Easy Tiki: A Modern Revival with 60 Recipes

by Chloe Frechette

60 recipes inspired by the history of tiki as well as the modern revival that's putting a fresh spin on tropical tiki drinks--all simplified for the home bartender from cocktail authority PUNCH.

Tiki is the dream of escape, a tropical vacation complete with warm ocean water, island music, and beachside dinners. Kicking back with a tiki cocktail may be the epitome of easy living, but ironically, tiki drinks are among the hardest to make, often requiring eight or more ingredients. Now Easy Tiki is here to solve that problem!

Easy Tiki examines the modern tiki revival offering sixty transporting recipes that re-jigger the classics with minimal ingredients while still maintaining the delicious balance, spices, and stunning garnishes that define tiki cocktails. Drinks include classics such as the Beachcomber's Gold and Fog Cutter and modern cocktails such as Elusive Dreams and Paradise Lost. Easy Tiki also includes an overview of the origins of the tiki genre, from Don the Beachcomber and the mid-century tiki craze to Trader Vic's and beyond.

With Easy Tiki it's easier than ever before to sit back with a Mai Tai or Pearl Diver and enjoy the island life--wherever you are.

Genres: Cookbooks, Cocktails, Food, Food and Drink, Nonfiction

176 pages, Hardcover

First published May 1, 2020

Reviews

[Cristhian · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excelente servicio 👌
Las recetas modernas tienen muchas joyas interesantes.

[Randy Mazzuca · Rating 5 out of 5]

My friend says if her mom can count dog training books on her Goodreads list I can count a tiki recipe book with a substantial amount of history and context to go along with the recipes. Five stars!

[Harris · Rating 3 out of 5]

Tiki drinks, with their retro exotic aesthetics and tropical flavors, definitely fit the bill for quarantine cocktails, relying on building a global ambiance to transform your space into a hidden vacation destination no matter the dreary circumstances outside. Chloe Frechette’s work Easy Tiki provides an interesting history of the tiki style, which was far more mysterious than I had known, including a variety of recipes to help create your own tiki cocktails.

Known for their complexity, layering dozens of flavors from the four categories of sour, sweet, strong, and weak in each drink, drawing in “tropical” inspiration from traditional Caribbean rums and pan-Pacific ingredients, much of the mid twentieth century bartending innovations of such characters as Don the Beachcomber and Trader Vic had long been lost. As tastes shifted to simpler “boat” or “resort” drinks later in the century, many of the more labor intensive techniques for creating drinks like the zombie were forgotten. Frechette describes the painstaking research work by aficionados in piecing these lost beverages back together. However, little is said of the culturally appropriative orientalist nature of tiki, or how one might untangle the style from its explicitly colonialist atmosphere.

As for the recipes themselves, while aiming to provide simpler versions of the infamously layered concoctions, the number of various rums and juices required for even the simplest would make this most useful for people willing to devote a lot of their time and money to the art of tiki for awhile, though I am quite interested in trying out some of the recipes listed for homemade syrups, such as the orgeat. Frechette also includes a list of tiki style establishments to visit throughout the world (circa 2020, at least).

I recommend other resources for crafting global cocktails at Harris' Tome Corner, here.

[Leslie Goddard · Rating 3 out of 5]

Like so many tiki books, this one seems mostly aimed at cocktail connoisseurs hoping to up their game, and for that it's perfect. The recipes are simpler than some classic cocktail recipes, but only a bit. They still require more ingredients than a typical home bar is likely to have. And these are drink recipes, no food included, so it's not the really right book for some hoping to put together a tiki evening at home (unless nicely layered cocktails are your sole concern). To me, it felt more like a nice homage to modern tiki bartenders who are reviving an appreciation for well-made tropical cocktails. Maybe the title is what leaves me a bit disappointed -- it didn't feel like "easy" tiki to me so much as modern tiki.

[Kristin · Rating 4 out of 5]

If you’re interested in learning a bit more about tiki history/culture with a collection of approachable recipes for the classics and some modern takes, this is an excellent little book. Easy Tiki is an apt title which the author carefully positions in the context of other tiki books. The history/culture portion isn’t to the detail of scholarly works from Sven Kirsten. The recipes aren’t to the comprehensiveness of books by Jeff “Beachbum” Berry or Martin Cate. But those all require a depth of investment in time and money. If you want to get your feet wet in the tiki waters, Easy Tiki is a good choice.

[Amanda · Rating 5 out of 5]

Picked up because I’ve been interested in tiki culture lately, and read it in a day. You would think it’s just a recipe book but there is a lot of info on the history and background of tiki. To me I love Tiki decor and vintage style tiki home parties most, but I did want to learn more about tiki cocktails I can try to make at home. I will admit the list/brands of liquors are not ones I will probably buy, I will dumb down the recipes if I try any. But I do appreciate some of the homemade recipes for things that I would typically buy premade mixes for. The images were fun and interesting, though I wish there was more imagery of tiki decor!

[Jonathan · Rating 3 out of 5]

An excellent introductory work for tiki cocktails. Not as comprehensive as "Smuggler's Cove" or as innovative as Shannon Mustipher's book, but for the tiki novice, this is a great place to start. Classic recipes made easy (as promised), along with some basic background to the history and aesthetics of the movement.

[Bridget · Rating 4 out of 5]

A lovely volume, though I still think it's tough to get tiki to be truly easy unless you've accumulated some things. It's not hard, exactly...making falernum, orgeat, or allspice dram isn't rocket science, but it's still another of many steps and really, how many rums can an individual person own?

[Melissa · Rating 3 out of 5]

Good background info and lots of recipes. The Orgeat recipe worked like a charm!

[Michael · Rating 4 out of 5]

Quick and easy read that goes into the history of tiki drinks while ending with simple recipes. Seemed to veer in the more modern direction.

[Bob · Rating 4 out of 5]

Solid simple recipes. Plan to buy this one as a secondary option to smugglers cove.

[Justin · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent and concise summary of what makes tiki, tiki. A lot of fun and easy recipes!

[Lily Bruggeman · Rating 4 out of 5]

Excellent reference work and well structured and documented
Illustrated with beautiful motifs from the Tiki culture, very beautiful photos
Simple recipes and accessible ingredients.
Each recipe also lists the brands that are best to use, because let's face it, every rum (for example) is not the same.
A little history and context for each recipe will make you appreciate the book even more

[Laura · Rating 4 out of 5]

Exactly what it says, easy tiki drinks that give a taste of the flavors and classic recipes without you needing to buy 60 different ingredients. Great companion to the more complicated drinks in Smuggler's Cove.