Weeping Ukulele

What is a gin hound to do when the theme for the next Mixology Monday hosted by the Pegu Blog is TIKI?

Well I could lie down and weep or be bold. I choose the latter.

Two things inspired me: A wonderful Danish cherry wine and my first batch of syrup for home made tonic water, made by pretty much following Jeffrey Morgenthaler's recipe, but with a few changes described here.

• 6 cl (2 oz) Appleton Estate V/X rum
• 2 cl (3/4 oz) Picon
• 2 cl (3/4 oz) Frederiksdal cherry wine (Cheery Heering would work, but then only half as much)
• 1 cl (2 teaspoons or 3/8 oz) Campari
• 2 cl (3/4 oz) fresh blood orange juice
  
• 1 cl (2 teaspoons or 3/8 oz) tonic syrup (or 4 cl (2 3/4 oz) tonic water)
• 3 cl seltzers (not if tonic water is used)
• Dash of Bitter Truth Xoxolatl Mole chocolate bitters

If using tonic syrup, shake first 6 ingredients with lots of crushed ice. Pour into generous glass, add the seltzers and the dash of bitters and garnish with a slice of fresh pineapple and couple of maraschino cherries and umbrella.

If using tonic water just shake the first five ingredients and then add tonic water, bitters and garnish.

Enjoy - or weep!