Beachbum Berry's Grog Log (Spiral-bound)

~ (Author), Annene Kaye (Author), (Author), (Editor)

Editorial Reviews

Review

SIPS - Trader Vic Drank Here
By WILLIAM GRIMES

As John Glenn was orbiting the earth for the first time, his fellow Americans were deep into the long-lived craze known as tiki. This gaudy life-style package -- a blend of Polynesian kitsch, fake island food and lethal rum drinks -- began in the late 1930's and early 40's with Los Angeles restaurants like Don the Beachcomber and Trader Vic's, and gradually spread to the suburban patio before fizzling out in the early 1970's.

It's back, of course. Jeff Berry and Annene Kaye, serious students of tiki, have compiled a serious tiki cocktail book, "Beachbum Berry's Grog Log."

In 96 spiral-bound pages adorned with tiki illustrations, the authors have ranged far and wide to gather classic Polynesian fakes, like the Fog Cutter from Trader Vic's, the Missionary's Downfall from Don the Beachcomber and the Sidewinder's Fang from the Lanai Restaurant in San Mateo, Calif. They have even managed to unearth Manhattan tiki cocktails, like the Hawaiian Room, served at the old Hotel Lexington in the 1940's, and the Headhunter, served at the Hawaii Kai in the 1960's.

The authors have also come up with their own tiki-inspired originals, like Hell in the Pacific (151-proof Demerara rum, lime juice, maraschino liqueur and grenadine), and the Waikikian (light Puerto Rican Rum, dark Jamaican rum, lemon juice, curaao and orgeat syrup).

It's no longer possible to eat Tonga Tabu Native Drum Steak, which was a featured menu item at the now-defunct Islander in Beverly Hills ("from the ovens of the ancient goddess of Bora Bora, Pele, Mistress of Flame"), but you can shake up a Shark's Tooth or a Shrunken Skull.

As Mr. Berry and Ms. Kaye see it, they are giving the country the perfect drink book for the age of malaise. "If we're going to feel like zombies," they write in their preface, "we may as well be drinking them." END -- Publisher Comments

Product Description

Tropical drink recipe book. History of Tiki/Polynesian restaurants.

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Product Details

• Spiral-bound: 96 pages
• Publisher: SLG Publishing; 1 edition (May 1, 1998)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0943151201
• ISBN-13: 978-0943151205
• Product Dimensions: 8 x 5.4 x 0.3 inches
• Shipping Weight: 4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (12 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #38,863 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

23 of 24 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars WARNING: Self Serving Review ..., April 23, 2002

By	Craig Pape "TikiCraig" (Lynnwood, WA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

Aloha! I am the editor of this fine publication (and the owner of more than one completely stained, well worn copy) and wanted to throw in a quick pitch about the Grog Log's place amidst the bevy of "Trendy Tiki Drink Books of Questionable Quality".
If you are a Tiki Freak / Cocktail Enthusiast who legitimately wants to experience these classic recipes in their original, robust forms, the Grog Log is the only way to go. I sought out Jeff Berry after seeing his original self-published Grog Log five or six years ago. I was intensely facinated by these old restaurants and all of the amazingly complex creations they served. No matter how many modern (or vintage) drink books I came across none captured the true nature of these original (mostly) rum drinks (with the possible exception of some of the classics in Trader Vic's own line or the Hawaii Kai Cookbook). Jeff's self-published, xeroxed zine was the only authentic source.
We decided to team up to do an expanded mass produced version of the book to make it available to a wider (although niche) audience. Since that time (1998) the Tiki craze has exploded and more Tiki-focused drink books have been released. Don't get me wrong ... I own each of them myself ... for the most part the art, design, and production make them interesting ... but for actual recipe content they are sadly lacking. If you really want to dial up the way back machine and sip with the Masters (Trader Vic, Donn Beach, etc.) the Grog Log is for you.
NEWSFLASH: Jeff and I are just about done with a sequel to the Grog Log titled "Intoxica!" to be released in the Summer of '02. Check back often to Amazon.com as they'll be selling it once it's available. Mahalo!

10 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Wonderful!, May 12, 2000

By	Megan Besmirched (Dana Point, CA) - See all my reviews

This book is great fun! My copy is already stained with the Blue Curacao, and sticky with Marachino Cherry juice. Lots of great recipes- some easy to make and others an adventure to find all the ingredients, but all of them are tasty and impressive. Wonderful graphics to check out while your blender is running. There is even a guide to how potent your potion will be and what type of glass to serve it in. Really a great book--

8 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The Bible, February 6, 2004

By A Customer

Alright, I'm going to keep it short and to the point. I'm a Tiki geek, I've got every book related to the subject and, along with The Book of Tiki, this book and it's sequal Intoxica are the Holy Trinity of the Tiki Religion. There is no better book on Tropical Drinks anywhere, ever. Buy it. Now.