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Kombucha?

Some call it mushroom tea or "elixir of life," but no matter what you call it, kombucha is one of the hottest trends in health beverages and recently in our  bar industry as well.

What is Kombucha?

Often referred to as mushroom tea, kombucha is not made from mushrooms.The magic comes when the bacteria and yeast that grow on top of the beverage result in a blob that resembles a mushroom, called “Scoby”. That living organism is doing all the job by fermenting your usual favorite cup of black, green, white, (you name it) tea into kombucha. On top of everything regular drinkers of it claim it aids digestion,  weight loss and detoxification; stimulates the immune system. So many health benefits, but what attracted me personally in that magical beverage is its flavor. The flavor of tea and the category as it is, is already deep and interesting. But what we have after fermentation is truly unique savory taste because the fermented beverage are high in acid and contain sugar, vinegar plus trace amounts of alcohol (a natural consequence of fermentation), and other chemical compounds.

Today I will share with you two recipes of my Kombucha.

Before that…. important point which I forgot to mention that you can grow “Scoby” from other kombucha by combining it with tea you want to ferment, sugar(bacteria will eat it and grow, later also will do fermentation) and let them stay together around two weeks. Once you see ugly bacteria thick and white ( that’s your scoby) means it’s ready to use.

My first tea, which I made with scoby, was mulberry and chamomile tea. First, brew the tea. After it will chill down add sugar and make it dissolved. Add ‘Scuby” to it. Put a liquid into a glass jar with a cloth on the top covered so it can breathe, and wait aprox 4 days, can be longer. Keep it in dark room temperature place. Usually I taste it after 3 days and if it achieves the taste I want, I stop fermentation by simply putting it in the fridge.

So my first drink with that will be the one I did for World Class Competition 2017 in Dubai called “Redolent herbs”.

Name ”Redolent Herbs”

-45 ml of Tanqueray 10 gin

-10ml Spruce cordial

-20 ml citrus verjus

-10 ml Dry Sake

-2 dashes grapefruit bitters

-25 ml (Top up) with fermented chamomile and mulberry tea

-Chartreuse rinse

Shaken/ Served in a water can glass/ Garnish: Edible candied spruce, mulberries

Technically second example of kombucha was created without “scoby”

  I used Blooming Oolong tea as my preferable here

Brew Oolong tea. After it will chill down add sugar and make it dissolved. In this process here my fermenting agent instead of  ”scoby” was whey. You can strain that white liquid from any yogurt or kefir.

I added it in ratio 3:1 and let it stay 3 days( well fermenting in Dubai at summer time, I believe, makes the whole process ready really fast, probably in others parts of the world it will take longer..)

Eventually, I end up with delicious slightly bubbly beverage, which has that silky and a bit of a creamy texture from the whey  which was enjoyed on ice by itself than.

Cheers!

P.S. Safety Record Some experts warn about the dangers of home-brewed and unpasteurized kombucha prepared in nonsterile conditions and the risk for unhealthy bacteria getting into the tea, but on other hand true kombucha drinkers want the natural, unprocessed beverage.

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Jameson Barrelman competition

Last summer June 2016 I was lucky enough to represent Dubai in Ireland at Jameson Barrelman global competition. What a great and fun time it was!

From the day one with a warm and welcoming dinner

 to the second day followed by fascinated tour around distillery with master blender session and cooper session. After blending session we had a chance to make our own Jameson blend according to our sense

 And actual competition.  Unfrorunately I didn’t win but hey, great times, new friends and unforgetible momentsI definately brought back with me.

Below, I want to share the recipe of my cocktail presented there.

“Middle Eastern julab...” -45 ml Jameson infused with millet grain,

-15 ml verjuice,

-20 ml bee polen syrup 

-10 ml Becherovka

-1 dash darjeeling-camomile bitters, 

birch juice frozen into ice ball

Shake/ Strain in authentic arabic jar/ Spray of Honey& Orange blossom/

Garnish with souq spices:Kaffir lime leaf, dru rose bud,lemon peel and millet

Cheers!

