opinionated alchemist

It seems, that the Mai Tai got quite a revival these days. I seen it on quite a lot of menus - unfortunately in the most despicable recipes and ingredients lists.

Let’s first of all state, what the Mai Tai isn’t: the Mai Tai isn’t your typical tiki drink. For sure - it started in a Tiki restaurant - and it has been the creation of one of the two most iconic Tiki fathers - it was either way Don the Beachcomber or Vic “Trader Vic’s” Bergeron.

And while nobody seems to know, who really have been the first who named their cocktail “Mai Tai” - only Trader Vic provided the iconic recipe, which has been copied, simplified and abused.

Look, the Beachcomber recipe is the typical Tiki drink - which is far too strong, uses far too many ingredients - you get the point. No - this isn’t a rant about Tiki drinks...

Trader Vic’s Mai Tai is a combination of great aged funky rum, quality orange liqueur, orgeat and fresh lime - and maybe a hint of hyper concentrated sugar syrup. That’s it. It is a bit …

People who order Martinis which aren’t bone dry probably eat also children.

People who order and drink Martinis which aren’t extra dry, probably have no taste buds.

People... dammit - just don’t drink your Martini cocktail wet!!!


Since a couple of years you hear and read, that XYZ bartender is doing a Martini which has more vermouth in. Sometimes ⅓ vermouth - and now there are even so-named bartenders, which suggest a 50:50 Martini cocktail.

Their arguments sound totally reasonable: the cocktail becomes more sessionable (you can drink more than one or two, without ending up in the alley). And the taste (if the drink is made with proper vermouth) improves... All of it though is rubbish!

Look - this “goals” make not a lot of sense. making the martini cocktail more sessionable or “tasty” is like: making a LaFerrari hypercar more tame and practical... or making a fighter jet more luxurious... or making a Carolina Reaper easier to eat. If you don’t get the context it might sound, reasonable …

I have had Mountain Dew Black Label - which I reviewed here. And to be honest, my fears haven’t really substantiated - it has been quite decent.

Today I tried the second variation- “Green Label” - they say it is “crafted green apple and kiwi” - I have no clue, what they mean with crafted. Well - in this case it just turned out to be as expected: it looks and smells and taste more extreme and artificial as original Mountain Dew.
It is really frog green - more acid green than normal Mountain Dew (and this means something). It is really acidic and really sweet. I could not acknowledge anything of the kiwi - except of the quite typical sourness. It seems to taste more like an energy drink, than a soda - and especially it doesn’t taste like anything craft.
I have previously ranted about the decision of Mountain Dew to exploit the popularity of the relatively small craft soda industry - without even the intention to keep the product craft - and this is just a proof of it. 
This time I am n…

There is surprisingly less “soda variety” in the UAE - given, that a big part of the population doesn’t drink alcohol. The sin tax, which has been introduced in late 2017 didn’t helped the “soda game” (and admittedly I have to teeth-gnashingly agree, that it is a good thing: diabetes and other sugar related diseases are in the raise - especially here); but yet in a country, which isn’t “fueled on beer and wine” there not much to choose from. Sure - there is Pepsi and Coca Cola - and their different flavors and products. But even my loved cherry coke (and strangely enough Pepsi Wild Cherry - I really like it - while I totally reject normal Pepsi) is a rather scare sighting. And yes - there is Canada Dry, Schweppes and Evervess (who needs this??) and occasionally Fevertree...

Being part of the Pepsi-Co empire, Mountain Dew can be found here everywhere. Some specific varieties are though only obtainable in Petrol Stations - and unfortunately unique varieties of any soda (inclusive Cherr…

Ok - not sure if the video was the idea of the guys from Diageo - as Cuervo branding (with Don Julio and Cuervo Tradicionale) seems to be all over it. And to be honest, I am not 100% sure, if I should complain (my intellectual, sophisticated, modern me) or rejoice (my primal, macho, infantile, stupid me).

But hey - why don’t you choose? And comment? Complain - or - Rejoice?



My stupid and primal me also basically insisted, that I make some sexist remarks, e.g. that this Margarita has a milk twist - and I tried not to give way... but it is so hard...

Everything Japanese is a trend - not only 2018 but already a couple of decades. First of all it was just sushi (sashimi etc). Then tempura. Then yakitori. Then Wagyu (and Kobe - for the rich). Then Japanese Whiskies. It seems that the trends from this country never stop to hit mainstream. 
Part of this “trending” are also Japanese ingredients. Again - wasabi was first - over togarashi (and a lot of other stuff) - lately to yuzukosho. 
And I have seen lately quite a lot of cocktails, which use yuzu. 
What is yuzu you might ask:




In short: this is a citrus fruit (hybrid), which growth and is used predominantly in Japan.






Now - if you know me, you already anticipate, that I am a sucker for unique fruits - and yuzu is not an exception. Food which uses yuzu is quite unique.
But here is the issue: there is no point, to buy yuzu fresh (at least not here in the Middle-East). You simply can’t (well - not for a reasonable price - if you don’t need your second kidney, it is your business). 
The us…