The Bar Chef: A Modern Approach to Cocktails
Frankie Solarik
Language: English
Pages: 101
ISBN: B00C0UME9S
Format: PDF / Kindle (mobi) / ePub
Vanilla-and-hickory smoked Manhattan, anyone? BarChef is a cocktail lounge on Queen Street West in Toronto. Dedicated to the art and science of the cocktail, its beauty lies in the colours and details behind the bar--from apothecary jars filled with bitters and syrups to bell jars and 100-pound blocks of ice. Owner Frankie Solarik holds court in his fedora, chipping ice, talking to patrons (a mix of rockers, hipsters, business people, locals and celebrities) and enjoying his craft thoroughly.
Solarik is a leading figure of the global cocktail renaissance. His book, The Bar Chef, explores the importance of engaging all the senses when creating modernist cocktails. Depth and balance--the ideas behind great wines, and great food and wine pairings--are vital to a magnificent drink. Chapters detail the elements of the set-up, the art and craft of mixology and, of course, include recipes for syrups, infusions, bitters and the cocktails themselves. A chapter for non-alcoholic drinks rounds out the book.
This book is aimed at adventurous mixologists, enthusiasts who want to hone their skills and taste, and who want to experience something of Solarik's genius at home. This book is neither comprehensive nor "general." Rather, it is a carefully curated sampling of Solarik's creations, featuring recipes that are challenging but achievable, and oh so delicious.
water from coupe glass and strain prepared cocktail into glass. Garnish with 3 dollops basil air and remaining basil sprig. Place glass on far left of service plate. Arrange five steel canapé spoons on a serving plate with handles facing outward. Starting from left, place dollop of coconut foam in four of the canapé spoons, using spoon to shape each dollop into a strawberry. Using fine-mesh sieve, dust foam with heavy coat of freeze-dried strawberry. Garnish each with drop of balsamic reduction
once dry. Bake for 8 hours or until dried and pliable. Remove from oven and cool for 5 minutes. When cool enough to handle, flip pan onto another piece of parchment. Very slowly, peel leather from parchment paper, being careful not to tear or stretch leather sheet. Using a 5/8-inch (1.5 cm) ring mould, cut out discs. Dry, spread out in a single layer, at room temperature, for 24 hours. Once dried, they can be stacked with a piece of parchment between each sheet. Store in airtight container at
bell jar. I’ve sold over 3,000 Vanilla and Hickory Smoked Manhattans since the end of 2008, and the most I ever made in one shift was 20. (That’s the kind of night that sends the fire department to the bar to investigate all the smoke.) They smell great, like a campfire. I was aiming for a beautiful smoked rye whiskey taste, which I got, but along with it came this fascinating toasted marsh-mallow flavour. Customers ask me all the time to top the Vanilla and Hickory Smoked Manhattan, and I’ve
zest-side down above surface area of liquid. Using a lighter, warm zest for a few seconds then quickly squeeze to extract the essential oils. Rub rim of glass with zest and drop into cocktail. ORGEAT LIQUEUR ICE 7 oz (210 mL) orgeat liqueur (page 93) Pour orgeat liqueur into ice-cube tray and freeze. BITTER ALMOND AND ORANGE BLOSSOM ICE 1¾ oz (50 mL) Amaretto liqueur 1 oz (30 mL) orange blossom water ⅔ cup (160 mL) water In measuring container, combine Amaretto, orange blossom water and
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