THE BARMAN’S SECRETS

Lifestyle magazine CYRUS ZACAO GENESIS BUMBLEBEE BALSAMIX LADY GALANGA... www.planet-vs.com

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B A R M A N ’ S

p l a n t - b a s e d

S E C R E T S

c o c k t a i l s

By Arnaud THIREL Head Barman Shangri-La - Paris - France

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The Botanist

[ Arnaud Thirel’s cocktails ] Aware of the new challenges for bars in luxury hotels, this head barman has raised the bar. He has designed a menu which falls into line with the establishments’ history and the creation of signature lists. An aromatic aside...

Text : Laurence Gounel • Photos : Leif Carlsson

T

he bar’s new impetus? A link between history, the seasons, freshness and a more sophisticated sourcing of spirits. «When I arrived, I soon set up the ‘Seasonal Jars’ concept so that we can work with seasonal fruit and vegetables. This is a new plant and essence-based dynamic and thus follows a logic», he confides.

The result: The cocktail menu went from 50 to 15 signature cocktails containing 95% fresh ingredients. And Mickaël Bartocetti, Head Pastry Chef, is no stranger to this revival. «In addition to advising us on aromatic agreements and textures, he has given us a technical dimension. We have reached a whole new level in terms of cocktail creation...», says Arnaud Thirel. A demand which has extended to the work of various mocktail options which are all too often neglected. For example, there is the ‘Raspoutine’, which requires

both the talents of the mixologist and the cook: The raspberry juice is in fact an extraction of fruits cooked like a compote and served with a hibiscus infusion inspired by a dessert from our starred restaurant, L’Abeille. A work of synergy to the point that the patisserie team invites the bar team to taste rare products. Yesterday involved tasting honey which will likely result in a gourmet creation in the form of a cocktail, since we’re dealing with gastronomic cocktails here. «As in the kitchen, I work a lot with seasonings - this also includes a special hors d’oeuvre - and an presented in an ad hoc arrangement to support the main note, whether alcoholic or not. Rather than multiplying the blends, which ends up make it difficult to identify the flavors,» concludes the Head Barman. I like us to ‘recognize’ what we chose at the beginning».

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Botanics & Beautiful Houses [ The resurgence of the hotel bar ]

Arnaud Thirel is no ordinary Head Barman. At the head of a small team offering various assets, he takes pleasure in anticipating and detecting all form of potential: those of a young talent and above all, that of a major House. A house steeped in history and story...

How did this botany theme come about?

This hotel bar is certainly one of the most beautiful in the capital but it is just missing a strong identity.

However, that does not go for the history of the building ... The Prince Roland Bonaparte was a scientist and he dedicated his life to building the world’s largest herbarium, bringing together 100,000 species. I had the chance to consult this inheritance, preserved in France at the Claude Bernard University in Lyon, and it was obvious. We realized that botany opened some extraordinary doors.

How did you design this new bar?

We worked on a global concept with this precious tool left by Roland Bonaparte as a starting point, and we dreamed up an illustrated book which can be leafed through just like a herbarium. We make this available to customers to explain our 15 signature plant-based cocktails. The bar also features little curio cabinets which house

apothecary bottles filled with plants and essences, a whole plant wall and plants under cloches. The service staff even wears leather aprons!

Why 15 signature cocktails?

We reduced the menu to work with just seasonal plants and to guarantee extreme freshness to the cocktails. This was exciting work. We worked as researchers, spent six months scouring all the inspired little grocery stores of Paris to get hold of the spices which would make all the difference, such as Iranian black lemon! We also worked hard on sourcing of alcohol to put together a range and introduce old houses that are somewhat unknown yet with remarkable expertise. Gin, cognac, rum‌ It’s a real pleasure to highlight this entire heritage.

What makes you stand out today?

Surprise! There are lots of quality little cocktail bars today in Paris and we must justify our rates all the

more... This goes for the service, of course - the whole team is capable of passionately discussing the traceability of each spirit - but not just that: For example, we renewed all of our glassware, choosing identical models to old crystalware; we also scoured the flea markets and others are by the ceramicist Emma Nico who designed some little calabashes for us. Eventually, I would like to replace all of the glasses with unusual containers.

