94 No cocktails for China

China sure is in the news a lot lately. And not just because of child labor and lead in pretty much everything they make. China is sponsoring the upcoming Summer olympic games. Will you tune in? We might but we sure won't be buying things from China. Its not as hard as you might think but you will have to pay a little more. Our advice to have a drink before shopping. By popular demand we bring you the weekly tiki mail from Pumpkins vagina, and this time there is furniture to sit on. Nice huh! There are many more fun things for us to run on about. Tiki Oasis and New Kids on the Block are just a few. And don't forget to join us on our new facebook group. Just search for "Zen Tiki Lounge." Listen! You won't be sorry.

Click HERE to check out one of the worst TV products of all time, the Hawaii chair.

Drink of the Week
Trader Vics Cocktail
1oz dark rum
.5oz fresh lime juice
dash simple syrup
In a shaker, shake vigorously for 20 seconds with plenty of crushed ice. Pour into a chilled cocktail (martini) glass and garnish by floating one lime wheel on top. Another simple cocktail anyone can do.

93 Honolulu dreams and Hawaiian sunsets

It is rare that your faithful hosts get into an argument, but this week both Sunshine and Pumpkin are a little agitated. But no worries, a cocktail or two and things get rolling. Sunshine is fascinated with the amazing but horrible infomercial product the Hawaii Chair. You have to click on the link below to see it for yourself. Pumpkin is not so amazed but is more impressed with the New Kids on the Block making a comeback that will no doubt be short lived. Seriously, who needs NKOTB? Both hosts debate some of the finer points of the 1980's, arguably one of the best periods of pop culture. So sit back and listen along as Sunshine and Pumpkin argue, drink, remember and forget all in one episode.

Click HERE to check out one of the worst TV products of all time, the Hawaii chair.

Drink of the Week
Honolulu
2oz pineapple juice
1.5oz silver or white rum
Dash of grenadine
Dash of simple syrup
Add everything to your shaker with a handful of ice. Shake twice and pour over tall cocktail glass filled with crushed ice. Garnish with a mint sprig. Simple.

92 Cocktails with Mr. Spock

Pumpkin is off her rocker this podcast, but that isn't to far from normal. Her somewhat interesting story about wild bears using toilet paper is entertaining after a cocktail. Speaking of stories and cocktails. One of the best reasons to have a cocktail is to give those people who can't tell a story some help. But anywho, we have a lot more show than that. Mary Ann from Gilligan's Island was caught with Mary Jane but didn't do time. Thank goodness, she is just to sweet to be behind bars. Sunshine gives some good resources for picking up a couple of great tiki and exotica albums for your retro music collection. Check out he website below and get some fresh old tunes. And, by request we bring you a couple of after dinner cocktails. One pretty good and one not so good. You can look them up anywhere on the net, just look for "Tahitian coffee" and "Hot rum cow." Sunshine liked both of them but Pumpkin is picky as usual. Be sure to tell a friend and spread us like a disease.

Click HERE to check out some hot tiki/exotica music selections to add to your collection.

Drink of the Week
Coconut Breeze
1oz dark amber rum
1oz malibu rum
1/4oz falernum #8
1/2oz fresh lime juice
3oz cran/pomegranate juice
Ocean spray and others make the cran-pom juice. Make sure it is 100% juice with no high fructose corn syrup. No sugar added is also a plus. Put all ingredients in a tall cocktail glass or tiki mug with 1 cup crushed ice. Stir, do not shake. Good water dilution in this cocktail make it extra refreshing. Garnish with a single lime wheel on the rim and use a nice colorful straw.

91 Monkey is to banana as NKOTB is to hasbeen

Because Sunshine had just recently whipped up a batch of falernum #8 we just had to enjoy another cocktail using this once extinct ingredient. So, it was a monkeys dream that gave us inspiration. You will just have to try it and see for yourself. Now that you have had a drink you may find it easier to believe that California just ruled that gay marriage is OK. How nice. We wonder how long it will last this time. Many of your gay listeners are surely as curious as we are. Better run to those chapels quickly before the Christian right wing gets their way. But less seriously, politics aside, New Kids are back on the block. Better than ever? Who knows. But Pumpkin is sure to keep us updated and just might go to a concert. Sunshine is less concerned with NKOTB, more concern goes out to some of our listeners. Everyone needs a little happy thought to keep them going.

Click HERE to check out the banana book that Sunshine is reading.

Drink of the Week
Monkeys Dream
3/4oz 99 Bananas
3/4oz banana schnapps
1/2oz falernum #8
2oz fresh orange juice
Toss all ingredients into a cocktail shaker with 1 cup crushed ice. Shake well and pour into cocktail glass filled with crushed ice. Garnish with a half banana and a half orange wheel. Check out the picture from the show to see just how the garnish works.

90 Get your Falernum on!

FALERNUM!!! Whats that you may ask? Well, its a little known tiki cocktail ingredient that can turn an average drink into a tasty adventure. Although there is now a company marketing falernum again (Fee Brothers makes it) its is highly recommended you make your own. This is not a task for the beginner, but is well worth it. Just search ye olde internet for "Falernum #8" and you will surely find the recipe we use here in the Zen Tiki Lounge. Now that you have your falernum, you are ready to mix up a Sneaky Tiki cocktail. And, now that you have a cocktail in hand you are ready to listen to the podcast. This week brings us an update on the poor banana and the affliction killing off the wonderful fruit. Also Pumpkin is happy to see that Cher is doing her crotchy old ass show in Vegas as well as stopping by Oprah. Sunshine gets a little serious with some details on the cyclone that hit Myanamar this past week and tells how you can make a donation to help. So, a little drinky, some news and a good amount of shenanigans. Enjoy!

Click HERE to check out the banana book that Sunshine is reading.

Drink of the Week
Sneaky Tiki
1.5oz dark rum
1oz light rum
1oz orange curacao
.5oz fresh lime juice
.5oz falernum
Toss all ingredients into a cocktail shaker with 1 cup crushed ice. Shake nice and hard for 20 seconds and pour into a tiki mug filled with more crushed ice. Garnish with a pineapple spear including the leaves and a maraschino cherry with sword. We recommend the tiki mug because this drink isn't pretty but tastes damn good.

89 Banana DISEASE Hits Home

Most of you have probably not heard of the terrible fate of our almost perfect food. The Banana may soon be gone forever. Sunshine has been doing his homework on this tropical fruit and most of what he found was sad news indeed. Listen to hear all the unhappy details. Pumpkin may be preparing to miss her daily fruit but still finds a way to bring a discussion of sexual addiction to the lounge. RLS is a problem facing a few Americans but thank goodness our friends at the pharmaceutical companies have come up with a drug. Just one little issue. The side effects are gambling, sex and alchol addiction. Geeeesh. Just before we end the show Sunshine brings some happy news of this Summers Tiki shindigs on both the east and west coasts. Check them out this Summer. Listen often and be sure to tell your friends about the show.

Click HERE to check out The Bikini Beachcombers. A hot band for grooving with a cocktail. Makes you want to hop on a plane to Hawaii.

Drink of the Week
Banana Daiquiri
1.5oz Sailor Jerry spiced rum
1oz orange curacao
.5oz fresh lemon juice
.5oz fresh lime juice
.5oz simple syrup
1 large banana chilled and sliced
Put everything in a blender with 1.5 cups crushed ice. Blend till smooth and pour into a nice tall hurricane glass or any other tall fancy tiki mug. Best when you make at least two at a time. You want to share with friends don't you?