HT Brunch Game Show: Whose bartending skills are the best?
The one who tests bars via their whiskey sours, the one who prioritises serving the drink more, or the one who keeps it simple? Or, you?
Parthavee Singh, 31
Journalist
The first cocktail you ever made?
An Old Fashioned. Accidentally. The first proper one was a Whiskey Sour with orange twist.
What’s your signature cocktail?
An Old Fashioned, where I use gin infused with dried blue pea flower as the base and grapefruit and thyme as garnish.
At a new bar, you pick a...?
Aperol Spritzer and Gimlet.
A home bartending tip and ingredient you swear by?
Knowing how to serve. Not every drink is meant to be put in a shaker. Ingredient: Spiced aromatic bitters.
Your summer and winter drink?
Moscow mule for summer; and this cocktail with butterfly pea flowers and lavender tea, honey, egg whites and cinnamon, with any white liquor as the base.
Your spirit of choice?
Stranger & Sons and the Kingsmill Pink Gin.
Your favourite bar?
Lair in Vasant Kunj (Delhi).
Harmeet Singh Sabharwal, 36
Merchant exporter
The first cocktail you ever made?
A classic Old Fashioned.
What’s your signature cocktail?
A Whiskey Sour. I replace bourbon with equal measures of gin and grand marnier to give it zesty orange flavour.
At a new bar, you pick a...?
A Whiskey Sour. Any bar that serves a good whiskey sour is a good bar because it’s a really simple drink to make, but can go horribly wrong if not handled well.
A home bartending tip and ingredient you swear by?
Keep your fruits and bitters handy. Add some flair. Ingredient: bitters.
Your summer and winter drink?
Kala khatta mule, my twist on the Moscow Mule; and Mulled Wine, respectively.
Your spirit of choice?
Whatever’s easily available. But, in order: Jack Daniel’s, Johnnie Walker Black Label, Talisker 10 years, Kettle One, Tanqueray.
Your favourite bar?
Sidecar (Delhi) and Soho House (Mumbai).
Tanish Kamlesh Shah, 31
Associated Director, Influencer Marketing & Video Production
The first cocktail you ever made?
Whiskey Sour, and a Watermelon Blueberry Gin n Tonic.
What’s your signature cocktail?
Basil Gin n Tonic and Strawberry Gin n Tonic.
At a new bar, you pick a...?
These days, I’ve switched back to whiskey, so an Old Fashioned.
A home bartending tip and ingredient you swear by?
Keep it simple. Don’t add a lot of syrups or different types of alcohol. All you need is a little planning. Ingredient: fresh water-based fruits for gin.
Your summer and winter drink?
Gin and tonic with watermelon or cucumber; Whiskey Sour/Old Fashioned.
Your spirit of choice?
Jameson and Monkey Shoulder.
Your favourite bar?
Tanjore Kitchen, Dona Deli, (Delhi) and O Pedro (Mumbai).
And the winner is… Tanish Kamlesh Shah
“Use citrus & sugar in the right proportion”
“For using fresh and seasonal ingredients. And, for keeping it simple,” says Varun Sharma, Beverage Head, HOSA, Goa.
“The most important ingredient of any cocktail is the ice. Clear ice works best. So, just boil the water before putting it in ice trays,” says the beverage expert who orders a fresh lime soda or a classic martini to test a bar.
Three ingredients you can work with with ease at home are:
•Mandarin or malta. Just top up it with sparkling wine and you’ll get a mimosa. Citrus and sugar in the right proportion constitute a great cocktail.
•Make a paste with strawberries/cherries/gooseberries and sugar. It’ll add a tanginess.
•Use Indian spices like Anantmool, which smells like vanilla. Cinnamon is another favourite and goes well with whiskey.
Pick the correct glassware: tall glass for a fizzy drink, short otherwise, stemmed for a martini, and a wine glass for mulled wine. Your garnish should be a part of the cocktail.
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From HT Brunch, December 17, 2022
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