- ingredients
Last November, Yoann Lazareth, Assistant Bar Manager under Anthony Boschat at the Beau-Rivage Palace in Lausanne, welcomed me at the BAR for a tasting of their Autumn-Winter 2016 cocktail menu. While enjoying their impressive drinks, I seized the opportunity to learn a little about the creation process of a palace cocktail menu. The democratization of the palace universe When one thinks of palace hotels, what comes to mind is luxury and elegance. While the quality of hospitality remains high and, let’s be frank, the room prices unattainable for most people, part of the services have become more affordable; a change
My interest in mixology and bartending started three years ago in Geneva with watching a bartender who had previously worked in Canada. A few months later I had the opportunity to visit his former workplace in Montreal and another bar he’d recommended. I was impressed with what I saw and tasted and started following the Quebec cocktail scene on the Internet. I returned to Montreal last summer, where I visited Le 4e Mur, an amazing speakeasy bar with a superb cocktail menu, and l’Ecole du Bar de Montréal, the bartending school opened by Le 4e Mur’s founders. Again I was
Roots Herb Spirit is a herbal liqueur based on Origanum dictamnus, more commonly known as dittany of Crete, a cousin of oregano. Natural extracts of the plants are blended with vanilla pods, licorice root and extracts of nutmeg nuts to produce this richly flavoured liqueur. All extracts are 100% natural. No flavour essences or artificial flavourings are used. Type: Liqueur Distillery: Finest Roots Spirits Origin: Greece ABV: 30% Nose: Roots Herbs Spirit is warm to the nose and smells of liquorice, vanilla, nutmeg, dried fruits prune and molasses. It also has an herbal scent, that of dittany. Mouth: In terms of
Mister Bitters is, according to the brand’s website, “Australia’s very first bitters company”. It was started after the owner and bartenders of Lily Blacks, a cocktail bar in Melbourne famous for its extensive collection of more than 300 bitters, started creating their own house blends (including special blends for events such as the Australian Formula 1 Grand Prix) under the name Mister Bitters. For approximately two years, their products were used by bartenders in other cocktail bars around town to certain success. Mister Bitters went commercial in May 2014 after the original team associated themselves with Only Bitters, an Australian
Mister Bitters Honeyed Apricot & Smoked Hickory is a bitter that was created by bartenders in Australia after Baron von Mustache Smoked Apricot Bitters run out. The honeyed apricots are macerated “sous vide” as they take a long time to give out their flavour, while the hickory is smoked with a smoking gun. The honey used to sweeten the apricots is made from the leatherwood tree, a species endemic to forests of western Tasmania. The plant is difficult to access as it grows deep within these forests and beekeepers have to camp in the forest during harvest season between January and
If you want to look for barware in Athens, head to barequip.gr, which is both the name of the boutique and the address of its online shop. A nice selection of barware The shop is small but well equipped. You’ll find a decent selection of shakers, bar spoons, mixing glasses, drinking glasses and jiggers. They also have bartending bags, including the one I bought online from Mavenhal! There are also a few books in English and in Greek of course. Bitters, syrups and shrubs The most interesting part of the shop is the ingredients section: the (nearly) complete range of bitters by
Recipe books, you can find them by the dozen but technique books? They are harder to find, especially on the subject of drinks. According to its backcover, The Bar Book by Jeffrey Morgenthaler is the first bartending manual covering essential cocktail-making techniques. The book is broken down into twelve chapters, each devoted to a category of base ingredients (including ice) or cocktail making techniques. There is even one about garnishes. Through anecdotes from his long career as a bartender, Morgenthaler gives advices on bar equipment and how best to use them, as well as tricks on how to use every
“Pairings, recipes and ideas for the creative cook”…and the creative bartender! Although intended for cooks, Niki Segnit’s book will also apply to professional and home bartenders. The author has gathered 99 flavours and sorted them into 16 different families (spicy, fresh fruits, creamy fruity, citrussy, bramble & hedge, floral fruity, earthy, etc.). From there she’s catalogued an extensive number of possible pairings. Some are familiar, others are surprising, if not audacious. Coffee and avocado, coffee and goat’s cheese anyone? While some pairings might be difficult to adapt to drink creation, some can serve as the base of some rather interesting