Cobra's Fang

Cobra's Fang is a tropical cocktail created by Don the Beachcomber.

Recipe

From "Hawaii Tropical Rum Drinks & Cuisine by Don the Beachcomber" by Arnold Bitner and Phoebe Beach.

• 1/2 oz fresh lime juice
• 1/2 oz falernum
• 1/2 oz orange juice
• 1/4 oz fassionola (*)
• 1/2 oz dark Jamaica rum
• 1/2 oz Demerara 151-proof rum
• 1 dash Angostura bitters
• 1 dash grenadine

Blend all ingredients with 6 ounces crushed ice for 5 seconds, and pour into tall glass. Garnish with mint and lime wheel. NOTE: Bittner/Beach book also calls for a dash of "selected herbs," whatever that means. You may want to add a dash of Pernod or Herbsaint, a common Don the Beachcomber ingredient (see Cobra recipe below).

(*) Fassionola: This was a common ingredient in the 1920s and 1930s for cocktails, although difficult to find now. Basically, it's a fruit punch syrup, with the predominent flavors being orange and cherry. Try Hawaiian Punch concentrate without adding water. Another option is the Pat O'Brien powdered Hurricane Mix, using just enough water to make a thick syrup.

Other Versions

Cobra from Kon-Tiki restaurant, Chicago, Ill., circa 1962

From "Sippin' Safari" by Jeff "Beachbum" Berry, who calls this a "streamlined version of Don the Beachcomber's Cobra's Fang."

• 1/2 oz fresh lime juice
• 1/2 oz orange juice
• 1/2 oz passion fruit syrup
• 1 oz Demerara 151-proof rum
• 1 dash Angostura bitters
• 6 drops Pernod or Herbsaint

Put everything into a blender, adding 4 ounces crushed ice last. Blend at high speed for 5 seconds. Pour into a tall glass, and add ice to fill. Garnish with mint.

Sidewinder's Fang from The Lanai, San Mateo, Calif., circa 1960s

From "Beachbum Berry's Grog Log" by Jeff Berry & Annene Kaye

• 1 1/2 oz fresh lime juice
• 1 1/2 oz orange juice
• 1 1/2 oz passion fruit syrup
• 3 oz club soda
• 1 oz dark Jamaican rum
• 1 oz Demerara rum

Blend with 1/2 cup of crushed ice for 10 seconds. Pour into a large glass with ice. Garnish with a spiral-cut orange peel.