As you know if you read my Author
Spotlight here in the Kitchen last Sunday, I’m thrilled that the
first book in my new Orchid Isle mystery series, Molten Death,
releases next Tuesday, on April 2. So to celebrate, what could be
better than shaking up a fun and festive tropical drink—the
delicious Mai Tai! (This recipe—as well as many others—appears in
the new book.)
Many Mai Tais one gets in bars these
days are sickeningly sweet, as they’re made with cheap dark rum and
canned orange and pineapple juice, heavy on the high fructose corn
syrup. But the original recipes for the cocktail back in the 1940s
were far less cloying, using quality high-proof rums from Jamaica and
Martinique, fresh-squeezed lime juice, and nary a can of pineapple
juice in sight. (The name supposedly derives from the Tahitian
phrase, “maita‘i roa a‘e,” which loosely translates as
“terrific!” or “best of all!”)
Valerie is the protagonist of Molten
Death, and her version is inspired by the original Trader Vic’s
recipe for a Mai Tai, but employs Amaretto liqueur instead of Orgeat
syrup, and includes a splash of soda water because, you know...fizz!
Val’s Mai Tai
(makes one cocktail)
Ingredients
6-8 ice cubes
2 oz. Myer’s or similar dark rum
½ oz. (1 tablespoon) orange Curaçao
or triple sec
2 teaspoons Amaretto liqueur
½ oz. (1 tablespoon) fresh lime juice
2 teaspoons simple syrup (2:1 water
dissolved in sugar)
1 oz. soda water
1 lime slice, for garnish
Directions
Place the ice in a metal cocktail
shaker, add the rum, Curaçao, Amaretto, lime juice, and simple syrup
and shake vigorously until well chilled, then pour everything
(including the ice) into an Old Fashioned glass. Top with a splash of
soda water and garnish with the lime slice.
🌱 🍹 🌿
Coming April 2!
MOLTEN DEATH
Orchid Isle Mystery, book 1
available for pre-order here!
“Karst’s first Orchid
Isle novel is part murder mystery, part vividly evocative, colorful
sketch of Hawaii and its history, geography, tradition, culture,
food, language, and people. Armchair travelers and mystery
aficionados alike will find it entertaining.”
Booklist
This first book in my brand-new Orchid Isle mystery series features retired
caterer Valerie Corbin and her wife Kristen who, on a trip to the Big
Island of Hawai‘i, swap surfing lessons for sleuthing sessions when
a hike to an active lava flow turns deadly.
Advance praise for MOLTEN DEATH:
“a compelling read that will enlighten, engage, and entertain, leaving readers longing for their next trip to the Orchid Isle.”
--New York Times bestselling author Jenn McKinlay
“a terrific debut to a series that will go on my must read list!”
--USA Today bestselling author Deborah Crombie
A SENSE FOR MURDER
has been short-listed for the Lefty Award
for Best Humorous Mystery!
This newest Sally Solari mystery
is available for purchase here !
Praise for A SENSE FOR MURDER:
“[Sally is] sassy, irresistible
company... Culinary cozy fans will be in heaven.”
--Publishers Weekly
“An enjoyable read for mystery mavens and foodies alike.”
--Kirkus Reviews
Also now available:
Justice is Served: A Tale of Scallops,
the Law, and Cooking for RBG
(available for purchase here)
"a
suspenseful, exhilarating memoir; Karst relays her determination to
serve the 'perfect' meal to RBG alongside an uplifting, enlightening
portrayal of one of the most admired justices in the history of the
Supreme Court."
-Foreword Reviews (starred review)
"[This] book is a romp from cover to cover—and, just like a great meal, left me ready for more."
-Karen Shimizu, executive editor, Food & Wine-
All of the Sally Solari Mysteries are available through Amazon, Barnes and Noble, and Bookshop.