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“Hidden Blossom” cocktail-winner of Jameson Barrelman Competition in Dubai 2016

Today I want to write about my cocktail “Hidden Blossom” with it I won Jameson cocktail competition in Dubai and going to represent UAE to the Ireland for a global final.

The drink will be a twist on mint Julep, cocktail which is very refreshing and demanding to be sipped in Dubai with it’s sunny and warm weather. 

"Hidden blossom" is the name of my cocktail, which evolved from the inspiration by a small flower called "marigold", which is an amazing local beauty rarely noticed by hurrying crowd in Dubai. Most of the people here wrapped up in their everyday routine, focused and lost in the busiest city of the world. This makes these charming flowers raise in my mind as so obvious but at the same time hidden from all in the shadows of tall buildings towering above them. and despite this marigold are still blossoming without fear in the endless dessert and that's why I admire them. For me marigold embody Dubai in a way as city which meets all challenges without fear and keeps growing and blossoming in a middle of a desert same as John Jameson's will and passion to produce the best whiskey what lead him, and never stopped him or gave him a moment of hesitation in his way to create the best Irish whiskey in the world .  So I made rich and fragrant syrup from that flower which will compliment Jameson whiskey with nice warm floral notes. Then I added fresh mint along with a muddled ginger. A dash of Benedictine for complexity and of course Jameson as a basewhich I infused with green apples in Sous VIde. For a nice apple finish few sparys of Xante liqueuer. 

The julep cup I wrapped in Dubai cartoon photo to bring some interaction with a drink as well as to prevent guest’s arm touching cold surface of julep.

Garnished with mint sprig,marigold flakes and dehydrated apple sprayed with Xante, this cocktail involves all your senses and present you surprisng and splendid bouqet of Irish and local Dubai components!

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“Autumn old fashion”

The recipe for an "Old-Fashioned Whiskey Cocktail" first appeared in George J. Kappeler's "Modern American Drinks" in 1895. Old Fashioned traces its lineage to an era before inventions such as the electric streetcar, the Tesla coil and the zipper made the world unsettlingly modern. The drink is simple, but not simplistic, designed without flamboyance or frippery - in short, just the sort of no-nonsense thing they drank back in the good old days.

I want you to take to good old days of mine, exactly in the same period of time and season called autumn but in my country somewhere in Ukraine.

Fall has always been my favorite season. The time when everything bursts with its last beauty, as if nature had been saving up all year for the grand finale. Imagine ourself in a nice autumn forest, walking around, picking up a beautiful leaves, let’s say maple leaves which are reflected in my drink as a sweet agent - maple syrup. We know also that autumn is time for harvesting apples, pears and walnuts. I will stick to the last one, and I will put to my basket with my maple leaves to create walnut infused maple syrup which will be smoked with some oak wooden chips from the forest as well.

To make my autumnal colour I’m adding something which is exotic for me- fruit tamarind with it’s great savoury and slightly tart character but which was harvested also in dry autumn time but in North of equator.

Somebody calls autumn their bitter part of the year but in my case bitterness is again for a better, and I will use my aromatic bitters which will balance perfectly my old fashion and gives it aromatic hints

The base is Black label which warms your soul not only in the autumn but also every part of the year, blast your palate with significant and complete taste, makes together with ingredients conclusion which force you to experience enjoyable moment of a sip and gift you a nice journey through the world of flavours.

According to an old fashioned spec I’m twisting clementine zest and serve the cocktail in a glass wrapped with a nice aromatic clementine dry grass, emphasizing dry feeling of Autumn when you touch it. To avoid a dilution I serve it over stone, garnishing with a walnut shell and mandarin zest.

Cheers!

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Shaken and Stirred

Today I want to share with you the recipe of my cocktail which drove my to Best of Belvedere competition final and is inspired from original recipe of Vesper martini and actually is modern version of Gibson.

To start my story with I was always trying to understand the reason of shaking technique in Bonds drink and when I made some research on this topic I  was actually inspired by science behind it. Scientist proved the heavy-drinking 007 most likely suffered from an alcohol-induced tremor that forced him to shake his martinis in order to make them milder and lighter.

