Te Fiti’s Heart is a vibrant, tropical cocktail inspired by the life-giving Polynesian goddess, blending Absinthe, White Cherry Kirsch, Pandan, vanilla, lime, and pineapple, served in a coupe with a Coco-Pandan swirl that looks like the Heart of Te Fiti—a drink even Maui would steal. (Recipe Below)
Our first cocktail is Te Fiti’s Heart inspired by the beautiful Polynesian goddesses that creates life. Te Fiti features beautifully draped greenery with a pink flower crown. We used this to a create a cocktail using Absinthe and Kirsch Liqueur (White Cherry) for their fresh, botanical and the floral flavor reminiscent of cherry blossoms mixed with Pandan Powder, Vanilla Simple Syrup, Lime and Pineapple Juice to bring in the grass and custard flavors of Polynesia. We serve it in a coupe garnished with a Coco-Pandan mix swirled to look just like the Heart of Te Fiti. This is a cocktail that Maui is sure to steal.
Te Fiti’s Heart
1.5 oz (45 mL) Coco Pandan
1 oz (30 mL) Absinthe
.5 oz (15 mL) Kirsch Liqueur
1 bar spoon Pandan Powder
.5 (.15 mL) Rich Vanilla Simple Syrup
.5 (.15 mL) oz Lime Juice
1 oz (30 mL) Pineapple Juice
Top Lemon Lime Soda
Garnish Edible Glitter
Place 1.5 oz Coco-Pandan in a sandwich or piping bag. Pipe in a swirl at the bottom of a coupe glass and place in freezer. In a shaker tin, combine 1 oz Absinthe, .5 Kirsch Liqueur, 1 oz Pineapple Juice, .5 Lime Juice, .5 oz Vanilla Simple Syrup, and bar spoon Pandan Powder. Add ice, spring, more ice and shake vigorously for 30 seconds. Double strain into the prepared coupe, top with citrus soda, sprinkle 1/8 tsp of edible glitter and give it a stir.
Coco Pandan Mix
2 barspoons Pandan Powder
1 oz (30 mL) Barkeeper's Coconut Creme
Optional Edible Glitter
Combine everything in a bowl, place in a sandwich or piping bag. Store in refrigerator.
Cocktails and Videos created by Boozy Movies
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Absinthe
Country: France
ABV: 138 proof/69%
Brand: Grande Absente
Spirits Type: Herbal & Spice, Absinthe
Taste: Anise, Floral, Herbal
Price Category: $$
This anise and sweet fennel flavored spirit has a long history of popularity and lore surrounding its ban largely due to French Bohemian culture. Made from a number of medicinal and culinary herbs, but most notable is wormwood. Absinthe is characterized by having high alcohol content and no added sweeteners.
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Mount Rigi Kirsch Liqueur
Country: Switzerland
ABV: 40 proof/20%
Brand: Mount Rigi
Spirits Type: Amaro, Aperitif & Vermouth
Taste: Sweet cherries with a dash of citrus
Price Category: $
Mellow and sweet, this liqueur tastes of sweet cherries and light citrus. This kirsch liqueur is made from cherries that have been mashed and fermented then distilled. Botanicals and herbs are added to steep in the distillate then filtered and water from the Swiss Alps and sweeteners are added to balance the flavor and alcohol content.
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Pandan Powder
A grass-like herb grown in South and Southeast Asia. This sweet grass has notes of vanilla, rose and almond with a touch of cream. Used in a lot of Asian desserts, Pandan is growing in popularity in both world cuisines and cocktails.
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Vanilla Simple Syrup
Vanilla Simple Syrup adds a recognizable tropical floral sweetness that is buttery, light and brings out the sweetness of other flavors. It can easily be made by adding White Mexican Vanilla into simple syrup.
To Make It:
4 oz (120mL) Water
.5 cup (200g) Organic Cane Sugar
.5 oz (15mL) White Mexican Vanilla
In a small saucepan, bring water to a boil. Add sugar and remove from heat, stir until sugar is dissolved. Once dissolved, stir in vanilla. Cool to room temperature and pour into a syrup bottle.
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Lime Juice
6% - 8.5% Acidity
Lime juice is generally the most acidic of the citrus fruit juices used cocktails. The high acidity can help balance flavors and smooth bitterness as well as astringent flavors of high-spirited or unfiltered alcohol. Limes that have had more time to ripen will render a more concentrated and sweeter flavor with floral notes adding complexity to a cocktail. It is advisable to taste your fresh-pressed juice and adjust added sweeteners accordingly.
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Pineapple Juice
4-6% Acidity
Similar to Lemon Juice in acidity, but significantly more natural sugars which leaves a naturally balanced juice if freshly pressed. It is highly recommended to test the sweetness of the juice before adding additional sweeteners.
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Lemon Lime Soda
Adds a touch of sweetness with a brightening artificial citrus flavor.
Beyond the Reef: Moana, Tiki Cocktails, and the Spirit of Adventure on the Open Ocean
Moana surges across the screen in a wash of saltwater blues, volcanic fire, and ancestral mythology, following a restless island princess voiced by Auliʻi Cravalho who refuses to let paradise become a cage. While Motunui basks in sun-soaked abundance, Moana senses the rot creeping beneath the surface, pushing her beyond the reef and into a sprawling spiritual odyssey alongside Dwayne Johnson’s Maui — a swaggering demigod powered equally by ego, tattoos, and charm. The cocktails inspired by the film embrace that same collision of beauty and danger, beginning with “Te Fiti’s Heart,” a lush blend of absinthe, kirsch, pandan, vanilla, lime, and pineapple that drinks like a tropical garden blooming under moonlight moments before a god steals its soul. Its counterpart, “Kakamora,” crashes into tiki territory with coconut rum, banana syrup, gardenia mix, citrus, and spice, creating a creamy little menace of a cocktail that feels cheerful right up until the tiny pirate army starts firing poison darts at your face. Like the film itself, the drinks balance wonder, humor, and emotional weight with surprising grace, reminding you that the best Disney adventures aren’t really about defeating monsters — they’re about learning the ocean inside you was calling long before you ever answered it.
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