Why have a straightforward cocktail when you can have one with a twist? That seems to be the philosophy driving the trendiest watering holes today. Bars are experimenting not just with their décor and music, but with their cocktails as well.
At the Radio Bar, where I’m the head mixologist, we make our own infused cocktails. What’s used to give cocktails a twist here are regular kitchen ingredients. So we have cucumber, avocado and whipped cream, which we pair with gin berry vodka, Moroccan spiced brandy/whisky, Irish cream coffee liqueur.
These are pretty easy to find. Here’s a simple recipe to one of my favourite cocktail recipes for Irish cream whisky that can be made at home: Take two tins of condensed milk and blend it with 180ml whisky and 100 gm melted chocolate. Refrigerate and serve chilled!
One cocktail that we’ve innovated on, especially for Indian customers, is called Ouch. This was invented for the Indian “state of mind” — we always want a potent drink, like a Long Island Ice Tea. So this cocktail was all about having that first sip, and saying “ouch”! To make an Ouch, you need 15 ml of these spirits: Light rum, vodka, gin, tequila, blue curacao, whisky with sweet and sour. Shake all of these with ice, pour into a glass and top it off with lemonade.
I’m sharing the recipes for three other cocktails with a twist. Do try these at home!
Sushant is a mixologist
Breakfast Martini: This is a very English drink! It needs 60ml gin and bitter orange marmalade (as per taste), the juice of 1 lime, all shaken with ice and orange bitters. Serve in a martini glass.
Creme Brûlée Martini: 60ml vanilla vodka, 15ml cinnamon infused vodka, 45ml whipped cream, all shaken over rock ice and then served in a martini glass. Sprinkle with cinnamon powder and burn over as brûlée.
Avocado Margarita: Fresh, ripe avocado puree (of half a fruit), 45ml simple syrup, 30 ml tequila, 30 ml triple sec must be blended over ice, and then served in a margarita glass rimmed with black salt. The black salt helps add a punch to the otherwise bland avocado.