We also revived the ritual of absinthe fountains on the tables. Each cocktail is also accompanied by an hors d’oeuvre which reflects the aromatic note of the selected drink. For example, the Zacao is made with Zacapa rum with notes of cacao and caramel, and is presented in a real cocoa pod and accompanied by a homemade chocolate tart.

What do you think is next for Le Botaniste?

I would like to surprise our clientele, which is increasingly ‘young’ and curious. I feel that the

traditional hotel bar is a thing of the past. I imagine experts and contributors coming to experience and participate in the place. Like this passionate brewer who invited us to her home in France, in Clamart, to design our own beer - with selected hops - and which will soon be served here under the label ‘La Botaniste’. I like the idea of soon including the concept of entertainment in a luxury hotel bar.

Bar Le Botaniste 10 avenue d’Iéna, 75016 Paris. . Every day, from 6.00 pm to 10.00 pm www.shangri-la.com

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INGREDIENTS 1.70 fl.oz. dark Zacapa 23 Solera rum 0.7 fl.oz. cocoa nib syrup 0.7 fl.oz. red vermouth 0.18 oz. Sichuan peppercorns and chocolate bitter

ZACAO OUR FAVORITE The Zacapa stands out for its chocolatey, honeyed taste. Unlike most rum, made from molasses, only the first squeeze of virgin sugar cane honey is used in this composition. Its fermentation process is as long as the others 5 days - and it is filtered in special copper stills. www.ronzacapa.ch

Alcohol is dangerous to your health. Consume in moderation.

PREPARATION First of all make a cocoa nib syrup by infusing cocoa nibs in a white sugar syrup base with the following proportions: 1.8 oz. of nibs for 35 fl.oz. of syrup and add 0.18 oz. Sichuan peppercorns. Pour 0.70 fl. oz. of the mixture into a shaker and add vermouth, rum and bitter. Mix well and serve on crushed ice with a sprinkling of dark cocoa. Serve with homemade salted caramel cocoa nib chips.

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INGREDIENTS 1.70 fl.oz. Génépi 0.7 fl.oz. citrus cordial 0.70 oz. Lebanese cucumber 1.4 fl. oz. ginger beer PREPARATION First prepare the citrus cordial by infusing kefir leaves, lemongrass and eucalyptus in a syrup base.

Then, crush the cucumber in a shaker to extract the juice. Mix the citrus cordial, the cucumber, genépi and ginger beer using the shaker and serve on ice. Present simply with a pine branch.

GENESIS OUR FAVORITE Although all mountain folk may have their ‘own’ recipe for genepi using this fragrant French Alpine plant, that of Pères Chartreux has been kept a secret for 400 years. An ancestral savoir-faire which involves several macerations and distillations. The result is an incomparably complex aromatic palette. www.chartreuse.fr

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INGREDIENTS 3 Iranian black lemons 35 fl.oz. Grey Goose vodka A little tub of flower honey 0.7 fl.oz. white Lillet PREPARATION Infuse the black lemons in the vodka for 2 hours (the citrus emits a very powerful aroma), before filtering and refrigerating it. Prepare a syrup by infusing the lemonflavored vodka with flower honey for 2 hours and refrigerate. In a mixing glass, pour in 1.70 fl.oz. of infused vodka, 0.7 fl.oz. of the obtained citrus syrup and the Lillet.

Mix on ice to cool it down but serve without ice.

CYRUS OUR FAVORITE Grey Goose vodka is made in France and born in 1997 out of the audacity of an American who had the idea of asking a cognac distiller to make a vodka to revolutionize the genre: without grapes - it is cereal-based - or aging in barrels.