So in my mixing glass, I will start with Belvedere the world’s first super premium vodka made of 100% Dankowski Gold Rye. This unique Vodka  appealing really well in stirred and shaken drinks and opens its rich Polish character, that’s why Belvedere is bartenders choice Number 1 as a great palette for creations. Consumers mark it with incredible clean and silky, crisp taste,with some hints of vanilla flavours and elegant slightly peppery side taste .

To be in a super premium line along with BELVEDERE I decided to add something more than one vermouth. Its blends of dry vermouths  where all vermouths(aromatized wines) were accurately selected according to the flavor profile in order to combine all possible aromas and flavors in one blend. That will complement Belvedere vodka with some floral aromatic notes as well as will give a nice length to my martini.

In a shaker I’ve got some basil leaves with a caper brine, basil works well with a capers in the kitchen and in combination I’ll get some distinctive flavour which will give to a drink some umami, picante and savory taste. I’m adding also dry sherry which will highlight vermouth in point of dryness and can be shaken along with this peticular ingredients in order to imbibe every single aspects. Shaking this ingredients causes more of a certain class of molecules (aldehydes) to bond with oxygen, dissolves air into the mix giving a less oily mouth feel from capers and sherry to the drink . 

Why vodka is stirred and other part with sherry and capers brine is shaken?

In a shaker, flavors are very distinctive and strong so if I will  dilute them by stirring with the rest in the mixing glass instead of shaking, they will interrupt the main taste of Belvedere martini and vise versa  I don’t want to shake particularly Belvedere and vermouth cause I don’t want to ruin by dilution flavours of Belvedere and vermouth as well as not to break the clean texture.

So basically you need to stirr and shake in the same time which looks really skillfull and after incorporate  mixture from stirring glass and shaker in carafe and pour into vintage stainless steel cocktail glass and the rest pourt into a bowl with crashed ice to keep it chilled. The final touch will be some lemon oil from the peel. And in a small holder which looks like one of mr. Bonds secret gadgets I will leave some grapefruit peel as we know Belvedere has some slight grapefruit notes so this will be an option for Mr bond to spread around if he wants some more cirtuse on the  nose.  

I believe after few sips  having a feedback from James Bond that he found his new favourite iconic drink.   And the next time 007 will come, the verbal request behind the bar for martini will be formulated as .…” Shaken and stirred, please”  

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Ice ball of “next level” or how to play with your ice

Cocktails  would be nothing  without ice. Think about it - this is the one ingredient universal to almost every cocktail made. Ice not only chills drinks , but as it melts or is shaken it becomes a part of the mix and because of this, the frozen water deserves more than a little attention. There are four basic types, or forms, of ice (cube, cracked, shaved and block) and each have their uses.

Today I want to talk about ice balls which are let’s say more or less homemade. The result of getting those ice balls are silicone ice molds (that was the one I was using). We all know that kind of shape ice gives us less dilution with in the drink. The thing is I decided to make something significant about the ice balls as well as to attract some extra attention from our guest side.

So, Before putting water to freeze I put in the first batch of molds some apple peels (lightly soaked in crème de menthe liquour as an option)

You can put inside of the ice mold whatever you want it’s just a matter of your creativity, flowers, herbs, citrus peels, even slightly spoiled berries to decrease wastage list behind your bar.

After some time staying in the fridge your ice balls are ready

As I said in my mixed drinks and cocktails ice balls with “something” inside is the way to highlight and give the link between ingredients and garnish so I would like to share with you the recipe where I’m using exactly those ice balls.

The drink called Newton’s №4 according to that fact that apple fell down on Newton’s head I was inspired to make that drink as a tribute to it and I gbelieve if the Issak Newton was nit a scientist but mixologist he will definately picked up that recipe. Its cognac based drink, with a dash of clarified apple shrub, fortified with a dry sherry, and balanced with some bitters and rimmed with some cardamom crusta.

Cheers!

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“Hendrick’s fairy tale”

Today I want to share with you recipe and inspiration for my previous Hendricks competition which I win in Dubai.

