Photo: Alexey Andr Tkachenko/Shutterstock

How to Make the Perfect Scorpion Bowl

Travel
by Tom Gates Apr 13, 2010
A mainstay at chinese restaurants, the Scorpion Bowl is often an important catalyst for chinese food barfage. Treated with respect, it can also serve as a great party drink.

This drink is best if shared among a handful of people. If you’re a fan of this cocktail then investing in a tiki bowl would be worthwhile, especially if you can find one that resembles a volcano and allows for a high-proof alcohol fire on the top.

Armed with nothing but a straw each, you’ll be able to down this puppy in under half an hour, but beware – drinking too much will make your knees wobbly at best and find you making out with your best friend’s spouse at worst.

Here’s the recipe that started it all, from Trader Vic’s 1946 Book of Food and Drink:

36 ounces Puerto Rican rum (Rum Merito or Brugal suggested)
2 ounces gin
2 ounces brandy
16 ounces lemon juice
8 ounces orange juice
8 ounces orgeat (almond) syrup
2 sprigs of mint
1/2 bottle white wine.

Mix thoroughly, pour over cracked ice, let stand two hours and add more ice. Garnish with gardenias.

For those less interested in purist concoctions, All Recipes provides a more contemporary take:

3 cups crushed ice
2 fluid ounces gin
1 fluid ounce dark rum
2 fluid ounces 151 proof rum
2 fluid ounces light rum
2 fluid ounces vodka
2 fluid ounces grenadine syrup
8 fluid ounces fresh orange juice
10 fluid ounces pineapple juice
3 fluid ounces fresh lemon juice (optional)
4 pineapple chunks
8 maraschino cherries

Place the crushed ice in a large pitcher and pour in the gin, dark rum, 151 proof rum, light rum, vodka, grenadine, orange juice, pineapple juice, and lemon juice. Stir well to mix, then pour into a large, decorative cocktail glass and garnish with pineapple, cherries, and straws.

***Explore the world party scene with 101 PLACES TO GET F*CKED UP BEFORE YOU DIE. Part travel guide, part drunken social commentary, 101 Places to Get F*cked Up Before You Die may have some of the most hilarious scenes and straight-up observations of youth culture of any book you’ve ever read.***

Discover Matador