Intelligent Bartender

It`s not every day that a bartender gets to work with the likes of Dale DeGroff, much less get to share some drinks and listen to his stories. This past weekend I had the pleasure of both at the Canadian Restaurant and FoodService Association (CRFA) show in Toronto.

Rob, Leo, Gavin, Dale and Scott closing the last show at CRFA 2009

Widely credited with bringing the modern Cosmopolitan recipe to market, Dale has been a true shaper of the beverage industry and was making handcrafted cocktails long before it was in “vogue” to make them.

It reminds me of an interesting story that Dale told, about the “re-birth” of the Cosmopolitan, when we were sitting in Canoe’s Bar 54 floors above Toronto. The story started in the early 90’s, the first time that the Grammys had been held in New York instead of in Los Angeles. The after party was at the Rainbow room where Dale was tending bar. For those who never made it, the Rainbow room was one large room with plenty of table seating, 3 large VIP areas, and a large central revolving dance floor. In VIP 2, sat Frank Sinatra and a few dozen friends sat drinking magnums of Dom Perignon. Over in VIP 3, Bob Dylan and his boys (and girls) drank Jack Daniels. But all eyes were on VIP 1 where Madonna and her entourage drank Dale’s Cosmopolitans.

The New Yorker magazine snapped a picture of the Material girl that night with the caption, “Madonna drinks Cosmopolitans at the Grammy afterparty, Rainbow Room, New York.)

The next day when the picture was circulated to magazines around the world, Dale DeGroff’s phone started to ring. I don’t think it ever stopped. Dale used this as one of many platforms to build the DeGroff Brand, a cocktail empire, and a following that continues to shape cocktail culture almost 20 years later.

King Cocktail and BartenderOne enjoying the drinks and the view at Canoe

As Dale tells it, the Cosmopolitan was originally Vodka, lime cordial and cranberry juice, and while he thought the name was great, Dale modified the recipe to the one we know today, made with citrus vodka, cointreau, fresh lime juice and cranberry juice topped with a flamed orange zest.

It was a pleasure working with both Dale and his son Leo, and we look forward to seeing them again.

Creating unusual cocktail combinations from scratch is the hot new trend for 2009!

The National Restaurant Association has identified the culinary cocktail as the number 1 trend for 2009. BartenderOne partnered with Bacardi Canada to show a short list of invitation only media VIP’s exactly how powerful the culinary cocktail could be at a recent event held at the Local on the Danforth Avenue in Toronto. The room was filled with the who’s who of Canadian Hospitality and journalists from almost every major lifestyle magazine in Canada. We even had television crews from CBC’s Living in Toronto and Global News.

The communal mis en place

Among the hit cocktails of the day were the Oscar themed was the Mumbai Millionaire, made with Bacardi Superior, saffron infused Lemonade, and topped with Ginger Beer, The Pineapple Express, a pineapple and Black Pepper Mojito, and the Benjamin Button Backwards Mojito a molecular mojito that reverts back to it’s original form over time. All Oscar themed cocktails were created exclusively for Bacardi by the bar chefs at BartenderOne.

Mumbai Millionaire

1 1/4 oz Bacardi Superior
2oz Saffron infused Lemonade
1oz Ginger Beer

Shake Bacardi Superior and Saffron infused lemonade over ice.
Serve over crushed ice in a lowball glass and top with Ginger Beer.

To make Saffron Lemonade, add 1/2tsp of saffron to 1 litre of Lemonade.

Benjamin Button Backwards Mojito

1 1/4 oz Bacardi Superior
4 Mojito Ice Cubes
Serve in a chilled Martini glass.
Garnish with a disciplined mint sprig.

To make Mojito ice cubes, add the juice from 12 room temperature limes, 4oz of spring water, to a saucepan on low.
Add 12 tbsp granulated sugar, and 30 mint leaves, stir for 5-6 minutes or until sugar is completely dissolved.
Remove from heat and strain liquid into ice cube trays and set in freezer.

Makes 2 ice cube trays, enough for 8 Benjamin Button Backwards Mojitos.

Pineapple Express

1 1/4 oz Bacardi Superior
6 small pineapple chunks
12 whole black peppercorns
8-10 mint leaves
Juice of half a lime
1 tsp of granulated sugar
1oz soda

Muddle 6 small chunks of pineapple and 12 whole black peppercorns in the bottom of a highball glass.
Add mint, lime juice, sugar and Bacardi Superior.
Muddle lightly a second time.
Add ice to fill, top with soda and churn with a spoon to distribute muddled ingredients.
Garnish with Pineapple fonds and a mint sprig.

Passion and Spice

It’s not such a huge leap when you are thinking about creating culinary cocktails especially with a spirit as versatile as Bacardi. Dont be afraid to try unusual combinations… you may be surprised with the results!

Next we’re off to Montreal on April 23rd to Suite 701 to treat the french media to a little Bespoke Experience of their own.

Until next time!

Cheers!