So, In my twisted gin and tonic, I want to show you my love and obsession for that drink and to share my inspiration which came from little fairy tale which I gonna portray for you now .. Once Upon a time in one kingdom was a prince whom I must say is the main hero in that story, brave, very smart, handsome, as our gin Hendricks with unique and unusual character elegant, crisp, smooth, with superbly balanced botanicals , with a notes of cucumber, rose and of course …happiness. And one beautiful day, prince was guesting in neighbor Kingdom where he met beautiful princess called Mrs. Tonic. She was gorgeous lady and so beautiful that prince fall in love with her in first sight. And after they decide to get married. It was big day in Hendrick’s Kingdom everybody were celebrating their wedding drinking gin and tonic of three days and tree nights

The prince and the princess were happy living together but still sometimes there was some small misunderstanding and sourness in their love story, which are showcased in my drink as sourness from fresh lemon juice, all that was quickly balanced as in normal life with some sweet and pleasant moments which described in my drink as nice floral saffron syrup. After some time they’ve got a little child, and mother’s soft love to the child are described in my cocktail as my last ingredient something pure, violaceous , which kisses you and surprise you with a nice texture it is my –homemade crème de violette foam.  After the King and Queen came to congratulate couple with their new born child The King presented for our young couple some bouquet of rose, which is rosebuds in my garnish and a land with  cucumbers farms for prince , but this time is something special in terms of my garnish and my cucumbers. They are soaked in chamomile syrup as we know chamomile is important botanical of Hendricks. All this soaked cucumbers I dehydrate and spread around as aromatic powder on top of my delicious foam What refers to the Queen she brought some perfumes for Mrs tonic rose one her favourite. And this is my rose edible parfume as final touch after what I just want to say…..And they all lived happily ever after.

Cheers!

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"Angel whisper"

"Angel whispers"- is evaluation of freshness and lightness in glass, which involves all your senses,emphasized by Bols Genever and citrus Bols liqour with a touch  of spiciness from sage which I believe enhance the botanical side of Bols Genever.Combining all ingredients including garnish and rim that drinks promises you fantastic experience.Recomended even for those who never drunk alcohol because its very  light and smooth and as brigh as your Angel!

-2 sage leaves

-30 ml grilled pineaple juice

-25 ml Bols Genever

-10 ml Bols triple sec

-20 ml fresh lemon juice

-12,5 ml fermented lychee syrup

-1 dash of absinth

Method:  Burn sage leaves in a glass,mudle,shake double strain

Coupe glass, rimmed in bitter chocolate-casia bark powder

Garnish: Raspberry caviar,lemon peel,sage leaf, dehydrated lychee

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Dubai fashion mule

Today I want to post an article about my signature cocktail which I prepared for Moscow Mule competition.

Dubai fashion mule

-20 ml lime juice 

-5 mint leaves -30 ml dates-ginger syrup  -50ml Smirnoff  -2 dash Jerry Thomas bitters -2 dash rhubarb bitters -15 Lemon curd shake,double strain copper mug Garnish:Mint sprig, waffle, Benedictine foam, sugar cube soaked in Peychaud's bitter,grilled lime wheel,edible pearls

The mule was born in Manhattan but "stalled" on the West Coast for the duration. The birthplace of "Little Moscow" was in New York's Chatham Hotel. That was back in 1941 when the first carload of Jack Morgan's Cock 'n' Bull ginger beer was railing over the plains to give New Yorkers a happy surprise…

So today I want to concoct for you my twist on that happy surprise. I called it Fancy mule. Why? Because we are in Dubai and this city is full of fashion and luxury. So basically I considered that my cocktail fits  the best in that envirounment

So lets prepare something delicious.

Why it’s originally Moscow mule?

Obviously because the Russian part of the cocktail is vodka Smirnoff.

Pure, clean,  triple distilled and exceptionally smooth. Ten Times filtered in a unique process for ultimate clarity. And frankly speaking for me is the best vodka as a base in the cocktails. So, hero of the drink Smirnoff 50 ml. Always a dash because we want to be generous having this significant vodka.

