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Papi in Portland, Maine, is serving the Mami Chula, a rum-and-passion-fruit cocktail topped with custard foam made using reduced Cava. Beverage director Izzy Stein developed the topping first, then built a Pornstar Martini-inspired drink around it; Stein says a less elaborate glass presentation has helped the cocktail become one of the bar’s best-sellers.
Papi, a bar in Portland, Maine, is serving the Mami Chula, a rum-and-passion-fruit cocktail topped with custard foam made with reduced Cava. Beverage and creative director Izzy Stein developed the foam before settling on the drink beneath it, which draws on the flavors of a Pornstar Martini and its traditional sparkling-wine accompaniment.
Stein makes the topping by reducing several bottles of Cava, usually Martínez, by about 40 percent. She combines the concentrated sparkling wine with a custard base of egg yolk, cream and vanilla, then charges the mixture in an iSi canister to create an airy foam. Stein says reducing the wine concentrates its flavor and brings forward bitter and acidic notes that cut through the custard’s richness.
The cocktail itself combines rum infused with bourbon and vanilla bean paste with lime juice, passion fruit liqueur, syrup and pulp. The shaken drink is poured over ice into a mini milkshake glass and finished with a tall swirl of foam. Its recipe nods to the Pornstar Martini, commonly made with vanilla-flavored vodka and passion fruit, while the Cava foam reworks the style’s sparkling-wine sidecar as a topping.
VinePair reported that the drink was presented earlier in a larger glass with foam that Stein caramelized using a torch. Stein said the bar later switched to a mini milkshake glass and two Papi-branded straws. She told VinePair the cocktail became one of Papi’s best-sellers in the newer presentation, though the report did not provide sales figures or a timeframe for that change.
A Foam Built for Balance
The Mami Chula is an example of a bar building a cocktail around a garnish rather than adding foam simply for appearance. Its two-part construction pairs rich custard with tart, tropical fruit, and the topping can be mixed into the drink to change its sweetness and texture. That gives customers some control over how much of the creamy element they incorporate.
The drink also adapts a recognizable cocktail format without reproducing it exactly. Passion fruit and vanilla preserve the Pornstar Martini reference, while rum replaces the more typical vodka base and Cava-infused custard foam takes the place of a separate sparkling-wine serve. Stein’s account of the revised glassware suggests that presentation can affect how approachable a complex cocktail seems, although the available report does not establish why sales changed.
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From Crème Brûlée to Cocktail
Stein first developed the Cava custard while working on a crème brûlée-inspired Pisco Sour, according to VinePair. She later shifted toward a Pornstar Martini-style drink as a better match for the topping’s richness and the acidity of passion fruit. The development began with the foam and proceeded by finding a cocktail that could balance it.
The source places the drink amid wider interest in foam toppings across beverage menus, but the specific reporting concerns Papi’s Mami Chula. Stein said she prefers Cava for its brightness and its fit with tropical fruit. The report describes the recipe and presentation but does not identify a broader industry trend with supporting sales or menu data.
“It was a little bit of a scavenger hunt, starting from a small concept and then just building around that.”
— Izzy Stein, beverage and creative director at Papi, speaking to VinePair
Sales Data and Recipe Details
The source does not specify when the Mami Chula was added to Papi’s menu, its price, or whether it is available year-round. Stein described it as one of the bar’s best-sellers after the presentation changed, but no sales totals, comparison period or baseline were included. The report also does not give exact ingredient quantities, the method used to infuse the rum, or the amount of foam served per cocktail.
The topping contains egg yolk and dairy, both common allergens. The source does not discuss the bar’s allergen procedures or whether it offers an alternative. It describes the drink’s ingredients and preparation but does not provide nutritional information or the finished cocktail’s alcohol content.
No launch date, upcoming menu change or other next step was announced in the source. Readers interested in trying the Mami Chula would need to check directly with Papi in Portland for current availability, pricing and ingredient details. The report does not confirm whether the drink remains on the menu today.
Key Questions
What is the Mami Chula?
It is a cocktail served at Papi in Portland, Maine, made with rum, lime and several forms of passion fruit, then topped with Cava custard foam.
What is in the Cava custard foam?
According to VinePair, it combines reduced Cava with egg yolk, cream and vanilla. The mixture is charged in an iSi canister to create foam.
How is the drink related to a Pornstar Martini?
The Mami Chula uses passion fruit and vanilla, flavors associated with a Pornstar Martini. It uses rum infused with bourbon and vanilla bean paste, and its foam reimagines the style’s sparkling-wine sidecar.
Does the Mami Chula contain common allergens?
The reported foam recipe contains egg and dairy. Anyone with an allergy should contact Papi directly to ask about ingredients and preparation, since the source does not describe allergen-handling procedures.
Is the cocktail still available at Papi?
The source does not confirm the drink’s current menu status. Contact Papi for up-to-date availability and pricing.
Source: vinepair.com
