APERITIVO Hemali Bendre, The Bombay Canteen, Mumbai
Katie Rouse, Couch Stirchley, Birmingham
“My favourite local ingredient to use in cocktails is sweet limes – they’re delicious, with a sweet yet tart flavour. For me, there's nothing better and fresher in a cocktail.”
“Pineapple weed. Part of the chamomile family. I love it as it smells like really zesty and floral pineapple and is a great way to mimic tropical flavours through an English ingredient. It’s best used closely after picking as the scent depletes very quickly.”
Eric Van Beek, Handshake Speakeasy, Mexico City
“I like using our local tomatoes as well as hoja santa, a Mexican peppery leaf commonly used in cooking. In the case of the latter ingredient, nine times out of 10 it provides the guest with a flavour experience that’s completely new to them.”
The local ingredients bartenders love Arron Grendon, Tropic City, Bangkok
“With their tangy, sweet yet acidic taste, Thai pineapples are considered the most juicy and flavourful in the world. They feature in our bestselling cocktails such as Welcome To The Jungle and our favourite classic, Piña Colada.”
Sabrina Traubner, European Bartender School, Cape Town
“Figs are very popular in South Africa because they offer so much variety depending on the variant used and how the flavour is extracted. They taste like sweet berries and have a lovely vibrancy to them when used fresh. When heat is added, the flavour gets more concentrated – it’s a lovely ingredient to use in cocktails to add a darker berry and honey taste, while still having its own unique identifiable character.”
9 THE COCK TAIL LOVERS / ISSUE 45
