Zen Tiki Lounge

Featuring New Music from Jill Martini and The Shrunken Heads

As we approach the full swing of the holiday season you will need a few cocktail recipes to show off with friends and family. One of our favorites is Island Fruitcake. Sunshine whipped this one up a few years back and it has been enjoyed by many. Via email we received some great feedback on this one including some variations on the recipe that podcast listeners have tried at home. We do encourage switching it up.

What is a fruitcake? That question is harder and harder to answer as each generation comes into adulthood. Those of us in our 40's, 50's 60's and even more silver of generations know that it is a baked good of sometimes evil and sometimes joy. Dense. Heavy. Spiced. Fruity. What if a cocktail imparted only the better notions of said baked good? That is what Island Fruitcake tries to be. Two parts spice and three parts fruit is what makes Island Fruitcake a miracle in mixology. Stirred together these liquors and spiced rum become something reminiscent of the forbidden cake of your darkest holiday dreams.

Ok, you have your cocktail. Lets listen to some music!

If you attended Circa Caliente this past October you may have had the chance to hear Jill Martini and the Shrunken Heads. The group played Sunday afternoon and served as the whip cream on a weekend full great live performances. Jill, a good friend of the podcast sent us the album and Sunshine was more than happy to play tracks on this episode. This excerpt from bio gives you a little backstory on her most recent musical endeavors: “Jill took up the ukulele while playing ukulele bass in "Rinkon Tiki," a Hawaiian island/Trop. Rock ukulele group with two master percussionists, two other singer/ukulele players and a Hawaiian steel-guitar. 

After a couple of years playing bass in Rinkon Tiki, Jill's musical direction moved to a more tiki-cocktail, exotica, traditional Hawaiian one. It was only natural that she should take up ukulele full time and invite her musical contributors from the Soiree (Miles Lang and Michael Velasquez) to be part of her new group: Jill Martini and the Shrunken Heads. 

Jill’s first album with the Shrunken Heads was released in October 2019 and is available on digital and compact disc formats.”

Learn more at JillMartini.com, get the album or download the music. Plus find out where she will be playing in future.

Jill playing with Miles Lang and Michael Velasquez at Circa Caliente 2019

Sneak peek at our next episode. Download the TikiComber app so you can play along on the next episode. We will have the app developer Jeff Ballard on the podcast sharing his journey developing an app just for the tiki community.

As mentioned on this episode, the final Tikiland Trading Co of the year is December 1st. Get your tickets before its too late. Its the tiki shopping experience of the holiday season.

We wear them. We recommend them. We love them. Tiki Bar T-shirt Club offers a new soft cotton t-shirt every month with a new design. Get just the one you want or subscribe and never miss one.

Circa Caliente 11.5 Room Crawl Memories And Highlights

Join Sunshine Tiki and Starshine Tiki in the Zen Tiki Lounge for a walk down Circa Caliente Room Crawl memory lane. Over the past 13 years we have recorded live at many events but have never shared our thoughts on each room on the crawl in sequential order. Until now! Below you will find the room crawl list, and some pictures from each room in the order they happened over the awesome Circa weekend.

Don’t forget to try mixing up Demerara Tamarindo, the ZTL cocktail mentioned on this episode. Fresh citrus, tamarind, Demerara rum and a bit of Mezcal for smokiness.

Hey wait! Before we get to the room crawl memories we need to tell you about a new bar syrup we picked up at Circa Caliente. Simply Gala offers a line of “perfect for tiki drink” syrups that have a great natural flavor. Cardamom for example was one of the flavors that you won’t find in enough cocktails. We tried it first with the classic lime daiquiri and loved it. Listen to this episode for the recipe. And, try orgeat, passion, ginger and others. Yum!

If you attend one the many weekend long tiki events you will want to look out for the poster that provides the line up for all the parties, take a picture and never miss a free cocktail.

We love Tiki Bar T-Shirt Club. Each month a new soft cotton t with an extinct tiki bar featured. Its tiki bar archeology right on your chest. Get one, or get them all.

