When researching the cocktail, I questioned weather the cocktail wasn’t originally some sort of 50’s liquid tie-in associated with the coming of the Hi-Fi age. You know, cocktail dress wearing gals along with sport-jacketed fellas gathered around Jim’s new record player, toasting to this nifty new technology. “Wow…it’s like Sinatra’s in the room.” Hard to find a creation date, the Loud Speaker drank well and filled my mind with more 50’s romantic notions … all ‘til the boob I was drinking with had his fourth and it dawned on me that the long dead bartender was more likely making a statement aimed at a drunk’s tendency to get obnoxiously louder with each bending of the elbow. “SHUT-UP and DRINK YOUR DRINK YOUR DRINK, YOU LOUD… SPEAKER, YOU”

For all I know, this drink’s 5000 years old.

Here we go –

• ¾ oz Gin
• 1 oz Brandy
• ¼ oz lemon juice

Shake with ice in a shaker ‘til c-c-c-cold, strain into cocktail glass with a lemon peel for garnish.

I read a different recipe for this drink every freakin’ time I open a new bar bible. I honestly don’t believe I’ve ever read the same description twice although they all do seem to result in drinks that taste a lot alike. The Mai-Tai calls for orgeat syrup, an almond syrup that I’ve never been able to find…and I’ve looked, so I came up with my own substitution.  Gosh, how I love a good Mai Tai. A while back, I picked up a big ceramic tiki-hut with a spout pour. I never looked back. I just fill the hut up with Mai Tai, invite a bunch of friends over and get settled in for an interesting evening.  Like the Martini, the Mai Tai has the hidden ability to turn any partaker into a ramblin’, opinionated, life-of-the-party. One of those drinks you just have to sip, then sit back and watch life unfold in front of you.

Here we go – (multiply by a large number)

• 2 oz Dark Rum
• 1 oz Apricot Brandy
• 1 oz Curacao
• 1 oz Light Rum
• 3 oz Limejuice
• 3 oz pineapple juice

1 oz Almond Syrup (I find mine in the baking aisle of the supermarket.  This is the orgeat syrup substitute…Please don’t kill me mai tai purists…I tried to find your syrup, I did)

Mix everything up in a tall glass, tiki mug or bucket, pour over ice. Garnish a Mai Tai with straw, a pineapple spear and a little paper umbrella. After three, tell your guests you’ll see ‘em all again the next day and sit back down for another.