Missionary's Downfall
- 1 oz light rum
- 1/2 oz apricot brandy (Marie Brizard)
- 1½ oz fresh squeezed pineapple juice
- 1/2 oz fresh squeezed lime juice
- 1/2 oz fresh squeezed grapefruit juice
- 1/2 oz cinnamon honey syrup
- 5-10 fresh mint leaves
Blend all ingredients at high speed for 20 seconds with 6 oz crushed ice. Garnish with a mint sprig, pineapple wedge and for extra credit a scored lime wheel.
This is a classic exotic drink by Don the Beachcomber first appearing in his restaurants in the late 1930s. The recipe comes to us via Jeff Berry's relentless detective work into tropical drink recipes and his tracking down a former Beachcomber employee (though the recipe above is from Shannon Mustipher). The Educated Barfly suggests that the downfall in question refers to missionaries being expelled from European colonies during WWII in those colonies with opposing views.
The drink is wonderfully herbaceous though it does look a little like something you might be encouraged to drink because it is good for you. It is good for you! It is a refreshing fruit punch with a very gentle alcohol load, for tiki drinks, and a delightful taste of fresh mint. It is one of the few tiki drinks that we feel really needs to be blended, although, as Difford's prefers, it also makes a good drink if shaken and served over crushed ice.
Cinnamon Honey Syrup
Add 2 cinnamon sticks to 4 oz of water and simmer, covered, for 10 minutes. Remove from the heat and dilute the remaining fluid 1:1 with honey. (Some of the water will have evaporated.)