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Shrunken Skull |
DemeraraDrinker
Tiki Centralite
Joined: Mar 28, 2007
Posts: 92
From: Kansas City
|  Posted: 2007-05-18 07:31 am Permalink
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Ahh, Licor 43; so named for the fact that it is composed of 43 different ingredients. I use it in a coffee drink I learned to make in Tenerife.
Thanks, Swanky, that's probably exactly what I was looking for!
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Yeah, the Bum has a thing for this stuff, too. Its in some of his recipes, especially his original recipes. I just picked up Alize--I guess 43 is on the list now.
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Liquor and Drink
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The Mayor Of Exotica
Tiki Socialite
Joined: Oct 09, 2005
Posts: 392
From: Boston
| Posted: 2007-05-21 06:22 am Permalink
I tried a Skull with Key Lime Juice and Licor 43, and I think I pretty much hit it! Very flavorful, very tangy! Unfortunately, the rum was not up to the task, but with those ingredients, and some imagination, I could see how the Demerrara rum would be an integral part of the flavor.
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The Mayor Of Exotica
Tiki Socialite
Joined: Oct 09, 2005
Posts: 392
From: Boston
| Posted: 2007-06-04 08:38 am Permalink
Well, the Professah and I have been continuing the research, and surveys show the cinnamon sticks are the key. We have downed several tasty skulls, and the effect a whole cinnamon stick has on the flavor brings it to a new level.
Does anyone have any recommendations about the brand of Grenadine?
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DemeraraDrinker
Tiki Centralite
Joined: Mar 28, 2007
Posts: 92
From: Kansas City
| Posted: 2007-06-04 10:37 am Permalink
I would recommend Stirrings Authentic Grenadine.
http://www.stirrings.com/ingredientsgrenadine.php
About $5-$6 a bottle. Not as sweet as Rose's and not as neon red/fake tasting.
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jingleheimerschmidt
Tiki Socialite
Joined: Apr 20, 2007
Posts: 328
From: santa rosa, calif.
| Posted: 2007-06-05 2:53 pm Permalink
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On 2007-05-21 06:22, The Mayor Of Exotica wrote:
I tried a Skull with Key Lime Juice and Licor 43, and I think I pretty much hit it! Very flavorful, very tangy! Unfortunately, the rum was not up to the task, but with those ingredients, and some imagination, I could see how the Demerrara rum would be an integral part of the flavor.
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If you don't mind....what is your recipe for the skull? Or more precisely, how much Licor 43 did you use?
Thanks!
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The Mayor Of Exotica
Tiki Socialite
Joined: Oct 09, 2005
Posts: 392
From: Boston
| Posted: 2007-06-06 12:25 pm Permalink
You know, it was not more than an ounce of 43. I may have used less. Can't remember for sure.
I have made it since without the 43, and as long as there's a cinnamon stick in it, you can't go wrong. I haven't even used Demerrara Rum yet either; I can just imagine that will only bring it up to par.
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GentleHangman
Grand Member (4 years) 
Joined: Jun 23, 2006
Posts: 350
From: Stuart, Florida
| Posted: 2007-06-07 02:35 am Permalink
Where did the Licor 43 & cinnamon stick come from? My Grog Log recipe for the Shrunken Skull has neither. Is this another example of an establishment's "version" of an established drink?
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professahhummingflowah
Tiki Socialite
Joined: Mar 11, 2005
Posts: 296
From: honolulu, hawaii & boston, ma
| Posted: 2007-06-07 08:04 am Permalink
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On 2007-06-07 02:35, GentleHangman wrote:
Where did the Licor 43 & cinnamon stick come from? My Grog Log recipe for the Shrunken Skull has neither. Is this another example of an establishment's "version" of an established drink?
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Swanky suggested the Licor 43. The Mai Kai serves its Skulls with cinnamon sticks. Thus, the cinnamon stick is a crucial part of the drink. The problem is finding cinnamon sticks long enough to stick out of the top of the Shrunken Skull mug. Here in Boston we bought a half dozen sticks from the spices aisle at the supermarket, but their sticks are about 1.5" too short to reach the top of the mug, let alone 'stick' above the mug's rim as they do at the Mai Kai.
This raises the question:
What are your favorite brands/suppliers of cinnamon sticks?
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GentleHangman
Grand Member (4 years)
Joined: Jun 23, 2006
Posts: 350
From: Stuart, Florida
| Posted: 2007-06-08 06:40 am Permalink
Ok. I checked back to the beginning of this thread - I guess the discussion is about the Mai-Kai's version of the Shrunken Skull rather than the original. My mistake.
I guess the Bum is going to bring up Licor 43 in his new book 'cause I can't find any mention of it in the Grog Log or Intoxica - then again, maybe I'm just having a "Senior Moment".
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jingleheimerschmidt
Tiki Socialite
Joined: Apr 20, 2007
Posts: 328
From: santa rosa, calif.
| Posted: 2007-06-12 09:13 am Permalink
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On 2007-06-06 12:25, The Mayor Of Exotica wrote:
You know, it was not more than an ounce of 43. I may have used less. Can't remember for sure.
I have made it since without the 43, and as long as there's a cinnamon stick in it, you can't go wrong. I haven't even used Demerara Rum yet either; I can just imagine that will only bring it up to par.
