Tiki Week: Frozen Key Lime Pie Cups

Tomorrow is Mother�s Day, and that means we�ve hit the end of tiki week. Hopefully this little series has inspired you to do something fun and different for your ma this year. Put away the bubbles and scones and shove a rum drink and rumaki in your mom�s hand, for once! 


Although I�m a big proponent of #dessertfirst, I�ve saved the dessert for last this time. This is actually as much for your tiki mom�s day party as it is for your anytime summer party, especially if you live with someone who�s as obsessed with key lime as Evan is. 

All of my tiki week recipes have been pretty simple (minus that several ingredient cocktail), and this dessert is no exception: a three ingredient, no-bake key lime filling, quick graham cracker crumb layer, and simple vanilla ice cream topping. Frozen key lime pie cups! 

I actually didn�t intend for these to be frozen. They were supposed to have whipped cream on top, not ice cream. But then the day of my photo shoot, just as I was finishing up my garnishes and stuff, my mixer bowl was in the running dishwasher. I�ve made whipped cream by hand with a whisk, and it�s a muther-effer to do, so I decided to try the shake-a-jar whipped cream method. You guys, I shook that stupid jar for like 10 minutes, and Evan took a few turns, and my weak baby arms were jello, and I still just had runny liquid cream. HOW DO YOU DO IT!? 

So anyway, I was ready to do my photo shoot and didn�t want to run back to the store for pre-whipped cream, so decided to fake it for the photos, with vanilla ice cream. Sorry, it�s true. Sometimes we fake it. But then afterward, I stuck the assembled cups in the freezer (since you know, they were topped with ice cream), and later, once everything was frozen, I took a bite, and holy-sweet-tropical-limes, it was better than the original! A tropical, frozen dessert to tie up tiki week!

And there you have it. A happy accident, which is really the reason so many people celebrate Mother�s Day to begin with�amiright!? 

Frozen Key Lime Pie Cups
Makes 4-6 cups, depending on size

Filling:
1 8-oz package cream cheese, softened to room temp
1 14-oz can sweetened condensed milk
1/2 cup fresh lime juice (key limes if you can find them)
Zest of 1 lime

Graham Crumble:
1 sleeve graham crackers
3 tablespoons melted butter
Zest of 1 lime

Vanilla ice cream

Beat cream cheese, sweetened condensed milk, lime juice, and lime zest together until smooth and combined. Divide evenly among serving glasses.

In a food processor, pulse graham crackers until they're a fine crumb, then add melted butter and lime zest, and pulse until combined. Layer on top of lime mixture, and gently press down (not too firmly).

Top with ice cream, and freeze for a couple of hours until ready to serve. Top with lime zest or slices for decoration.

Tiki Week: Coconut Shrimp Rangoon

Tiki week appetizer #2! If crab Rangoon and coconut shrimp had a baby, that baby would be coconut shrimp Rangoon! And then we would eat the baby. Er. Is that a weird thing to say on a food blog?!


Yesterday I mentioned that rumaki is faux-Polynesian�the brainchild of Donn Beach. When he started the tiki restaurant craze, his food menus were mostly Cantonese, with a little south Pacific flair and a mid-century American twist. Trader Vic followed suit, and the tiki pu-pu platter was born. Mid-century tiki bar pu-pu platters typically consisted of Americanized-Cantonese dishes like egg rolls, chicken skewers, and spare ribs. Then there were things with Hawaiian/Tahitian influence, and things with ambiguous �Polynesian� origins�. ie: California, USA. Rumaki is definitely one of those things, and from what I can tell, so is the beloved crab Rangoon: cream cheese and crab inside a wonton wrapper, fried up until crispy, with a sweet and sour dipping sauce.

I decided to combine those tasty little nuggets with another tiki favorite: coconut shrimp! Sweet shrimpies, toasted coconut, and cream cheese� wrapped up like a hug and dipped in sweet/tart dipping sauce made with peach jam and sambal! Also, I baked mine, because #bikiniseason, but feel free to rev up the deep fryer. It's for sure the preferred method, if you�re so inclined. Donn Beach and Trader Vic would be proud of you!

Coconut Shrimp Rangoon
Makes about 30 pieces 

1 lb boiled/cooked shrimp (deveined with tails/shells off)
1 8-oz package cream cheese
1 teaspoon soy sauce
1 squirt sriracha
2-3 green onions, diced 
1/2 cup sweetened shredded coconut, toasted (under broiler for a about 30 seconds to a minute) and 1 tablespoon untoasted 
Wonton wrappers 

Preheat oven to 350 degrees, and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. 

Roughly chop shrimp into smallish bits. Stir (using stand mixer or by hand) cream cheese, soy sauce, onions, and coconut until well combined. Stir in shrimp. 

Scoop about a tablespoon of mixture into center of each wonton wrapper, and fold up like an envelope, using a little bit of water or whisked egg to seal. Place on prepared baking sheet, and brush top with olive oil (or spray) and bake for about 30 minutes, until golden and crispy on each side. 