What makes it different? The quality of the wheat, selected in Picardie (soft, with vanilla aromas) and mixed with Gensac water, and its continuous distillation. www.greygoose.com

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INGREDIENTS 1.00 oz. of lavender flower A few Tonka beans 1.8 oz. Corsican honey 1.70 fl.oz. Martell Premier Assemblage 0.7 fl.oz. fresh lemon juice 0.7 fl.oz. lavender honey Lavender bitter

Alcohol is dangerous to your health. Consume in moderation.

PREPARATION First prepare the lavender honey by infusing the lavender flower in the Corsian honey, then add a grated Tonka bean. In a shaker, mix 0.7 fl.oz. of the scented honey, cognac, lemon juice and bitter, then serve without ice. Present with an alveolus (taking the form of a honeycomb) of homemade shortbread dough.

BUMBLEBEE OUR FAVORITE The cognac Martell Premier Assemblage, is a return to the roots. Cellar Master Benoit Fil delved into the House’s archives and identically recreated the original formula, recorded in 1879. With eaux-de-vie of the same origin, aged in different types of barrels. The result is an extremely fruity and slightly woody composition based on 8 vintage cognacs. www.martell.com

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INGREDIENTS 1.70 fl.oz. Skinos liqueur (Greek Mastiha tree sap liqueur) A handful of passion berries 0.7 fl.oz. fresh lime Fresh basil A few kaffir leaves Mediterranean tonic water PREPARATION Infuse the passion berries in the Skinos liqueur. In a shaker, add the lemon, a few fresh basil leaves and the 1.70 fl. oz. of infused liqueur.

Mix well, filter and serve on ice, completing it with tonic. Adorn with a kaffir leaf and passion berries.

CARPE DIEM « TRILOGIE 1 » OUR FAVORITE Skinos liqueur is harvested on the island of Chios in the Cyclades and is not very well known. Its basic ingredient makes it original: mastiha, which is the sap of the bush called the lentisc. And it is this resin which gives it its delicate cucumber aroma. www.myskinos.com

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INGREDIENTS 1.70 fl.oz. Bombay Sapphire East gin infused with Herbes de Provence 0.7 fl.oz. lime juice 0.4 fl.oz. egg whites Herbal tonic

Alcohol is dangerous to your health. Consume in moderation.

PREPARATION A revisited version of the famous Tom Collins cocktail which was born in 1860. Infuse the gin in the Herbes de Provence, then filter.

Mix all the ingre-dients well in a shaker before serving on ice with a branch of rosemary.

CARPE DIEM ÂŤ TRILOGIE 2 Âť OUR FAVORITE For the Bombay Sapphire East, Thai lemongrass and Vietnamese black pepper is added to the other 10 ingredients of the traditional Bombay Sapphire. An exotic touch which reveals the real strength of the herbs of Provence and contrasts with the roundness of the egg white. www.bombaysapphire.com

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INGREDIENTS 1.7 fl.oz. Hendrix gin liqueur Dried hibiscus leaves 1.8 oz. fresh raspberries A dozen fresh kumquats 34 fl. oz. fruit alcohol 2.2 lb. sugar 0.7 fl.oz. lime juice 0.7 fl.oz. sparkling water

CARPE DIEM « TRILOGIE 3 » OUR FAVORITE The Hendrick’s gin, which mixes cucumber essences from Holland and rose petals from Bulgaria, is distinguished by its pink color and it is very thirst quenching. Its floral aroma offers a more delicate approach to this alcohol, which is usually super-dry and rather neutral. www.us.hendricksgin.com

Alcohol is dangerous to your health. Consume in moderation.

PREPARATION Make a compote of fresh kumquats and leave to conserve while keeping the acidity of the fruits.

Let the fruit macerate in alcohol for 2 months, then filter. Infuse the gin with dried hibiscus leaves and the raspberries (0.17 oz. leaves and 1.8 oz. raspberries per 34 fl.oz.).

In a shaker, mix the 0.7 fl.oz. of kum-quat liqueur, 1.7 fl. oz. of infused gin and the rest of the ingredients. Serve on ice with dried hibiscus leaves and raspberries.

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L’ABUS D’ALCOOL EST DANGEREUX POUR LA SANTé. A CONSOMMER AVEC MODéRATION.