BAR GEAR, GADGETS AND BEYOND

from PR%F the Magazine September 2022 issue

LETTER FROM THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

Our experts share some of the best ones found.

Hayley Maxwell, General Manager at a Local Gaming Bar in Las Vegas; Marketing, Sales, and Buying

Hayley Maxwell works in the hospitality industry and really understands the bar business. People love gadgets, with new ones being invented, manufactured, and marketed every day for those in the food and beverage industry. Hayley is one of the experts who will share her unique perspective on gadgets.

Daniel “DD” de Anda Fast, Bar & Nightlife Consultant Daniel “DD” de Anda Fast offers more than two decades of hospitality experience having opened more than 30 venues during that time including bars, restaurants, pool experiences, nightclubs and more. Daniel has created craft cocktail menus on the Las Vegas Strip, worked as corporate mixologist for American Beverage Ventures (ABV) and is one of a select group of lead judges for PR%F Awards.

Snowy River Cocktails Cocktails Edible Confetti For Cocktails

Visit snowyrivercocktails.com for more info.

What our experts have to say:

Snowy River Cocktails Pink Star Edible Confetti

DD: So Hayley, I know you had the 10-year anniversary party this weekend for your bar being open. How was that? Did you try out that Snowy River Cocktails edible confetti on any of the drinks you had at the celebration?

Hayley: Yes, we did. Thank you. It was a wonderful anniversary party for my bar. We had some specialty drinks on which we used the Snowy River Cocktails edible confetti.

DD: I noticed that the confetti is heavier than just salt or sugar to rim a cocktail glass, so what did you do about that? Hayley: Absolutely. The Snowy River Cocktails product was heavier than just salt or sugar, so we used honey and then a frosting to dip the rim of the cocktail glass and add the confetti. The frosting worked very well and helped the pieces onto the glass. Customers loved it. So decorative and fun.

DD: You tried out the “pink star” and the “salt flakes silver mix” from Snowy River Cocktails for the party, right?

Hayley: Yes. So it was nice to try the candy sugary pink star bottle and then have the salt flakes to try on margaritas. We had the salt flakes on a Spicy Jalapeño Margarita cocktail, which was awesome.

DD: I know for me, just the presentation is such a conversation piece for a special event like you had over the weekend. It’s nice for specialty drinks on a menu or for these celebrations.

Hayley: I agree, and it’s so easy to store for any occasion. I think Sunday brunch with a mimosa and one of these Snowy River Cocktails confetti rims would be a hit.

DD: Now, this is a tool I am excited about.

Vonfame Smoker Cocktail Kit

Visit thecraftycocktail.com for more info.

What our experts have to say:

Vonfame

Hayley: Oh yeah? Tell me about it.

DD: The Vonfame smoker kit is a great starter kit if you are new to smoked cocktails.

Hayley: Ok, let’s talk about what a smoked cocktail is. Smoking a cocktail allows the flavors to blend and makes the cocktail very smooth; I’ve had a smoked old fashioned, and by smoking it, it adds an entirely different flavor, which can change based on the flavored/ scented wood they use or at home with a kit.

DD: To make a smoked cocktail, you would put a cap over the top of your already made cocktail, some kits have the wood chips right on top, and then you light the wood, and the smoke will filter down onto the cocktail making a nice smooth Smokey flavor and essence.

Hayley: I enjoy the show too. I mean, it’s almost like at a restaurant when fajitas come out, and everyone looks.

DD: It is quite a show, that’s for sure. Everyone looks and asks questions and then wants a smoked cocktail.

Hayley: I think the Vonfame smoker is the perfect size for home or at a bar or restaurant with limited space because it doesn’t take up a lot of room.

DD: Yes, perfect size to also bring to impress your friends at a lovely dinner party. Smoked cocktails that I recommend using the Vonfame smoker would be a Manhattan or old fashioned. You could make a great cocktail with vodka and a smoked pineapple to get the smokey flavor. You could also use tequila. Drinks with spice are great smoked. Try it out and try out different flavor wood chips to add to your favorite cocktails.

Kilpatrick Fine Strainer

Visit poormanskitchen.com for more info.

What our experts have to say:

Hayley: DD, you are the expert on making infused cocktails and innovative new drinks. Tell me what you think about the fine strainer.

DD: I loved it. It works very well with lemon drops, with anything with a pulp you want to strain. The wire is so tight that nothing gets through, so there are no seeds or pulp.

Hayley: That’s great. I know that sometimes I have to double strain to try and get all the pulp out and make the cocktail smoother.

DD: With this fine strainer by Kilpatrick, you won’t need to do that; it does the job.

Hayley: DD, tell me about some more drinks you tried this strainer on.

DD: Of course, the lemon drop, but I also did a delicious lavender lemon drop. I make a strawberry jalapeño margarita in a very popular martini glass, and I loved how the fine stainer caught all the strawberry pulp and jalapeño seeds.

Hayley: Yum. What a great idea to use it on drinks with seeds.

DD: It makes the specialty cocktails velvety but removes the pulp and seeds very efficiently. It’s funny because a strainer at a bar is such a common tool that sometimes you forget about it, but the Kilpatrick company has upped the game by making the strainer more of a tight metal net to filter out even the smallest of seeds.

Hayley: I could see these replacing traditional strainers in the future.

Photo by Adam Jaime