How To Make Falernum, Spiced Rum And What To Do With Them

Make your own Falernum and Spice Rum. Thats the message in this episode of ZTL podcast. Just before heading off on an Alaskan cruise, Sunshine jumped behind the bar to record this quick little show. With fall approaching its a great time to spice some of your own rum and why not try making falernum at the same time. These two infusions are essential in tiki mixology and by making your own version you can assume more control over the flavor profile of your cocktails.

Lets start with spiced rum. Sunshines recipe is right here in this convenient how to video. Watch it and try making your own spiced rum. Plus! Sunshine shares lots of ways to use spiced rum on this episode of ZTL.

About 8 years ago we started playing with falernum recipes here in the lounge. We found that the best starting point came from the falernum #8 recipe on the Cocktail Chronicles site. And we still recommend people use this as a great way to get off to a good start making your own classic falernum. After all these years Sunshine Tiki has adjusted this recipe to his liking, adding more almond and more ginger with a little less clove. Try falernum #8 the way it is or try Sunshines version. Then, don't hesitate to adjust these more to your preferences. It is recommended you try one of these recipes before tweaking. Just like cooking it is good to know wha the original tastes and smells like before you make modifications.

Sunshines Falernum (adjusted from Falernum #8)

8 oz. Wray & Newphew Overproof Rum

Zest of 8 Limes (reserve whole limes for juice in step 2)

24 whole cloves

2-4 oz. fresh chopped Ginger

Combine all ingredients in a glass jar and seal with a lid. Allow to infuse for 48 hours.

Juice of 8 limes with pulp strained out

2 cups white sugar

1/2 teaspoon Almond extract

Combine all ingredients in a glass jar and seal with a lid. Shake until sugar dissolves and solution is translucent. Store in refrigerator.

After 48 hours, strain cloves and ginger from the rum infusion. Combine with the syrup mixture. Bang! Falernum.

We have been telling you of our love of Tiki Bar T-shirt Club for almost two years. If you haven’t checked them out its time you do. Soft cotton t’s for men and women with a new (extinct) tiki bar on each one. When you wear these shirts you will get compliments. The best!

Tasting Don Q 2005 Single Barrel, XM Special Demerara With A Tamarind Cocktail

At the beginning of this podcast episode Sunshine had a working drink in the shaker. Tamarind nectar was in good supply behind the bar as well as fresh limes and some well prices Demerara just picked up at the local liquor barn. The first taste was good however the ladies had some immediate feedback. Starshine wanted a little mezcal and tajin seasoning added. Then it needed a bit more pineapple rum to balance. Its good to have taste testers on hand to help perfect a drink recipe. As with most drinks we craft here in the Zen Tiki Lounge, this one only has 6 ingredients and is easy to replicate in your home. Enjoy Demerara Tamarindo

Next we moved on to trying some of the rums that happened to be on sale at our local booze emporium. A few years back we happened upon the Don Q 2005 Single Barrel and recall enjoying it as a nice sipper. We were delighted that a few years later this offering from Don Q is just what we remember and stands up as a quality Puerto Rican rum with good character and a particularly anapestic aroma. The odd duck in the bunch is the XM Special Demerara. You really can’t find any good info online about this rum other than it is supposed to be full 12 year aged Demerara, not a blend. Its sweet and a little earthy. Nice for mixing and decent for sipping.

On a recent Vegas trip Sunshine and a friend tried Cheers Restore supplement after a night of ample imbibing. This supplement is packed with DHM and other vitamins that are supposed to help prevent the feeling of fatigue, headache and general hangover the next morning. Did it work? Well, no one had a hangover and we did wake up ready for another day in Las Vegas. Would we have felt the same without this supplement? Too soon to tell. Both nights we tried using this we noticed that we slept better than usual. As a frequent visitor of sin city Sunshine is accostomed to getting too little sleep. So, even if this simply helps you rest more peacefully…maybe that’s enough. Naturally the directions do say to drink water and get some sleep. We will have to try this another time or two before we give a full thumbs up or not.

Other conversation on this episode includes: plans for a future episode dedicated to the banana, avoiding hangovers, things to do with empty liquor bottles, elderly private moments, house fly infestations, an upcoming meet up in Las Vegas and the 75th birthday of the mai tai.

