What’s the hallmark of a Vengroff cocktail? “Passionfruit and/or cinnamon,” she says. This tiki-inspired drink has both, providing a striking yellow glow and enticingly spiced aroma. The elaborate garnishes, including a tangle of thin carrot peelings that Vengroff calls “carrot spaghetti,” also nod to her tiki proclivities.
Gangster’s Paradise
Yael Vengroff, The Spare Room | Los Angeles

Ingredients
Serving: 1
- 1 ½ ounces Bacardi 8
- ½ ounce spiced rum
- 1 ounce pineapple juice
- ¾ ounce passionfruit juice
- ¾ ounce heavy cream
- ¾ ounce cinnamon syrup (See Editor’s Note)
- 1 small drop turmeric oil (diluted down to 1 part turmeric oil : 1 part water)
Garnish: pineapple leaves, orchid blossom, carrot spaghetti, green and white paper straw
Directions
- Shake all ingredients with ice.
- Dump contents of shaker (including ice) into a hurricane glass.
- Top with crushed ice.
- Garnish with pineapple leaves, orchid blossom and carrot spaghetti, and serve with green and white paper straw.
Editor's Note
To make the cinnamon syrup, s: Simmer 1 cup of sugar with 1 cup of water and 3 tablespoons of cinnamon bark over medium heat for 10 minutes. Let cool, bottle and store in the refrigerator for up to two weeks.