As a sour part I squise 20 ml of fresh lime juice. As a sweet agent in my drink I used homemade dates and ginger syrup. The dates is quite local product. Wonderfully sweet, they are one of the most popular fruits of Arabian Peninsula. They, indeed, are concentrated sources of essential nutrients, vitamins. I blended dates with fresh ginger and then made hot infusion with demerara sugar syrup, what makes it quick, easy, low cost. gently spicy,organic for me the best option as fruit sweetener. So weve got 40 ml of our dates and ginger syrup.

So we’ve got 40 ml of our dates and ginger syrup.

15 ml lemon curd. Lemon Curd is a thick, soft and velvety cream that has a wonderful tart yet sweet citrus flavor. What I like about Lemon Curd is easy to make and it does not include exotic ingredients a just eggs, sugar, lemon juice, lemon zest, and unsalted butter.

Then we add Jerry Thomas bitters 2 dashes based on a recipe by Professor Jerry Thomas . They are very bitter and offer aromatic notes of clove, fruit and caramel.

And 2 dashes of aromatic Rhubarb bitters to get the tart, grassy flavor.

We shake all the ingredients and strain in copper mug

Garnish with Mint sprig,waffle which pairs with lemon curd and Aperol foam,grilled lime wheels,edible pearls as symbol of luxury in Dubai rose buds-sugar powder.

Cheers!

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"Fancy Mule"

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Saffron as an ingredient in your cocktails

Before to start this article I need to mention one thing.Its completely mine personal opinion but I consider this to be true and correrct.When  you are searching for a new ingredient for your cocktail (I mentioned different kind of ingredient whose source is market, not the beverage one) try to forget your bartender shoes. Don’t be a bartender at all.Of course keep in memory the basicall notes of profile of your spirit to find something wich is going complete and open the spirit. But at this part your role as bartender are finishing.

Try to be mixologist and think about the craziest and spiciest things around. Here is my story, how I found my magical component for my cocktails.

The thing is we went with my friend to Spice Souk in Dubai to buy some botanicals to concoct nonalcoholic “Gin n tonic”. The Souk was rich in spices and botanicals but unfortunately we didn’t find the some botanicals including juniper so that’s was the reason why we gave up. But still we were enjoying a big variety of anothers spices. My friend bought some rose buds and some nutmeg.

What tempted my attention was some ingredient. So I entered the shop and ask about saffron. The guy started to tell my straight away things about this herb and how useful it is. I will share some information with you. Saffron, long among the world's most costly spices by weight, and was first cultivated in Greece and was considered very valuable on the market. Back to the history In late  Egypt, Cleopatra used saffron in her baths so that lovemaking would be more pleasurable. Egyptian healers used saffron as a treatment for all varieties of gastrointestinal ailments.Saffron was also used as a fabric dye in which prescribes in medicines for wounds, cough, colic, and scabies, and in the mithridatium. It is used for religious purposes in India, and is widely used in cooking in many cuisines in Indian, Persian, European, Arab, and Turkish.

After I came home I tried to make tea and put some saffron(as owner of a shop recomend me to do) into the tea. I must say you need to be carefull and put a small spring like hairspring otherwise It can be really dangerous. The colour of the tea changed into bright yellow and I found nice flavor which appeared immediately, something accurate which added some nice floral notes to my tea.

Then I decided to do something which I was planning at my way home. To make some nice syrup infused with saffron which I will add to my cocktails.

So I infused honey syrup in that way:

1.5 cups  honey(any honey would work)

1.5 cups water

1 tbl spoon saffron

0,5 bar spoon grains of paradise (grains of paradisea west African spice similar to black pepper yet with more depth and a sweeter finish) or black peper

1 small pinch of nutmeg.

After storing 1 day add some tangerine peels to add some citrus notes and store for two days more.

Below I’ll drop some cocktails with that syrup:

  “12 o’clock tea”

-40 ml Beefeater 24

-15 ml Black tea

-15 ml Yellow Chartreuse

-15 ml Saffron syrup

-7,5 ml lemon juice

Shake/double strain/ served in tea cup over crushed ice

Garnish:Lemon shell,bluberies,mint sprig, sugar powder

“Elevation of Perfection”

-30 ml Chivas 18

-20 ml Chivas 12 infused with walnut

-10 ml of Drambuie

-10 ml of saffron syrup

-10 ml of lemon juice

-2 dashes of Peychayd’s bitters

Shake/Double strain/

Garnish: Waffel paper, toasted walnut, lemon peel.

