Aloha!

On August 21, 1959, Hawaii was admitted to the Union and became the 50th state after six decades as a U.S. Territory. The overthrow of the Hawaiian monarchy and the annexation of the islands is still controversial today after over a century.

The debut of the Aloha State was more than just a boon for flag makers and soon the newest state was a national obsession with TV shows and movies spotlighting the new state. This boosted the popularity of the Polynesian bars and restaurants which had appeared all over the United States after World War II.

Ironically, tiki and poly-pop was so popular on the mainland that the tourism industry in Hawaii had to import this "island atmosphere." The Moai recommend reading chapter 4 of Jeff "Beachbum" Berry's excellent book Sippin' Safari to learn more about this era in Hawaii.

Join us in celebrating Hawaii statehood with a Blue Hawaii cocktail. Harry K. Yee at the Hilton Hawaiian Village on Waikiki Beach invented this cocktail in 1957 to feature a new product from Dutch distiller Bols: blue curacao liqueur.

3oz fresh pineapple juice
1oz sweet & sour (make your own, it tastes better)

?oz blue Curacao liqueur
?oz white Puerto Rican rum

?oz vodka

Shake well with ice, pour into a tall glass. Garnish with a paper umbrella, of course!

Enjoy!

— Tagata Maori Rogorogo