Miles Macquarrie, beverage director at Kimball House, discusses preservation techniques in cocktails using fresh, local produce. Topics include fruit infusions, cordials, non-alcoholic creations, innovative methods like flavor stacking, diversity of spirits, mahia usage, and collaboration in the bar industry.
Preservation techniques like sous vide and vacuum sealing preserve freshness and flavors of seasonal produce for cocktails.
Innovative uses of by-products, like creating oleosacrum from strawberry tops, enhance cocktail flavors.
Utilizing 'flavor stacking' and fortified wine for preservation intensifies fruity profiles in cocktails, maintaining freshness and depth.
Deep dives
Preserving Ingredients for Future Use
Preserving ingredients like fruit for cocktails involves techniques such as sous vide infusions and vacuum sealing followed by freezing. This method helps in retaining the freshness and flavors of seasonal produce by creating fruit cordials or infusing vermouth with fruits like strawberries or peaches.
Creative Use of By-Products
Exploring innovative uses of by-products like strawberry tops to create extracts or oleosacrum. Experimenting with various preservation methods, they found that extracting strawberry tops with alcohol did not yield the desired taste. However, utilizing strawberry tops with sugar created a flavorful oleosacrum that could enhance cocktails.
Flavor Stacking and Complementary Flavors
Introducing terms like 'flavor stacking' and 'fruit push' to enhance cocktails by combining multiple components of the same fruit or complementary flavors like mahia fig ode v to intensify fruity profiles in drinks. Strategically using fortified wine or liqueurs for fruit preservation to prevent fermentation and improve flavor depth.
Effective Preservation Techniques in Cocktail Making
Preservation techniques like freezing and vacuum sealing ingredients play a crucial role in cocktail preparation. By using a vacuum machine to seal ingredients and storing them in an organized manner, bars can maintain a flavor library for future use without degradation. This method allows for the preservation of delicate ingredients like cucumber juice for specific drinks, ensuring freshness and efficiency in cocktail creation.
Honoring Classic Cocktails with Innovative Twists
Balancing classic cocktail structures with unique techniques and seasonal ingredients offers a new perspective on traditional drinks. By incorporating local components and alternative methods, bartenders can enhance classic recipes while maintaining their integrity. This approach not only adds excitement for guests but also highlights the versatility and adaptability of classic cocktails in diverse bar settings.
Miles Macquarrie, beverage director and partner at Decatur, Georgia’s Kimball House joins Cocktail College for another Techniques episode, this time focusing on the art and science of preservation. Miles’ approach to cocktails is simple on paper, but it relies on years of practice, and hours and hours of prep time during the months of abundance for fresh and local produce. And he’s here today to explain how you can do the very same. Listen on to learn everything you need to know about preservation of fresh produce — and don't forget to like, review, and subscribe!
Kimball House's Transatlantic Recipe
Ingredients
1 ½ ounces London Dry Gin (such as: Plymouth, Greenhook American Dry, Murrell's Row Tulsi Gin)
1 ounce Strawberry Cocchi Americano**
½ ounce Manzanilla Sherry
1 tsp Faccia Brutto Centerbe
Garnish: lemon twist (discard)
Directions
Add all ingredients to a mixing glass with ice.
Strain into a chilled cocktail glass.
Garnish with an express and discard lemon twist.
**Strawberry Cocchi Americano
Ingredients
400 grams strawberries (thinly sliced)
1 bottle Cocchi Americano (750-milliliter)
Directions
Cook for 2 hours sous vide at 140ºF (60ºC)
Rest overnight, refrigerated.
Gently strain through cheesecloth and store in a fresh container or bottle.