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Garnishes in cocktails and their big role

Some times its starts from slice of lemon, sometimes it is only orange peel, sometimes its combination of lime, mint, and some berries but all that stuff  are called garnishes. Some times they are very cute and accurate, some times they are rich in combination and creativity all this depends on bar style, bartender and his vision and creativity to do this.

No longer just for show or simple flavor enhancement, the garnish has gone from functional first mate to kooky captain, guiding the sipper through a psychedelic sea of aromas, textures and tastes.That’s why it’s always must be link between ingredients and a garnish to give to all the flavours consistency and perfect combination. Garnish is something that cannot stay without cocktail the same as cocktail can not exist without garnish. There are many techniques of doing the garnishes as well as methods of their disposition. Some times you are putting them straightly inside the drink to release all the flavor directly inside of cocktail.(Picture 9) Sometimes you put it aside or near to the rim to stimulate olfaction sense and in addition to increase visual perception.(Picture 10)

I will give a few examples below of some nice combination which will help you to make your cocktail really fusion and impressive.

Lemon zest or peel. First and very classic.

Rose petal. Makes drinks very sexy. Goes perfect with strawberry  and raspberry.

Mint sprigs or leaves, rosemary sprig or basil leaves. Gives a nice and perfect refreshment to a cocktail, give some fabulous green colour in cocktail gamma

Orange peel or zest. Every time you are doing this kind of garnish make sure you will release the oil from the peel over the glass

Blueberries, raspberries, strawberries. Goes well in combination with peels,mint, etc.

To finish my article I just want advice you to use all possible ingredients which you have in your local market and try to play and combine so far as you can.

Cheers!

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Some modern recipe how to make carbonating stuff

http://modernistcuisine.com/recipes/carbonated-cranberries/

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Сьогодні вернемось до теми як ніколи актуальної “Homemade Infusion” і я поділюсь з вами досвідом приготування настойки яку я отримав в результаті поєднання вермуту настояного на ромашках, цедрі лимону,фіолки,та горілці настояній на соснових гілках,ялинці  та аличі.

Отже почнемо з алгоритму фотографій який я буду коментувати:

Власне, вище сказані інгрідієнти цедра лимону, гілочка ялинки, маленька гілочка сосни, фіалка, ромашка, алича, цедра яблука,тмін вітчизняний вермут, горілка

Дві суміші не з’єднуючи одна з одною лишаємо настоюватись на 2-3 дні.Протягом настоювання кожного дня взбовтуємо дві настойки.Бажано також тримати їх в темному місці.

Після того як настойки готові проціджуєм їх.Fine strain.До інфюзу горілки додаємо трішки лимонного соку та цукру Потім змішуємо в пропорціях 1:1. Не варто притримуватись детальної пропорції змішування двох настойок,якщо по смаку вам підходить пропорція 1:3 чи пропорція класичного мартіні будь ласка використовуйте на ваш смак.

На дану тематику я придумав поки що два коктейлі. Любій інтепритації буду радий.

Cherry plum martini:

-45 ml vodka infuse with pine and cherry plum

-15 ml vermouth infused with citrus and camomile

-15 ml lemon juice

-15 ml sugar

Shake,double strain in martini glass. Garnish: small sprig of pine

Christmas brunch

-45 ml gin

-15 ml vodka infuse with pine and cherry plum

-10 ml campari

-15 ml Martini rossi

Stir,strain in rock glass. Garnish with orange peel and flame the pine cone.

Stirr<\

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JAPANESE BARTENDING

I truly believe that there are such things are national bartending characteristics and styles. From the brash American bottle juggler to the urbane Italian and unruffled British bar steward we know what I mean, but most of these are simply caricatures and stereotypes. Yet there is one nation whose bartenders and bars totally represent the national psyche in every way. It has recently become an almost mythical land of zen bartending that many of us in the West try desperately to emulate. We are talking Japanese Bartending.

