The Frog Prince:
The Frog Prince, developed by Lachlan Nyst in 2008 for the Belle Époque Restaurant and Bar in Fortitude Valley
|
|
Muddle
the ginger and cucumber at the bottom of a boston glass. Leave the mint
until last, muddling mint with the stick gives the next drink you
prepare with it a toothpaste trace. Add all liquid ingredients and the
mint, releasing it’s flavor by placing it in one hand and clapping once
before including. Add ice, shake, and fine strain into a martini glass.
Garnish with two cucumber slices.
Cucumber is normally enough to
put most Brisbane dwellers off. Once I’ve convinced my customers to try
this drink however, it is always received well. It is a simple balance
of sweet, sour and strong with the roots, fruit and herbs giving it a
beautiful cooling finish, and the vanilla in the sugar neutralizing
most of the acidity. We frequently would recommend it at Belle as the
perfect pre-dinner cocktail.
| | 
|
The Margarita
An old favourite of mine, yet there are so many different recipes out there. Here's my take, try it for yourself.
|
|
There is a lot of history behind this drink, a lot of stories that
claim to hold the true meaning of the name and taste. My favorite was
of a bartender who had a regular customer, a woman by the name of
Margarita who had a weakness for salt. She would sit at his bar with a
drink in one hand, and the salt bowl in the other. Hence, he created a
drink for her with a salt rim, lest she keep reaching for the bowl. Its
probably not the true original story, but I still like it.
I’ve
heard a lot of different ratios for this drink, but the best people in
the business I have worked with or worked under go for balance; 30
tequila, 30 cointreau and 30 lime or lemon juice. In my recipe below I
opt for lime. Limes are slightly sweeter than lemons, and the overall
taste is one that I prefer. If I were searching for a slightly tarter
variation, I’d go for lemon. I also occasionally add 5 or 10 ml of
simple syrup.
When making this drink behind the bar, I pay attention to
the drinker. A seasoned classic cocktail drinker would have a dryer
palate; a gaggle of girls heading to the club might prefer it on the
sweeter side. That’s the business: pleasing everyone..
| |
|
The Amaretto Sour
It takes a bit of skill to make a truly good Amaretto Sour. This is one of my favourite. I hope you enjoy it! |
|
Alright you lot, heres a good one. A real crowd pleaser, easy as pie,
and the first cocktail I was ever taught. All you need is a bottle of
Amaretto (an almond flavored liqueur), some fresh squeezed lemon juice
and a couple of egg-whites. In a shaker in, pour 60ml of Amaretto, 30ml
of lemon juice and a dash of the egg-white. I was taught to add about
15ml of simple syrup (sugar and water) but I think its sweet enough
without. Add a lot of ice, put the lid on and shake it.
Really give it
hell when you shake, you need to emulsify the egg-white with the other
ingredients. Don’t get freaked out by the egg-white, it creates an
amazing froth and gives the drink an incredible consistency.
Once
you’ve finished shaking the drink is done. You can pour it over ice in
a rocks glass, strain it into a martini glass to impress that special
someone, or drink it straight out of the tin.
| |
|
Cocktail making not your scene? Visit the 2nd Degree Bar & Grill every
Thursday for Cocktail and Karaoke night! Taste our delicious range of
Cocktails or get one of our friendly bartenders to shake up one of your
own recipes.
More recipes available soon from our house bartender!
|
