Don the Beachcomber and the Zombie

May 21, 9:32 AMKansas City Cocktails ExaminerAngie Rayfield

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Polynesian Woman and Tiki, by Arman Manookian

Ernest Raymond Beaumont Gantt, better known as Donn Beach or Don the Beachcomber, helped create the Polynesian restaurant craze of the 1940s and 1950s. In the process, he left a lasting mark on cocktail history.

The name Don the Beachcomber may carry images of tropical islands, but Gantt was actually born in Limestone County, Texas, in 1907. He left home in 1926 and began travelling the world. He landed in Hollywood in the 1930s, and opened Don's Beachcomber bar in 1934.

In 1937, Gantt opened the first Don the Beachcomber restaurant, promoting a selection of exotic dishes. Well, exotic by 1930s standards, anyway. His Polynesian fare was actually pretty routine Cantonese style dishes, but they weren't seen often in the States at the time.

The exotic food was popular, but it's a mistake to underestimate the appeal of the potent rum cocktails that were the specialty of Don the Beachcomber. Besides the Zombie, Gantt is given credit for the Tahitian Rum Punch and the Navy Grog, among others. He also is one of the bartenders that lays claim to the MaiTai (Victor Bergeron of Trader Vic's also claims the MaiTai).

After the end of World War II, Gantt settled down in Waikiki, and opened his second Polynesian Village. The "Tiki bar" was set to take off as one of the biggest fads of the 1940s and 1950s. At one time, there was a string of Don the Beachcomber restaurants through the United States. And as surely as summer follows spring, a series of competitors followed, including the famous Trader Vic's.

Of course, like most good fads, the Tiki bar was eventually replaced by the next big thing, but it never completely disappeared. In fact, in recent years, it's make a bit of a comeback. In 2005, a new Don the Beachcomber restaurant opened in Kailua-Kona, Hawaii, at the Royal Kona Resort. And there are rumors of others in the works.

Like most food and drink fads, the Tiki restaurant fell out of favor, although it never completely died out. In 2005, a Don the Beachcomber restaurant opened at the Royal Kona Resort in Kailua-Kona, Hawaii, and there are rumors of others in the works, including a possible location in Las Vegas, NV.

The Zombie - 1930s
The recipe for this version of the Zombie was found in some notes belonging to a Beachcomber's waiter by the name of Dick Santiago. Jotted down in 1937, this is believed to be the original recipe.

• 3/4 oz. lime juice
• 1/2 oz. "Don's Mix" (2 parts grapefruit juice, 1 part cinnamon infused simple syrup)
• 1/2 oz. Falernum
• 1 1/2 oz. Lowndes Jamaican rum
• 1 1/2 oz. gold Puerto Rican rum
• 1 oz. 151 proof Demerara rum
• Dash of Angostura bitters
• 6 drops Hersaint or Pernod
• 1 tsp. Grenadine
• 6 oz. crushed ice

Combine all the ingredients in a blender, adding the ice last. Blend for 5 seconds. Pour into a tall glass and garnish with a mint sprig.

The Zombie - 1950s
Of course, good cocktail recipes evolve, and so did the Zombie. Don the Beachcomber provided this recipe in the mid 1950s, and this remains the most familiar version.

• 3/4 oz. fresh lime juice
• 1/2 oz. grapefruit juice
• 1 1/2 oz. unsweetened pineapple juice
• 1/4 oz. Falernum
• 1 1/4 oz. Puerto Rican gold rum
• 1 oz. Jamaican dark rum
• 1 oz. 151 proof Demerara rum
• 3/4 oz. Maraschino liqueur
• 1/4 tsp. Grenadine
• 2 dashes Angostura bitters
• 6 drops Pernod

Put all ingredients in a blender with ice, and blend for 5 seconds. Pour into a glass and garnish with a mint sprig.