Featured Recipe: Max's Mistake

You may (or may not) have noticed that it’s been some time since my last blog post.  In full disclosure, I’ve been trying out a new diet that has been kicking my butt, and I’ve felt a little bit tired of rum the last couple of weeks.

To get out of this “rum funk”, I decided to dabble with the lighter side of tiki cocktails, and try the Max’s Mistake recipe from Smuggler’s Cove SF.  It’s a gin-based tiki cocktail, with passion fruit, citrus, and honey.  Certainly lighter than the coconut cream drinks I’ve been whipping up recently, and a delicious option for those hot summer days when dark alcohol just doesn’t sound appealing.

The following feature will provide the origins of the drink, necessary ingredients, and steps for making it at home.  Cheers!
 
Max’s Mistake - Brief History:

According to Smuggler’s Cove, the drink was created while Martin Cate was bartending at Trader Vic’s and named after the “Ray’s Mistake” at Tiki-Ti (one of my personal favorites here in LA).  Max’s Mistake was an accidental combination of two other drinks.
 
Recipe/ Instructions:

Glassware:  Brandy Snifter or Pearl Diver Glass

Ingredients:

• 1 oz fresh lemon juice
• 1 oz passion fruit syrup (we used Monin)
• ½ oz honey syrup (see below for honey syrup recipe)
• 2 oz dry London gin (we used Botanist gin)
• 1 dash of Angostura bitters
• 2 oz Fentimans Victorian Lemonade (or any quality dry sparkling lemonade)

Honey syrup recipe (if needed):

1. Use equal parts honey and water (i.e. 1 cup honey to 1 cup water)
2. Heat the honey in a saucepan over medium heat until runny/watery, just before boiling point (roughly 2-3 minutes)
3. Add the water to the honey and whisk mixture together
4. Remove from heat and let cool – store in a sealed contain in the refrigerator for up to several weeks

Cocktail Steps:
Combine all ingredients (except the sparkling lemonade) in a cocktail shaker, and shake for 10 seconds.  Pour over crushed ice, and then top off with the Fentimans Sparkling Lemonade.  Finally, give the drink a quick stir with a bar spoon.

Garnish:
Garnish with a sprig of mint.
 
Wayward Spirits Rating:
Overall Score – 4.5

This cocktail was exactly what I needed to get over my “rum funk”.  Max’s Mistake is a delicious and light tiki drink that is bound to please those who prefer slightly sweet drink that does not taste too “boozy”.   The passion fruit, lemon, and honey compliment the gin beautifully, making this another “keeper” for the recipe book.

Try adding a bit more Fentimans Sparkling Lemonade if you don’t taste enough citrus the first time around.