If frying, make sure you seal them extra well (maybe even try a different rolling/bundling technique) to get them to stay sealed. Deep fry in vegetable oil for 1-2 minutes, until crispy and golden brown.

Serve with dipping sauce. 

Sweet and Sour Peach Dipping Sauce

1/4 cup peach (or apricot) jam
1 teaspoon sambal oelek (chili garlic sauce)
1/2 teaspoon rice vinegar
1/4 teaspoon soy sauce

In a small saucepan, whisk together ingredients, and heat over medium-low heat until combined. Serve warm or room temp with Rangoons.  

Tiki Party: Rumaki

You can�t have a tiki party without some classic tiki snacks! Have you ever had rumaki? We had it all the time when I was growing up, which is why I knew my ma would love this Mother�s Day tiki party! 


Rumaki�marinated chicken liver and water chestnuts wrapped in bacon�is a classic tiki pupu platter addition. It was created either by the godfather of Tiki, Donn the Beachcomber, or the second godfather of Tiki, Trader Vic, and was a popular menu item at tiki restaurants and parties in the mid-20th century. It�s totally faux-Polynesian. Which makes my version, which uses chicken breast instead of liver, faux-faux-Polynesian. That�s why we�re calling it ru-mock-i! 

I used basic ol� chicken breast (feel free to use thighs!) instead of liver, to appease the picky taste buds of my household. Sorry, mom. Evan won�t touch chicken liver with a ten-foot toothpick. I loved chicken liver when I was a kid (especially marinated and grilled!), and I loved the rumaki my parents made. As I�ve gotten older though, I�ve sort of lost my taste for the stuff. Isn�t that backwards? Isn�t your palate supposed to become more adventurous the older you get? Either way, these little bites are fun and addictive, with hints of all five basic tastes: sweet, salty, umami, bacon, and bacon. 

Check back for the rest of my tiki party menu! Yesterday I shared the star of the show, the Three Dots and a Dash tiki drink, and tomorrow I�ll be combining two classic tiki treats into one tasty little bite: coconut shrimp and crab Rangoon! 

Alright, are you ready to roll (some chicken and water chestnuts inside some bacon)!?

Ru-mock-i (Mock Rumaki)

Adapted from here and here

Makes about 45 pieces. I use thinner bacon, for better roll-ability. If you use thicker bacon you might need toothpicks to hold them together. If that's the case, be sure to soak toothpicks in water for at least an hour.

1/2 cup soy sauce

3 Tablespoons dark brown sugar

1  inch-long chunk of fresh ginger, peeled and grated

Fresh ground black pepper

2 chicken breasts (about 1 pound), cut into small bite size pieces

1 can of whole water chestnuts, halved

1 lb package of bacon, cut in 3rds

In a large bowl, whisk together soy sauce, brown sugar, ginger, and pepper. Add chicken and water chestnuts, and marinate in the fridge for at least an hour (several hours is even better!).  

Heat oven to 425. 

Strain marinade off of chicken and chestnuts, and set aside. To assemble, wrap one chestnut piece and one chicken piece in one of your pre-cut 1/3rd size bacon slices, and roll up tightly. Repeat with remaining pieces, and place rolled rumakis on a baking sheet. Brush with reserved marinade. 

Bake until everything is cooked through and bacon is just crispy, about 25 minutes. 

Tiki Party: Three Dots and a Dash Tiki Drink

It�s tiki week! And the key to a good tiki party is, of course, the drinks! And the key element of a good tiki drink is RUM!


I think it�s time for rum cocktails to make a comeback! We've been all whiskey this, bourbon that forever now, but rum punches, you guys! They�re fun, they�re tropical, they�re sweet but not too sweet, and strong even though they go down super smooth. And the best part!? You can deck them out with all kinds of fun garnishes, fruits, and adorable little umbrellas!

Amanda went to the tiki bar Three Dots and a Dash in Chicago a few weeks ago, and I was basically obsessed with making tiki drinks from the moment she sent me a picture. So I looked up the menu, and decided to tackle their eponymous drink, the Three Dots and a Dash! The menu describes it as a mix of aged rhum agricole, Guyanese rum, honey, falernum, lime, allspice, and angostura bitters. I got to the liquor store and realized didn't actually only know what most of those ingredients were, so I did a little research. Here�s the lowdown:

• First of all, the Three Dots and a Dash tiki drink was created by the godfather of tiki, Donn Beach / Don the Beachcomber. If you want a very thorough history lesson, I bought this book, it's a wealth of knowledge and fun recipes.
• In Morse code, three dots and a dash is "V", the symbol for the Allied victory in WWII. There was a huge post-war tiki craze, which explains the name. 
• Rhum Agricole is rum that�s distilled from cane juice rather than molasses. Look for bottles that say 100% sugar cane or cane juice. I used Rhum Barbancourt from Haiti.
• Guyanese rum is, as the name states, rum that�s distilled in Guyana. You�re looking for something with Demerara on the label, or something golden from Guyana. I used Pyrat (which used to be distilled in Anguilla but now moved operations to Guyana) mostly for the cute bottle. These rums are aged in bourbon barrels, which lends to their rich flavor. Note about Pyrat: If you leave it open to breathe for an hour or so, it really enhances the flavors.
• Falernum sounds like the name of a weird body part that should never see daylight, but is actually a sweet, citrusy, syrupy liqueur (can be alcoholic or non) that dates back to the 30s, and is a must for tropical drinks. I used John D. Taylor's Velvet Falernum, which does contain alcohol.
• For the allspice, use Allspice Dram, which I was able to find at BevMo. It�s also called Pimento Dram, and is a spicy liqueur from Jamaica. It�s also excellent in whiskey drinks, so it�s good to have on hand!
• If you have any inkling of a bar set up, you need Angostura bitters, which are a key ingredient in tons of great cocktails, including Old Fashioneds and Manhattans. Also, rumor has it that a few drops of bitters on a lime wedge is a great cure for the hiccups!
• And, I think you know what lime and honey are, but I would definitely recommend fresh lime juice over the bottled kind, for a fresh, fruity, bright cocktail. For the honey, we�re making a quick syrup of 2 parts honey to 1 part water. See the recipe below for more details.

Ok, I know what you're thinking: you have to buy a lot of ingredients here. That's true, and you might drop some serious clamshells setting up your tiki bar, but trust me! These drinks are an absolute delight, and the ingredients are useful in a ton of other tiki and non-tiki drinks! 

Alright! I think you�re ready to shake up a few Three Dots and a Dash tiki drinks! Stay tuned all week for the rest of my tiki party menu!

Three Dots and a Dash Tiki Drink
Serves 2

I found this recipe, and tweaked just slightly until I found the combo and flavors I like best. 

1.5 ounce Rhum Agricole
1.5 ounce Guyanese Rum
2 ounces fresh squeezed lime juice
1 ounce fresh squeezed orange juice
1 ounce honey syrup (see below)
1 ounce Falernum
1/2 ounce allspice dram
4 dashes Angostura bitters

Combine everything in a shaker with ice, and shake until cool and combined, strain into two ice-filled glasses. Decorate with garnishes (below). 

Optional Garnishes:
Pineapple spear/wedge
Lime slice/wedge
Orange slice/wedge
Brandied or Maraschino cherries
Pineapple leaves
Drink Umbrellas


To make honey syrup, combine 2 parts honey with 1 part warm water, and stir until the honey is dissolved. 

Want to learn more about rum? Here some good sources:
Serious Eats Rum Guide 
Pyrat Rum Review 
Rum Ratings 

Tiki Party!

Let�s have a Mother�s Day TIKI PARTY! 

There are tons of Mother�s Day food blog posts and ideas out there, and the majority are all flowery and lavender colored, and filled with breakfast in bed and tea sandwiches. I�ll admit, I�m guilty of doing this in the past. But what about the badass moms!?
What about the moms like mine who would trade a croissant for gooey ribs any day of the week? Who would much rather have a leftover slice of pizza for breakfast than a scone? What about the ladies who love hoppy beer and Tarantino flicks, or the ones who are far more comfortable in a pair of sweats in front of a baseball game than in a flowery silk scarf at a garden party?

When I was growing up, my dad was the one who loved flowers, beautiful fruit tarts, and waffles. My mom appreciated those things, sure, who doesn�t, but the quickest way to her heart was a plate of enchiladas. If I was throwing my mom her ideal Mom�s day feast, it would for sure include Mexican food and tequila shots with lots of 70s rock. But since the internetz have been filled with Mexican food for Cinco de Mayo, and I just blogged about these amazing chilaquiles, I wanted to share a different kind of Mother�s Day feast. Even though it�s not a fiesta, this is a party my ma would love a whole lot more than your typical mom�s day champagne brunch�  a TIKI PARTY! 

Why a tiki party? Well, for starters, Amanda went to a tiki bar in on a work trip to Chicago a few weeks ago, and for some reason her photos sent me down a very serious tiki rabbit hole that had me purchasing several bottles of rum and reading up on the history of faux-Polynesian tiki culture, which was in full swing in the US from 30s through the 70s. And secondly, I happen to know that my mom loves a good tropical cocktail and retro tiki snack! Not gonna lie, we ate our fair share of rumaki growing up! 

I have a few fun tiki recipes to share with you, so you can throw your badass mom a super rad and retro Mother�s Day party! Since tomorrow�s Cinco de Mayo, we�ll skip a day, and our first recipe will be up Wednesday. Here�s what you have to look forward to:

Three Dots and a Dash Cocktail
Ru-mock-i
Coconut Shrimp Rangoon
Frozen Key Lime Pie Cups

And, here a couple of recipes from the archives that you should include in your tiki party:
Fried Chicken Musubi
Hawaiian Style Sliders
Coconut Pineapple "Shave Ice" Sundae

And, if you still need a little more inspiration, here's a quick look at my Tahitian vacation from a few years ago (where I got this cute little tiki guy, below). 

IT�S TIKI TIME!