POURING FOR PROFITS
HITTING THE MARK
Classic brews and savoury nuances get star billing at cocktail bars this season BY HELEN CATELLIER
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ooks like the days of tall, fizzy and fruity concoctions are behind us, at least temporarily. As the forecast changes from warm to cool, so does our palate for cocktails. “In the summertime, [customers] drink something ... more effervescent and citrus-forward, and maybe go to something ... a little bit heavier, a little bit oakier, more alcoholforward in the wintertime,” says Franz Swinton, bar manager at Añejo restaurant in Calgary. The Old Fashioned ($15) is one of Añejo’s most popular cocktails, particularly during the winter. This, along with other vintage
drinks, such as the Manhattan and Sazerac, don’t always appear on cocktail menus anymore, but they have stood the test of time. “They are classic because they work and they are delicious,” says Oliver Stern, managing partner at Toronto Temperance Society, a members-only bar. Another concoction that’s well-suited for sipping in the winter is the Vancouver Cocktail (pictured, left), which debuted last month at L’Abattoir restaurant in Vancouver. Inspired by a drink originally served at the historic Sylvia hotel in the city’s west end, the three-ounce beverage is a blend of gin, vermouth and Bénédictine. Bar manager, Shaun Layton, acquired unopened antique spirits from the 1960s and is pouring the Vancouver Cocktail while quantities last. He’s confident customers will pay a whopping $60 for the nostalgia and exclusivity it offers. Whether marked by changing palates or the changing seasons, savoury cocktails have also started replacing the übersweet, sugary ones. Swinton sources alternative, organic sweeteners, which aren’t as cloy-
ing and don’t coat the palate. Golden agave nectar, derived from the same plant species as tequila, is a favourite, because it complements his tequila- and mescal-based cocktails well. The bestselling cocktail at L’Abattoir, the Avocado Gimlet, combines a quarter of a fresh avocado with sugar, rosemary-and-oliveinfused gin, lime juice and apple schnapps ($13). “People say it reminds them of a smoothie, so it’s got a really thick beautiful creamy texture to it, and then you get the savoury notes from the olive, rosemary and the gin,” Layton explains, adding that he sells between 15 and 25 glasses of the green brew per night. The two most popular menu cocktails at Toronto Temperance Society also have savoury notes. La Hoja combines cucumber, basil, lime, tequila, green Chartreuse, agave and salt ($14) and the Petey’s Muddle features jalapeño, cilantro, lime, mescal and a Laphroaig smoky Scotch wash ($14). Oliver notes that bartenders are working closer with chefs these days, making more attempts to pair food with drink; it’s a win-win for today’s foodie-obsessed culture. l
SURF’S UP Kitschy Polynesian-inspired flaming torches, palm trees, masks, totems and servers donning quintessential floral shirts is one way to warm up the bar scene on a chilly evening. “In every city I go, I feel like there’s a tiki bar,” says PHOTO: DREAMSTIME.COM [SURF’S UP]
Oliver Stern, managing partner at Toronto Temperance Society, which often hosts tiki nights during winter. “Even though it’s winter outside, you’re drinking tiki drinks and listening to tiki music; [it] can feel like it’s warm and summery.” Evoking memories of tropical getaways, tiki bevvies are characteristically rum-based and often feature tropical syrups, coconut water, fruit juices or grenadine served over crushed ice. “We light things on fire and put in obnoxious garnishes such as umbrellas, plastic palm trees and big, neon bendy straws,” laughs Stern, “everything that’s different from the way our bar would normally be. It’s all about having fun.”
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FOODSERVICE AND HOSPITALITY DECEMBER 2014
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