| « Friday Foodporn: Coffee Beans | Top Chef Texas, Episode 7: The Most Dangerous Game » |
Drink Mon Dec 19 2011
Holiday Cocktails with Mike Ryan
As head bartender at Sable Kitchen & Bar, this former Violet Hour veteran brings a foodie's flair to the craft cocktail movement. A culinary school grad, Ryan became enamored with bartending while working as a cook at the molecular gastronomy restaurant Moto. Owner Homaro Cantu wanted a cook behind the bar to explore new flavor profiles. Enter Ryan.
A fan of bright, loud, vibrant flavors, Ryan feels his food background gives him a heightened awareness of the relationships between sweet, sour, bitter and booze. His signature is egregious amounts of bitters, bold whiskies and cool savory ingredients that propel a cocktail to the next level.
Winter Whisper (Served hot)
"The idea comes from a cocktail we feature every summer called Speaking in Tongues which has mezcal, fresh strawberries and some deep spice from amaro; this is a modified winter version featuring the tacky, candy-like flavor of freeze-dried strawberries."
1 oz Siete Leguas Tequila Reposado
1 oz Luxardo Amaro
1/2 oz fresh lemon juice
1/2 oz dried strawberry syrup*
2 dashes strawberry-allspice bitters
Preheat Irish Coffee glass or mug with hot water. Heat ingredients over a double boiler, do not heat directly. Dump hot water from glass, add ingredients, top with 3 oz very hot water. Garnish with a tiny pinch of freshly ground allspice.
*Dried Strawberry syrup:
2 cups freeze-dried strawberries
2 cups sugar
Blend dried strawberries and sugar in high-speed blender until well combined. a
Add 2 cups hot water, stir to combine. Strain and chill out.
Cheers!
Picture by Andrea Donadio.
