Celebrated mixologist David Cordoba has been to India before. And this time, when he visited the city to judge a cocktail competition, he saw a noticeable difference in the mixes put together by aspiring bartenders.
“It was surprising, because as compared to last year, the cocktails were really interesting. There has been a definite growth in style and technique,” says Cordoba, the global brand ambassador of Bacardi Rum.
Pointing out that bartending is now finally being taken seriously in India, he adds, “I can always see certain ingredients replicated in cocktails, as bartenders are used to them. But it’s nice to see Indian bartenders going beyond the usual ingredients.” Mixology or the science of making cocktails may be an essential part of a bartender’s learning, but according to the expert, it’s the simple things that need to be taken care of. “Mixology is just a name or title,” he says, adding, “The important thing is to understand your customer. Make sure the bottle is clean, the spirits are in the right denominations, taste the ingredients before adding them, especially when working with apples, pears and sugar. At the end of the day, it is the hospitality industry.”
At the same time he makes it a point to bust the popular myth that not being able to taste the spirit in a cocktail means it’s been well made. “If it doesn’t have the taste of the spirit, then what’s the use?” he asks. The Long Island Iced Tea is a tough one to get right for many pubs and clubs in the city. Ask him why and he explains, “It’s about the right amount of spirits. An LIIT is a combination of four spirits and one liqueur with lemon. You have to get those quantities right.”
{{/usCountry}}At the same time he makes it a point to bust the popular myth that not being able to taste the spirit in a cocktail means it’s been well made. “If it doesn’t have the taste of the spirit, then what’s the use?” he asks. The Long Island Iced Tea is a tough one to get right for many pubs and clubs in the city. Ask him why and he explains, “It’s about the right amount of spirits. An LIIT is a combination of four spirits and one liqueur with lemon. You have to get those quantities right.”
{{/usCountry}}The original Mojito
Glass
Highball or Collins glass (420 ml)
Ingredients
5 cl of Bacardi Superior Rum
1/2 cl of fresh lime juice
1 mint leaf
2 heaped tsp of fine white sugar
Dash of soda water
Method
Place lime wedges in highball glass
Add sugar and muddle to release limejuice.
Add mint leaves and muddle lightly again to combine flavours
Top up with crushed ice and pour the Rum
Swizzle well with a bar spoon to dissolve the sugar.
Top up with more crushed ice.
Add soda water.
Stir well again and garnish with a fresh mint sprig
Daiquirí
Glass
Coupette or Cocktail glass (220 ml)
Ingredients
5 cl Bacardi Superior Rum
2.5 cl of fresh limejuice
2 heaped tsp of fine white sugar
Method
Put all ingredients into a shaker, stir untill the sugar has dissolved.
Fill with 1/2 cube ice and 1/2 crushed ice Shake vigorously until chilled.
Double strain into a chilled or frozen glass