Elegance, Professionalism and Precision

Cocktail bartending in Japan is a not just a modern phenomenon with American bartenders like Louis Eppinger working there at the turn of the century. Yet visit two bars and you will see elegance, professionalism and precision that is absent elsewhere. Every action is considered and thought out and the theatre with which every drink is created is truly unique.

There is a sense of apprenticeship in Japanese professions where, if there is a craft or skill to be learned, then it must be learned from a teacher or master over many years. Yet bartenders from around the world try desperately to copy these action and philosophies without truly understanding or learning them properly in the “quick and dirty” attitude that is so prevalent in the West.

The Japanese art of bartending is unique as it has developed, as Hidetsugu Ueno describes it, as “Galapagos Islands style”. “It simply hasn’t been influenced by other countries for a very long time”, says Ueno. “We don’t use Boston or tin shakers, we haven’t done muddle and double strain kind of mixology. Because we didn’t know anything about the outside for a long time, I guess the Japanese bartender has a much more artisan approach. Like a teacher and student kind of thing – so you listen to the master, you work for the master and are taught by the master. A traditional artisan kind of job.”

Master and Student

This synergy between master and student is visible in almost every aspect of the Japanese bartending culture. Every bartender has a master, and even if they surpass them, they will always show respect to them. When learning they may train for ten years to learn from their master and may not even make drinks for the first few years. They learn about hospitality and hosting long before they can shake a cocktail.

The Signature Shake

In such a closed world envelope shredding innovation is not admired as much as refinement and perfecting known techniques. Thus it is aspects like ice ball and diamond carving and increasingly complicated shakes like the Hard Shake that Japan’s mixologists aspire to. And again Ueno-san has it right when he says: “The main purpose of the Hard Shake is to put a lot of air into the ingredients and the drink. It makes the drink lighter and easy to drink. But the Hard Shake in my country is not a common technique. It is a very difficult technique. I would say that less than ten people in the world can do it the right way with the right purpose.” They’re not interested in the world of Molecular Mixology or crazy culinary cocktails. Instead they cultivate to perfection stirring methods and the development of a signature shake. All Japanese bartenders have a wonderfully eccentric shake that they will explain to you if necessary.

In the West some bartenders have become something like rockstars whereas modesty is prized in Japan. The best bartenders are among the most silent when working, so that they do not disrupt the guest’s experience. They are far more like a theatrical performance with an average ratio of perhaps four guest to each staff member. The bars themselves are not garish large places but small bars tucked away well of the street via small and discrete doors. The best bars fit the fewest people seemingly and survive by word of mouth and a small group of regulars that have favourite bartenders. In these places they wield their tools (tools figure hugely in japan with personal knives, shakers and the like being very important) with well-practiced skills and effortless grace.

Material taken from article published in MIXOLOGY Issue 3/2011

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How to use basil as an ingredient in your cocktails.

  Basil is originally native to India, having been cultivated there for more than 5,000 years. Basil is commonly used fresh in cooked recipes. In general, it is added at the last moment, as cooking quickly destroys the flavor.

But today we are going to explore this herb as a perfect ingredient in cocktails and drinks.

It is very important to use fresh basil leaves to make the best basil cocktails. You can buy basil-infused vodka, but the taste is just not the same. You can easily make your own basil infusion- vodka, gin or tequila based. For that you need to take 0,7 ml of acceptable liquid put some fresh basil (1/2 C) and let them sleep for four days, just don’t forget to shake it every day.

As an option you can use basil as it is in cocktails. For that you need to muddle it gently and than add other ingridients in result you will have something a little more sophisticated and savory.

