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Cooking Notes
Zach
My girlfriend taught me the best way to keep the flame going: Just soak a small crouton or piece of toasted bread in 151 and use that as the torch in the lime husk. Burns twice as long and way less likely to spill and create a flaming disaster!
Steve
The last time I had a scorpion bowl was sometime in 1972 with friends after work at Yale-New Haven Hospital. I got totally wasted. I think I see from this recipe why that happened. It's meant to be shared! Who knew? We each ordered one for ourselves. I haven't touched a scorpion bowl or anything like it since.
Eve
I’m looking via the app, but I do see the tip. To create a flaming lime shell for your scorpion bowl, use a sharp knife to scrape clean the inside of a halved lime, leaving the peel intact. Position the lime hollowed-side up in the volcano of a scorpion bowl. Pour a splash of 151-proof rum inside the lime and carefully light with a long match or wooden skewer (do not use a lighter). Snuff out any flames before consuming.
Angularbanjo
For our first date, my wife and I went to a movie (Tootsie) and then to a place called Aku Aku in Boston for Scorpion Bowls. Needless to say it ended well. We’ve been married 31 years. I highly recommend them.
Alex
Lemon oil works better than 151 for fire garnish! Yellow flame, smells better, and doesn't waste your alcohol.
Bob
Another way to "keep the flame going" is to soak a sugar cube in the 151, I did this for a flaming Christmas Pudding (soaking the sugar cube in lemon extract) and almost burned the house down
Evita
Whoa this is seriously good! I would say it’s jut like I remember except that scorpion bowls are basically mind erasers. Be sure to invite friends cuz this is too much alcohol for two (unless you are celebrating)
ecbyers
Bacardi 151 was discontinued in the US in 2016. Does anyone know of an equivalent?
Juliet Jones
It looks pretty, but does the photo really have to feature all those straws? I know that NYTimes cares about the environment; those plastic straws are not necessary. Perhaps the photo could be re-taken.
Alex
Lemon oil works better than 151 for fire garnish! Yellow flame, smells better, and doesn't waste your alcohol.
Amer Picon
What style of gin? London Dry, Old Tom, Plymouth...?Didn't Aku Aku have a long tubular fish tank wrapping around the edge of the bar?
Philip
Sorry to be dense, but you've got about 6 cups of ingredients in a serving dish. Do you dispense it into individual vessels, or do guests use straws to imbibe form a common bowl?
Tessa
Guests use individual straws and drink from the common bowl. I would not be worried about germs. With that much alcohol involved no stray bacterium or viral particle will stand a chance.
Mike
I can also see the tip via the app.
Angularbanjo
For our first date, my wife and I went to a movie (Tootsie) and then to a place called Aku Aku in Boston for Scorpion Bowls. Needless to say it ended well. We’ve been married 31 years. I highly recommend them.
Steve
The last time I had a scorpion bowl was sometime in 1972 with friends after work at Yale-New Haven Hospital. I got totally wasted. I think I see from this recipe why that happened. It's meant to be shared! Who knew? We each ordered one for ourselves. I haven't touched a scorpion bowl or anything like it since.
Chrisanne
My parents loved Trader Vic's in NYC and enjoyed many dinners there in the 1950's and 60's. My mother loved their Scorpions. To this day whenever I smell a gardenia I am taken back to my childhood. My mom and dad would return from dinner and when mom would come in to kiss me goodnight, she would have a gardenia (or two!) pinned to her dress. What a heavenly smell. I can't wait to make this recipe! Thanks!
Zach
My girlfriend taught me the best way to keep the flame going: Just soak a small crouton or piece of toasted bread in 151 and use that as the torch in the lime husk. Burns twice as long and way less likely to spill and create a flaming disaster!
Patty
Wondering if there is a reasonable substitute for orgeat for those of us with tree nut allergies? Sigh.
Shannon
At my restaurant, we make a brown rice orgeat. You could probably find or make something similar :)
JudiM
I am allergic to gin — is there another liquor that would be an acceptable substitute?
Alex
You can sub in more brandy, an overproof rum, a white rum, or even omit the gin entirely - the co*cktail is boozy enough as it is (I believe Trader Vic's recipe only calls for 2 parts rum and 1 part brandy, and at a roughly 1:1 spirits to juice/orgeat ratio, while this recipe is a bit stronger at 6:5).
Dumboy
Recipe twice references the Tip on how to make a Flaming lime shell, but the Tip is missing from the recipe.
Eve
I’m looking via the app, but I do see the tip. To create a flaming lime shell for your scorpion bowl, use a sharp knife to scrape clean the inside of a halved lime, leaving the peel intact. Position the lime hollowed-side up in the volcano of a scorpion bowl. Pour a splash of 151-proof rum inside the lime and carefully light with a long match or wooden skewer (do not use a lighter). Snuff out any flames before consuming.
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