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Well, I finally found a bottle of 43 hiding at the liquor store and put it to use. I don't know how I ignored the Skull for so long. It has quickly become the neighborhood favorite. I totally agree about the cinnamon stick's presence. Poor little guy just gets drowned.
However, I believe the 43 makes it a totally different drink...for the better I reckon First Skull, no Licor 43, second Skull 1 oz, third skull 3/4 oz, fourth skull 1/2 oz, fifth Skull 1/2 oz with Meyers.
For me, a heavy 1/2 oz of Licor 43 works. Not too sweet, not overpowering. Mmmmm. Oh, I was using Demerara, homemade grenadine, and the reg. ol' Persian limes. FWIW, the Licor 43 seems to mute the subtleties of the Demerara and you can probably sneak in "easier to find" rums upon the uninitiated. I just wish that there was a Mai Kai around here to get a real taste so I didn't have the guilt of bastardizing a drink recipe. Oh well. Back to the laboratory.
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The Mayor Of Exotica
Tiki Socialite
Joined: Oct 09, 2005
Posts: 392
From: Boston
| Posted: 2007-06-13 10:14 am Permalink
Tomorrow I will report to the laboratory for work--The Mai Kai! I'll report findings as they come in.
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The Gnomon
Grand Member (5 years) 
Joined: May 01, 2007
Posts: 1276
From: MD-DC-VA
| Posted: 2007-06-13 1:33 pm Permalink
[quote]
On 2007-06-07 08:04, professahhummingflowah wrote:
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This raises the question:
What are your favorite brands/suppliers of cinnamon sticks?
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I started looking online awhile back for l-o-n-g (12" – 16") cinnamon sticks and found several sources, but stalled when I ran into this one:
Ceylon Cinnamon vs. Cassia
I'd often wondered why sometimes cinnamon sticks were thin-barked and had a deep robust flavor while other times they were very hard, thick-barked and not that flavorful.
After visiting the Ceylon-Cinnamon site I began to understand some things about so-called "true" cinnamon (Cinnamomum Zeylanicum) and all the rest, which is cassia (Cinnamomum Cassia). Ceylon-Cinnamon.com, obviously, wants everyone to buy their stuff, so they are a bit condescending toward cassia.
But for use in Tiki drinks, cassia seems to be the best bet. If you want the best quality of flavor and nutrition of the cinnamon (a must if you're cooking anything with a high concentration of cinnamon in it) you'll want Ceylon cinnamon. Both Ceylon and Cassia contain a toxin called coumarin. Cassia contains fairly high levels of couramin whereas Ceylon does not. If you just sprinkle cinnamon on things, then it doesn't matter which type you use (except for flavor considerations), but if you use lots of it in your recipes, Ceylon is definitely the way to go. I think most of the "cinnamon" we find in stores, whether in stick form or ground, is really cassia.
Ceylon cinnamon is very delicate and it's quills (sticks) break very easily, so they don't make very good Tiki swizzle sticks. Plus, I don't know where you can get Ceylon in quills longer than 5".
I have yet to buy anything from these places. Just did the research.
The Spice Barn sells 16" cassia, but I think the place that I'd try first would be The Spice House.
The Spice House has:
Whole Stick Indonesian Cassia Cinnamon 12"
Whole Soft Stick and Ground Ceylon "True" Cinnamon
Vietnamese Cassia "Saigon" Cinnamon
Korintje Cassia Cinnamon
China Tung Hing Cassia Cinnamon and
Cassia Buds
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GentleHangman
Grand Member (4 years)
Joined: Jun 23, 2006
Posts: 350
From: Stuart, Florida
| Posted: 2007-06-15 4:45 pm Permalink
Locally we are able to get Badia brand cinnamon sticks in the "Ethnic" section of the stupidmarket. They are 5" long and their diameter varies. If I need them to be slightly longer to protrude over the top of the mug I just jam a toothpick in the bottom of the cinnamon stick for the desired effect.
I plan on making a few this week-end using Appleton Special in place of the gold Puerto Rican , Whatever Demerara rum I can find, Licor 43, home-made grenadine & key lime juice and a cinnamon stick. Looking forward to comparing it with the Grog Log original
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pablus
Tiki Socialite
Joined: Jul 23, 2003
Posts: 2146
From: www.crazedmugs.com
| Posted: 2007-06-16 10:14 pm Permalink
I had a skull tonight at the Mai Kai and I didn't catch any Licor 43 in there.
Of course, I had a few other things as well so.... there you go.
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GentleHangman
Grand Member (4 years)
Joined: Jun 23, 2006
Posts: 350
From: Stuart, Florida
| Posted: 2007-06-17 02:30 am Permalink
Ok, so I'm going to have to postpone my tasting of a Shrunken Skull with Licor 43 and a Cinnamon stick until my shipment of Demerara Rum arrives. Not a single Liquor Store In my area (I tried six . . . count 'em! Six!) with no luck. In fact, when I inquired about Demerara Rum, I could literally see their eyes glaze over . . . they had no clue what I was talking about! Oh well, I ordered two bottles of El Dorado 12 year old on the net - should be here in time for next weekend.
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[ This Message was edited by: GentleHangman 2007-06-17 02:30 ]
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