A CENTURY-OLD CULTURE
About tiki cocktails everything has been written by now, and there is no bartender who does not know the origin of this magnificent culture, which from the Caribbean and Pacific coasts has come down to us, fascinating generations of bartenders.
What may not have been said yet concerns the evolution of tiki glasses. Let's take a step back, however.
There are plenty of venues that offer at least one tiki drink on their drink list to provide an exotic alternative for those who want a fresh, fruity, light, tropical flavor. Don't believe it? Then you should know that the pina colada is also a tropical drink and a great many venues offer it.
Then there are real tiki bars scattered around the world, bastions of tiki culture, serving nothing but tiki cocktails. Just to give a couple of examples from our area, we mention the historic Nu Lounge Bar in Bologna by Daniele Dalla Pola, one of the world's foremost experts on tiki drinks, and Rita's Tiki Room in Milan, the tiki rib of the classic Rita's, which is fledgling but already well-established.
These venues were created to bring a breath of tropical air into the city by immersing us in exotic atmospheres. One leaves behind the grayness of the city and is welcomed amidst palm trees, colors, and necklaces of flowers, three hundred and sixty-five days a year.
>>> Also read on RGLife: Tiki mugs: what's new and the main types for cocktail bars and fans.
HOW TO SET UP A COCKTAIL BAR?
The idea is great, but how to set up such a special, niche venue when large retailers are thinking about the needs of more classic cocktail bars and coffee shops?
Pioneers have made their travels an opportunity to bring home ideas, recipes and ... materials for their own venues.
Finding tiki glasses was not easy for many years. There were few manufacturers and the vast majority worked the pottery and painted them by hand, leading costs to be very high.
Like any field, tiki culture had its own evolution over the years that RGmania had anticipated. In fact, the fourth edition of our Summer Drink&Eat Festival had tiki drinks as its theme. We anticipated times that are only now maturing.
To learn more about the event, read our June 30, 2011 in-depth feature 'Summer Drink&Eat Festival 2011: June 27'.
THE CHANGING TIKI CULTURE
Much has changed in the past nine years. Tiki culture is becoming better known, and concentrates, syrupy non-alcoholic bases are increasingly being replaced with fresh, home-made products, thanks to the year-round availability of exotic fruits and the need for bartenders to appeal to an increasingly discerning and knowledgeable audience.
Similarly, the big manufacturers also realized that tikis would not just be a passing fad but a real business to be ridden.
And so it is that tiki models have multiplied, especially in ceramic and glass, multicolored and modeled after shapes ranging from natural elements-for example, pineapples, parrots, bamboo-to more original ones-such as skulls and samurai-to the more classic totems and masks typical of overseas and Polynesian cultures.
There really is something for everyone, for anyone who is falling in love with the tiki style and for those who have known it for years and now have a real collection. By now, even bartools have tiki decorations, which should make us realize how ingrained this affascinating culture is now.