It seems every bar you go to these days, you will see someone throwing bottles in the air, jumping up on the bar, or lighting something on fire. Flair bartending is the term used to describe these actions. It is showmanship mixed with bartending to enhance the guest’s overall experience.
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Do you Dare to Flair?
Sweet Sweet Vermouth….
What makes a Negroni stand out above all other cocktails for me is the variety of flavors that hit your tastebuds as soon as the liquid enters your mouth. The sweet sensation that jolts you back to reality after that first sip is the sweet vermouth which is also present in that manly martini named the ‘Manhattan’.
A Lesson in Marketing (no, not that kind)
Not all freestyle mixology sessions need to start with a trip to the liquor store! Local markets packed with farm fresh produce, meats, cheeses, and fantastic finds can be your first destination for inspiration.
Here in Toronto we are particularly blessed with access to several excellent open and indoor markets. St. Lawrence Market and the Kensington District both offer fantastic selections of fresh produce, bulk goods, and specialty shops with every imaginable ingredient under the sun. You can almost always track down specific spices and preserves, thanks especially to the diversity of background in our city. However, at least half the fun of a trip to the market is the item you didn’t expect to see! Preserved Marasca Cherries, anyone? A hidden find at one of these well stocked purveyors could spark your next great cocktail idea!
Better Bitters from your Buddies at B1
Have you ever tasted a something and thought ‘man I could do a better job myself’? BartenderOne had the chance to back up this statement when Lauren Mote, celebrated Mixologist from The Refinery Bar in Vancouver came to assist with a culinary approach to cocktails.
Don’t Forget the “Sex Face”
I’ve been told that the face a bartender makes when he/she is shaking a drink is the same face they make when they are having sex. You might want to practice making these three cool cocktails in front of a mirror…
Wake Me Up Before You Go Go …
In the 1500s, lead cups were commonly used to drink ale.The combination of alcoholic beverage and lead vessel would sometimes knock drinkers out for a couple of days, and these unfortunate souls would be taken for dead and prepared for burial! A body would be laid out on the kitchen table for a couple of days, and the family would gather around and eat and drink and wait and see if the body would wake up – hence the custom of holding a wake.
Spring Ahead, Kick Back!
Spring is just around the corner, and it’s time to shake things up – or stir things up, depending on the drink! Here are some completely random recipes that have crossed my lips this month. If you or your staff have recipes you think might be of interest to Behind Bars readers, please drop me a line!
The Montgomery
Named by Ernest Hemingway in honour of the British general who, he claimed, would fight the enemy only if he had 15 soldiers to their one – that was also the proportion of gin to dry vermouth in the martinis Hemingway ordered.
(Source: The Harry’s Bar Cookbook, Arrigo Cipriani)
Adapted recipe for a 60ml “Montgomery” martini
Nothing rhymes with cocktail!
We wanted to title this one “April cocktails bring May ____,” but alas … nothing rhymes with cocktail.
Whatever the coming month will bring, with the last threats of winter’s snow storms hopefully behind us, it’s time to ponder a few cool drinks for the upcoming spring and summer (aka: patio) seasons. Here are some recipes that have crossed my lips this month. If you or your staff have recipes you think might be of interest to Behind Bars readers, please drop me a line!
Navan Sidecar
3 parts B&B
1 part Navan vanilla liquer
Juice of one whole, fresh lemon
Simple Recipes from the World’s Best Bars!
Honey Suckle Cocktail from Milk and Honey in London, England
50ml Cuban rum
20ml honey syrup
20ml fresh lime juice
Shake all ingredients over ice and strain into chilled Coupe or Martini glass. Garnish with a lime wedge.
Negroni Sbagliato from Bar Basso in Milan, Italy
50ml sparkling wine
50ml sweet vermouth
50ml Campari
Stir all ingredients over ice in ballon shaped wine glass. Serve immediately.
Bondi Crush from Iceberg’s In Sydney, Australia
30ml Bombay Sapphire Gin
15ml Pimm’s No.1
1tsp finely shredded mint
ginger ale to top
Fill a highball glass with crushed ice. Add first three ingredients and stir well. Top with ginger ale and stir again. Garnish with mint sprig and serve.
Heels Race from The High Heels Bar In Cairo, Egypt
30ml vodka
15ml Kahlua
15ml peach schnapps
Shake all ingredients over ice and strain into chilled martini glass. Garnish with fresh red cherry and serve.
Stay thirsty,
Rob Montgomery, The Miller Tavern
*For the record, you can’t buy my love! I have tried all products mentioned and have no affiliation with parent companies.
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A Lesson in Bar Etiquette
Tips please!
Tip literally stands for To Insure Promptness.
Most people who work in the service industry rely on tips as a major part of their income. Because this is a known fact, most servers and bartenders are paid minimum wage if not less.
That being said, we all have to keep in mind that a tip is a gratuity and is not mandatory.
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