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Papi in Portland, Maine, serves the Mami Chula, a rum-and-passion-fruit cocktail inspired by the Pornstar Martini and topped with custard foam made with reduced Cava. Beverage and creative director Izzy Stein says customers can mix the rich foam into the tart drink to adjust its sweetness; she reports that a more modest milkshake-glass presentation has helped make it a Papi best-seller.
Papi, a bar in Portland, Maine, is serving the Mami Chula, a rum-and-passion-fruit cocktail inspired by the Pornstar Martini and capped with Cava custard foam. Beverage and creative director Izzy Stein developed the drink around the foam, combining sparkling wine reduced to concentrate its flavor with egg yolk, cream and vanilla.
The drink pairs rum infused with bourbon and vanilla bean paste with lime juice, passion fruit liqueur, syrup and pulp. The mixture is shaken, poured over ice into a mini milkshake glass and finished with a tall swirl of foam. Its ingredients echo a Pornstar Martini’s vanilla and passion-fruit profile, while the rum replaces the vodka typically associated with that cocktail.
To make the topping, Stein reduces several bottles of Cava, usually Martínez, by about 40 percent, according to VinePair. She combines the concentrated wine with egg yolk, cream and vanilla, then aerates the mixture in an iSi canister. Stein says reducing the wine intensifies its bitter and acidic qualities, giving the creamy topping a sharper counterpoint.
The serving style has changed since the drink’s development. Stein first tested a version inspired by crème brûlée, with foam torched around the edge and a larger glass. She says the current presentation uses a milkshake glass and two Papi-branded straws. According to Stein, the Mami Chula has become one of the bar’s best-sellers in this newer form.
How the Foam Shapes the Cocktail
The Mami Chula’s topping is not just a decorative finish: it changes how a customer drinks the cocktail. Stein says the foam’s fat content helps it hold its shape rather than immediately blending into the liquid, allowing the drinker to mix in as much as desired. That makes the balance between rich custard and tart fruit adjustable from sip to sip.
The drink also repurposes the sparkling-wine accompaniment associated with a Pornstar Martini. Rather than serving Cava alongside the cocktail, Stein incorporates it into the foam. The result, as described in VinePair’s report, connects the original’s passion-fruit and sparkling-wine cues through a different texture and presentation. The change in glassware, meanwhile, shows how a menu drink’s appearance can be revised as a bar develops its recipe.
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From Crème Brûlée to Mami Chula
VinePair reports that Stein began with the topping while experimenting with a crème brûlée-inspired Pisco Sour. She then built a drink around the Cava custard, eventually settling on a Pornstar Martini-style combination of vanilla, passion fruit and sparkling wine. The source does not provide a launch date for the cocktail or say how long it has been on Papi’s menu.
The recipe layers several forms of passion fruit—liqueur, syrup and pulp—with lime and infused rum. Stein says Cava was her preferred sparkling wine because she found it brighter and well matched to the drink’s tropical fruit. Her description of the development as “a little bit of a scavenger hunt” reflects that the foam came first and the cocktail took shape around it.
““It was a little bit of a scavenger hunt, starting from a small concept and then just building around that.””
— Izzy Stein, Papi beverage and creative director, as quoted by VinePair
VinePair’s report does not state the Mami Chula’s price, alcohol content, availability or menu duration. It also does not provide sales data or a comparison period to quantify Stein’s description of the drink as a best-seller or to measure how the presentation change affected demand. Those points should not be inferred from the report.
The source describes the recipe and preparation, but does not state whether the Mami Chula is available year-round or whether customers need to request the foam separately. Papi’s current menu and service details would be needed to confirm those points.
The source reports no announced menu change, future release or scheduled event tied to the Mami Chula. Readers interested in trying it should check Papi’s current menu or contact the bar for up-to-date availability, price and serving details. Any future changes to the recipe or presentation have not been reported.
Key Questions
What is the Mami Chula?
It is a rum-and-passion-fruit cocktail at Papi in Portland, Maine, inspired by the Pornstar Martini and topped with Cava custard foam.
What is in the Cava custard foam?
According to VinePair, it combines Cava reduced by about 40 percent with egg yolk, cream and vanilla, then is aerated in an iSi canister.
How does the cocktail differ from a Pornstar Martini?
The Mami Chula uses rum infused with bourbon and vanilla bean paste rather than the vanilla-flavored vodka commonly used in a Pornstar Martini. It also brings the sparkling-wine element into the custard foam.
Can customers control how creamy or sweet it tastes?
Stein describes the cocktail as interactive: customers can mix some of the foam into the drink to adjust the balance between its creamy topping and tart fruit.
Is the Mami Chula currently available, and what does it cost?
The report does not give a price or confirm current availability. Check Papi’s current menu or contact the bar for the latest details.
Source: vinepair.com