The Tahitian Fire Room looks great on this months shirt from Tiki Bar T-Shirt Club. We love wearing the soft cotton t’s that always strike up a conversation. Get just the one you want our get them all delivered each month.

This episode was originally posted 10/18/2006 and has been reposted on

8/27/19 by listener request. The sound quality was poor and we overused

sound fx to a degree that now sounds ridiculous 13 years later. In the

first years of the podcast, Sunshine and Pumpkin just showed up, mixed a

drink and hit the record button. Catch this one now before we actually

delete the audio file…..the past is not always better.

Sipping A Classic 1944 Trader Vic's Mai Tai While Not At Tiki Oasis

Sunshine here in the lounge solo for this episode. Conversation includes Tiki Oasis, Lost Spirits Distillery, home bar cocktail menus, and plenty of classic Exotica. Starting with our cocktail, the 1944 Trader Vic’s Mai Tai made with Rhum Clement, Kula Hawaiian Dark Rum, Liquid Alchemist Orgeat. Kula Dark Rum happened to be on sale and worth trying. Sunshine gives his opinions on the podcast with some detail on aroma, character and usability in cocktails. The Orgeat by Liquid Alchemist was also teste4d in this classic recipe with good results though recipe modification was needed.

Trader Vic’s Mai Tai 1944

1 oz. Martinique Rum

1 oz. Dark Jamaican Rum (we used Kula Dark Hawaiian)

.5 oz. Orange Curacao

1 oz. fresh Lime Juice

.25 oz. Orgeat (we double this amount as Liquid Alchemist is lighter in flavor than most, but good)

.25 oz. Simple syrup

Shake everything together with crushed ice and pour unstrained into a glass. Garnish with spent lime half and mint.

Looking forward to a trip to Lost Spirits distillery, Sunshine shares some news about the newly refurbished facility that recently reopened. Lost Spirits is a not to be missed attraction in Los Angeles that sells our weeks to months ahead of time. Plan your trip and book a visit.

The Tahitian Fire Room looks great on this months shirt from Tiki Bar T-Shirt Club. We love wearing the soft cotton t’s that always strike up a conversation. Get just the one you want our get them all delivered each month.

Our latest episode is well worth the wait. Pumpkin is well and rested after

an illness of unknown origin. Here in the Zen Tiki Lounge we know the best

cure all for any ill, cocktails and shenanigans. So this week is no

different. Our drink this time around is a punch recipe meant to be shared

with all of your friends and fellow tikiphiles. The flying monkey is full

of rum and juice, and is sure to keep your party going.

Starving Children Can Eat Butter Mints And Pass The Nuts Please

It is mid July and time for a slushy cocktail that Pumpkin tends to demand this time of year. Bayou Swamp Slush is our newest drink created just for our original hostess. Mixing ripe citrus and satsuma infused rum with just a touch of coconut cream gives you a nice blended cruise ship style drink with more flavor and less sugar. While sipping our new frosty we dive into a host of subjects and listen to new music from The Modernes.

• New Music from The Modernes

• Vintage Betty Crocker party planning “advice”

• Party planning tips for Summer through NYE

• What to do with children at a party

• Sunshine shares an editorial on things NOT to do when invited to a party

• Tiki Bar T-Shirt Club: Get a complimentary shirt with purchase from ZTL, details on podcast

Bayou Swamp Slush is inspired by the Satsuma orchards of Louisiana and cane rum. Your blender will enjoy this unique concoction as mush as you do.

One of the best parts of hosting a podcast is the community that you have a chance to be involved with. Time and distance don’t really separate people when you share through the digital sphere. Recently Nick from the Modernes reached out and let us sample some of their music from the self titled album The Modernes. The band hails from Akron, OH and plays surf, rockabilly jazz to name a few genres. Two tracks stood out as our favorites here in the lounge, both of which we play on this episode. We think after listening to Suburban Wave and Inland Island you will want to add the tracks or album to your playlist. Here is a quick bio from the band: The Modernes are a three-piece band out of Akron, OH. Since 2017, The Modernes have been providing high-energy swampy surf and rockabilly originals and an extensive catalog of re-envisioned classics. The Modernes released their self-titled debut EP June 25th, featuring 4 original tracks, and their take on Johnny Cash's original "Big River". their follow-up full length album, featuring modern takes on surf and rockabilly originals is slated for release in 2020. Until then, you can catch them at venues across Northeast Ohio with occasional stops in Michigan, Pennsylvania, NYC, and Tennessee. More info about the band, tour dates, and music videos can be found at www.facebook.com/themodernes.