Basil goes perfect with cucumber and complements its flavour.You can use basil with mint to give to your concoction some refreshing notes. In some case you can use it with celery for instance perfect combination for twisted “Bloody Mary”

So let’s have a look on some cocktails:

 Bloody Gazpacho

50ml Absolut Vodka

4 Basil Leafs

1/2 Inch of Cucumber

100ml Fresh Tomato juice

Dash Balsamic vinegar

6 Drops of Tabasco

4 Dashes Worcestershire sauce

1/2 shot Fresh lemon juice

2 pinch Minced garlic

2 pinch Ground pepper

2 pinch Celery salt

Garnish: cucumber,lemon slice, basil leaf/Glass: Highball

Gin Basil Smash

-8 fresh basil leaves

-60 ml Hendrik’s gin

-25ml lemon juice

-12,5 ml sugar syrup

-Garnish: Lemon zest,basil leaf./Glass:rocks

Basil Martini

-4 leaves of basil

-2 small chopped pieces of celery

-60 ml. Grey Goose

-30 ml lime juice

-15 ml sugar syrup

- Garnish: Basil leaf/Glass: Cocktail glass

[spredo]

Rosemary behind the bar/ Розмарин в барній справі

Розмарин має терпкуватий, злегка гіркуватий смак, з приємним хвойним, камфорним запахом, що робить його дуже популярною приправою.

Найбільшого поширення вона набула в країнах Середземномор'я, особливо Італії та Франції, менше — в Греції. В якості спеції використовують тоненькі, схожі на голочки хвої листочки, свіжі чи сушені. Найбільший вміст ароматичних компонентів — під час цвітіння. Розмарин використовують в кулінарії як прянощі для для приготування різноманітних страв з риби та м'яса, в невеликій кількості вони додаються до овочевих супів і страв, в салати, м'ясні фарші, до смаженої птиці. Надають приємного смаку м'яким сирам, картоплі, грибам, капусті та маринадам. Ним посипають італійську випічку.

З іншої більш образної точки зори розмарин  вже символізує любов і траву дарували на знак вірності і на пам'ять коханим. А також застосовували в медицині. Суто для мене підходить концепція того що розмарин вважають рослиною дружби, а що може бути кращим за піднятий бокал з тостом за дружбу?

В барній індустрії є багато способів використання розмарину- безпосередньо як інгредієнт коктейля, прикраса чи другими словами garnish і як компонент інфюзу.

Візьмемо спочатку як інгрідієнт в коктейлі який дуже часто піддається легенькому мадлу, щоб трава могола повністю випустити свої масла, та камфорний запах. Мадл можна робити разом з грушою, свіжим яблуком, чи навіть з апельсином,грейфрутом чи цитрусовими.Найкраще розмарин поєднується з джином, що доповнює його рослину основу та й безпосередньо сам ялівець/можжевельник. Також можна поєднувати з віскі, медом, Аперолем, горілкою,текілою,м'ятою, кавуном ітд.

Щодо розмарину як прикраси, то найчастіще поміщаємо його в позицію зверху коктейльної рюмки, якщо це хайболл чи рокс то кладемо стеблом безпосередньо в коктейль. Найчастіше його також підпалюють, щоб досягнути максимального запаху. Також з інтерактивної точки це виглядає дуже привабливо і екзотично.

Третій аспект стосується розмарину як компоненту infusion- інфюз коли ми поєднуємо деякі компоненти і з лишаємо їх настоюватись на деякий час.Настойка по нашому :). Ось тут можна сміливо експерементувати і фантазувати. Ось наприклад інфюз джину чи розмарину. Беремо потрібну кількість джину поєднуємо його з розмарином.Мадл трави перед тим як опція. І залишаємо на два дні. Те саме модна зробити з текілою. Можна по бажанню добавити в інфюз прянощі-аніс,гвоздику,лемонграсс. Можна добавити інші трави-базилік,м'яту. Допустім вам надоїв звичайний цукровий для мохіто. Для цього вим можете ��риготувати цукровий сироп настояний з розмарином і використовувати в мохіто, капірінї, смак замітно буде насичений камфорним запахом з легкими хвойним нотками та приємною освіжаючою стороною.

Коктелі з розмарином:

Peach rosemary sour

Muddle half of the peach and 1 sprir of rosemary

45 ml-bourbon

30 ml- lemon juice

10 ml-sugar syrup

1 bar spoon-egg white

2 dash of orange bitters

Shake,double strain. 

Glass: Martini

Ruby Red

2 sprig of rosemary

50 ml -red grapefruit freshly squeezed

45 ml-gin(or vodka)

15 ml-lemon juice

10 ml- agave syrup

Muddle,Shake,Double strain

Glass:Rocks