Happy Tiki Thanksgiving

Welcome to the Jade Banana Telegraph: Thanksgiving edition. I, like many of you, am spending the long weekend with family and friends. I’m incredibly thankful this year to be surrounded by loved ones, and am especially thankful to you, the folks that make our community so much fun. 

Today I’m sharing the project we’ve been working on in the studio and also sharing updates from some familiar faces in the Tiki community. You won’t find crazy Black Friday deals here, but new releases and updates from artists and makers in the community. This is the time of year that I like to support small and independent businesses.

But first, I wanted to share my Thanksgiving cocktail of choice and my new lowball glasses to serve it in.

We hosted Thanksgiving this year and I wanted to somehow incorporate tiki. We had to serve 12 people, so if I didn’t want to be behind the bar all day, cocktails would have to be batched and premade. In the end, I found inspiration from the Cocktail Chemistry YouTube page.

So, without further ado, here is my batched, clarified, piña colada milk punch. While the piña colada is not exactly a classic tiki cocktail, this version is a more elevated, complex and balanced iteration. It’s much more akin to a classic tiki drink with the addition of allspice dram and omission of coconut cream. Easy to pre-batch as well. I went true to the recipe in the video above, but opted for a Cuban rum, described below.

And the other reveal is the glass it’s served in. Since we celebrated Thanksgiving in the UK this year, we had access to Eminente rum, a rather new Cuban rum brand. The glass bottles are beautifully textured to resemble crocodile skin. I knew I had to extend the life of these bottles by converting them to glassware (shoutout Rewind Glass for carving us up a couple glasses).

The cocktails and glasses were a hit and I encourage everyone to try this riff of the piña colada.

Now is the time of year to support artists, makers and small businesses. I asked a few friends of the family to share what they have in store for Black Friday and the holiday period.

Kookietiki’s brand new Werewolf mugs have released, paying homage to Trader Vic’s of London. These are brilliant! Per Kookietiki, any purchase of a Werewolf mug also comes with Kookietiki-made shot glass.  https://www.kookietiki.art/

Riki Tat Tiki has a whole Santa’s workshop-worth of Joe the Chameleon’s in progress. I’ve seen gingerbread, reindeer, Christmas lights and more being prepared for December release. Keep your eyes peeled on IG for updates! https://www.rikitattiki.com/

Surfside Sips has been cranking out reusable glass straws. The bamboo style straws are a solid addition to the home bar. Plus, you can request a custom straw shaped like a tongue, perfect for your Joe the Chameleon. https://surfsidesips.com/

Mitchell Spain Ceramics fit in so well with tiki. I’m in love with these porcelain pieces that look exactly like antique cans and flasks, complete with vintage labels printed in actual glaze. Mitchell has released a number of new pieces including Dole and Hula. Plenty of options between mugs and tumblers. https://www.mitchellspainceramics.com/

TraderVader has nothing ready from the shop yet, but I just had to share these pieces via preview shots of what’s to come in 2024 from TraderVader.  https://www.etsy.com/shop/TraderVader

That’s a wrap for us on this long weekend. Wishing everyone a great Thanksgiving and long weekend, wherever you are in the world!