Listen to this episode to find out how you could get a shirt from our favorite t-shirt brand. Each month a new soft cotton T with a new extinct tiki bar or restaurant on the shirt. What a great way to remember all the tiki joints that have closed over the decades. Get just the one you want or subscribe and get them all. We love Tiki Bar T-Shirt Club.

Music From IntoxiKA, Tikiland Trading, Dawn Marie The Best Cocktail Waitress And Visit To Calwise

Did we start with a cocktail in our dimly lit tiki bar? Yes, always! Listen to the podcast for the recipe and some ideas on mixing fun new ingredients anyone can find while on vacation visiting distilleries and other fun cocktail hot spots. With your cocktail ready its time to listen to IntoxiKA. Marty Lush on the Quiet Village podcast just released his latest episode and featured this band from Honolulu. Exotica is a genre that allows ample twists and turns over time. The guys from IntoxiKA are adding some electronic and other elements to many of the classic exotica tunes we all love. Click the link to go to their page and purchase the album. We dare you not to enjoy while relaxing by the pool or just about anywhere.

Below are some of our favorite mixers and spirits as discussed on this episode. Liquid Alchemist is making hand crafted mixers with real ingredients. The Orgeat is lighter in almond flavor that you may be used to, and is also very creamy and floral in overall character. A great way to make a mai tai and many other tiki style drinks. The ginger has a nice heat you can feel on the back of the throat and worked beautifully with Calwise Big Sur Gin. Our friends at Calwise have graciously sponsored our previous room parties and we continue to keep all three of their spirits behind our bar. Big Sur Gin is a bit different than any of the mass produced gins. This 40% spirit is buttery and sweet on the nose with a hint of fresh cut grass.

More and more tiki shopping diversions are popping up all over the country. We could all play “is it tiki?” but you won’t have to do that with Tikiland Trading Co. The organizers of this event including artist Tiki Tony have done an excellent job ensuring that great artists, live music and cocktails are always the central elements. Although the event has already moved from place to place, it has only been getting better. The crew from ZTL podcast attended the most recent event in Santa Ana, CA at the Orange County Heritage Museum. The venue was a perfect outdoor spot for sipping great cocktails and dropping a few $$ with artists we know and some new ones too.

Sunshine Tiki enjoys his trips to Las Vegas. While at Bally’s, a frequent destination in sin city, Sunshine is always happy to see his favorite cocktail server Dawn Marie. Dawn Marie doesn’t just serve drinks to gamblers but she does it in a way that adds a unique touch to the Vegas experience. Listen to the show to hear a quick moment with Dawn Marie….the best cocktail server in Las Vegas!

Tiki Caliente LIVE From the ZTL Suite with Ambros Banana Whiskey and What's In Kalani's Bra?

WARNING! This LIVE episode includes an inebriated audience with sound levels that spike and adult language. ;)

We always enjoy welcoming listeners, fans and friends into our hotel suite at the weekend tiki events. This episode was recorded at Tiki Caliente 11 and includes a visit by Noah from Ambros Banana Whiskey, listener Q&A and everyones favorite podcast gameshow “Whats in Kalani’s Bra?” Listen to the show for a quick taste of what its like being at a weekend long cocktail smorgasbord. See blog (below) for pic and links from the event and a small gallery of the 13 rooms on this years crawl.

The annual group photo is a great way to kick off a four day weekend of rum drinks, great live music, art, vintage shopping and so much more. click photo to LIKE the fb page and stay up to date on the upcoming event in October.

If you are normally put off by fake tasting banana spirits you will want to sip this whiskey. A full banana flavored whiskey that has a creamy finish and can be enjoyed neat, on the rocks or in a mixed drink. Ambros Banana Whiskey and check our cocktails page soon for a new recipe including this spirit, “Banana Split Old Fashioned”