A Moment of Tiki: Dry July and Nautical Antique Warehouse

I'm back with a couple more episodes of A Moment of Tiki to share. First up is episode 43: Dry July. The idea behind Dry July is that some folks who normally consume alcohol on a regular basis choose to abstain for a month. The reasons for doing so vary, but it has evolved into a national charitable event. Learn more at DryJuly.com.

I'm of the firm opinion that all bars--be they of the commercial or home variety--should have an attractive list of non-alcoholic cocktail alternatives for guests who are not imbibing. The reason does not matter. Giving someone a Sprite garnished with a day-glo cherry doesn't cut it. With tiki, however, this is magnified tenfold. Tiki's all about the experience and the immersion is disrupted when everyone else is getting fantastic, creative beverages whilst those abstaining from alcohol are offered options that are, shall we say, lacking in effort. Whether you call them mocktails, drybations or zero-proof cocktails, the end result should be no less a treat for the senses. When I came up with this recipe, I wanted something that'd be a treat for the eyes with a blend of bright, unexpected tropical flavors. I also wanted a texture and mouthfeel that were decadent and luxurious. The end result is a little sweeter than I usually aim for, but I believe the end result works well. If it's too sweet for your tastes, feel free to have the amounts of cinnamon and orgeat syrups. If you try this at home, be sure to let me know what you think!

Episode 42 features a road trip to Nautical Antique Warehouse in Galveston. I've relied on a lot of DIY in building out my tiki space, but even the most creative maker sometimes just wants to buy some decor and be done with it. This video should give viewers a good look at this tiki-adjacent gem on the Texas coast. Owners Michael and Adrienne Culpepper have been bringing authentic ship salvage to buyers for 22 years now and make annual buying trips to huge ship breaking yards in India, Bangladesh and Turkey. Subscribe to their mailing list to get the heads-up on when new cargo containers full of amazing finds arrive. I'd visit much more often if Galveston weren't a three-plus hour drive away from me.

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