems like you can have all of the things “tiki” is about without actually using figures that I feel are being used in poor spirit? Okay I’m not going to go on too much about this, I’ve had hours long arguments about why I think tikis are not cool as American bar decs no matter what context you’re hanging them in, I’m happy to give you my views over a jungle bird if you really care to hear them lol
Y’all. This is the first paper book I’ve read with my eyeballs in over ten years. I would tell you about how audiobooks have helped me understand why I was bad at school and what “reading” is to me, but this is already way too long lol
March 27, 2025
A significant chunk of my rating is based on the fact that I checked out this book moreso for the history of Tiki Culture than I did for the mixology. While there was some history here, it wasn't a lot (maybe a third of the book, being generous). While I did learn some new things, at other points it seemed as though more thorough research was needed. As an example, one of Cate's sources asserts that Peruvian singer Yma Sumac was unique among exotica musicians for having an actual cultural connection to one of the regions homaged through exotica music. This is not entirely true. Off the top of my head, exotica king Arthur Lyman was a Native Hawaiian who was born on Kauai and grew up near Honolulu.
Maybe that complaint has to do with my expectations more than anything, but there's another problem too: A lot of this book felt like an advertisement. It was as though the author was concerned about losing the reader's interest and felt that he constantly had to re-pitch or defend the aesthetics or escapism of Tiki Culture to the reader over and over again. It gave a weirdly artificial tone to several chapters (I mean "artificial" here as a counterpoint to "earnest"). I don't think that tone was Cate's intent, but as a result, parts of the book felt tiresome to read because I didn't need to be sold. I didn't need to be convinced that a topic I was already interested in was interesting.
All that said, I did enjoy the history third-ish of the book, as well as the decor notes, and I like that this book included so many historical recipes, and that there's an emphasis on depth of flavor. The recipes have made great mocktail inspiration for my borderline teetotaling sister and I.
Maybe that complaint has to do with my expectations more than anything, but there's another problem too: A lot of this book felt like an advertisement. It was as though the author was concerned about losing the reader's interest and felt that he constantly had to re-pitch or defend the aesthetics or escapism of Tiki Culture to the reader over and over again. It gave a weirdly artificial tone to several chapters (I mean "artificial" here as a counterpoint to "earnest"). I don't think that tone was Cate's intent, but as a result, parts of the book felt tiresome to read because I didn't need to be sold. I didn't need to be convinced that a topic I was already interested in was interesting.
All that said, I did enjoy the history third-ish of the book, as well as the decor notes, and I like that this book included so many historical recipes, and that there's an emphasis on depth of flavor. The recipes have made great mocktail inspiration for my borderline teetotaling sister and I.
December 30, 2024
49. When I purchased this book for my bar, I thought it was simply a compendium of tiki and tropical drink recipes, but it's really so much more. This book is part recipe book, part recipe theory and evolution, the history of the tiki cultural movement, and a brief history of rum and all its variations. This was such a fun read for me because not only do I like making a creative cocktail, I love reading about all the lore and history that led to their creation. I probably currently have 40 post-it notes littered throughout this book's pages, marking everything from rum styles I want to get for my bar to drinks that I intend to make in the future. I probably made a dozen drinks from the pages of this book over the course of this summer, and I can't wait to hunt down a few more ingredients and mix up a few more. The only reason I stopped is it just doesn't seem right to be sipping on a tropical cocktail when the windchill is below freezing and there's snow in the forecast (though the Hot Buttered Rum recipe from this book has served me well on one or two of those chilly nights.) Overall, this book is great for the drink enthusiast and of the 20 or so books of its style on my bar, it's easily in the top 3.
5/5
5/5
June 30, 2020
An incredible journey of discovery and rediscovery of all aspects tiki, heavy on the rum just like a good exotic cocktail should be. Cate has created an indispensable resource that is equally at home with the exotic cocktail novice and expert alike, providing fascinating history and explanations filled with humor and flush with the exciting, mysterious, and budget-bustingly dangerous side of tiki. I will be pouring over the recipes and rum recommendations before every tiki party I throw, and fear the more I do, the more our little garage oasis and attached sideyard lanai will spill out into the rest of our humble abode. Then again, as Cate points out time and again in Smuggler’s Cove, part of the tiki experience is the escapism. This book has been an escape and an inspiration, as well as taking away some of the mystery surrounding rum that I never even knew existed. Now on to take the advice of Cate and make some syrups, mix some fresh juice and rums, garnish, and experience the escape of an exotic cocktail!
June 29, 2021
When my brother in law first mentioned making tiki drinks I thought it was a bit, a gag - something kitschy and fun. Beyond those first sips, I began to take the drinks seriously... they were seriously good. And the relaxing shirts, unique mugs, slightly dated music? They were pretty great too, in a completely unironic way.
I picked up Martin Cate's book expecting recipes (and there are plenty). What I received was so much more. Cate details the history of tiki as a movement, providing background into the innovators who started the movement, a look at the culture that accepted it, fostered it, and eventually rejected it, and a picture of why the allure of this culture is in revival today. Along the way, he discusses rum (its origins, production, classifications, tasting notes), mixers and other ingredients, the art associated with the movement, and the mood/vibe that brings us back for one more visit.
Highly recommended for the recipes, for the cultural understanding, for the thought process behind innovating your own mixes and for the art of the book itself.
I picked up Martin Cate's book expecting recipes (and there are plenty). What I received was so much more. Cate details the history of tiki as a movement, providing background into the innovators who started the movement, a look at the culture that accepted it, fostered it, and eventually rejected it, and a picture of why the allure of this culture is in revival today. Along the way, he discusses rum (its origins, production, classifications, tasting notes), mixers and other ingredients, the art associated with the movement, and the mood/vibe that brings us back for one more visit.
Highly recommended for the recipes, for the cultural understanding, for the thought process behind innovating your own mixes and for the art of the book itself.
July 14, 2021
This has been one of the three go-to books at our home bar for the past five years. Super handy for understanding the structure of different tiki/rum style cocktails, and how a particular rum contributes to a cocktail’s end result. The recipes are interesting and complex, so unless you already have an extensive home bar set up expect to do at least a little specialized shopping before tackling the recipes. As a resource, it’s still valuable and I still carry a copy of Cate’s list of rums when shopping for rums, to help with substitutions, or guidance when considering a new to me rum purchase…I’ve found over time that I’m very much a middle of the ‘speed rack’ kind of girl when it comes to my rum preference. Happy enough with this book that I’ve given it as a gift (along with a favorite rum, of course) to people that enjoy the craft. Lots of tiki lore, too, making it a great armchair read as well.
September 12, 2022
Captivating and well presented. This is an elegant composition and enumeration of rums, exotic cocktails, locales and more. Brief details of the rich, unexpected, and secretive origins of Tiki precede a discussion of Tiki's time in the sun. The majority of the cocktails presented are adaptations on the original named cocktail (and if this work is to be believed, many of the original compositions can truly never be known) which leaves one needing to consult additional resources. The recipes herein are vetted by consumer praise and though I've not made it through the full catalogue what I've tried to replicate have been quite enjoyable.
Perhaps most useful was the rum classification and index on pages 197-199. Using this system you can more quickly substitute, compare, contrast and understand rums that you haven't tried or ones that you have tried but perhaps hadn't considered for a specific recipe in the past. Very informative.
Perhaps most useful was the rum classification and index on pages 197-199. Using this system you can more quickly substitute, compare, contrast and understand rums that you haven't tried or ones that you have tried but perhaps hadn't considered for a specific recipe in the past. Very informative.
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