Constructing Cocktails

Appears in

Published 2017

About

In the same way that chefs are the people who inspire me, the way I create my drinks comes from food. When I’m making a new drink, I’ll often think about a dish that I’ve had recently or a food I like, and see if there’s a way of turning it into a liquid form. It’s why our drinks list at the bars often read like a restaurant menu – we’ve had everything from black pudding- and cauliflower-inspired drinks to Monster Munch and jam tart cocktails.

But after I’ve created the main flavour by making a distillate of it the next element to focus on is the base and how I’m going to use and build that flavour around it. The base is the main alcohol, which is generally a spirit, but it could also be a wine, sparkling wine or sake. I’ll try combining the distillate with a variety of different spirits to establish which works best. Generally I know whether it’s going to suit a dark or a clear spirit and I have a good idea of what’s going to taste good, but sometimes I’ll be surprised.

Become a Premium Member to access this page

Already a member?

Monthly plan

Annual plan

'Brilliant app for foodies'

'Spotify of cookbooks'

Part of

Flavour

The licensor does not allow printing of this title