opinionated alchemist

In the last year, there has been some change in my life. This isn't so unique - as the pandemic has been challenging for most of us. While the bar was closed and I have been on unpaid leave, I left "my" hotel and joined an independent restaurant (new opening) as GM.  Unfortunately this didn't worked out very well. Hence after half a year I left (close to be totally burnt out) and rejoined my "old hotel" - now not anymore as Bar Operations Manager, but as Beverage Manager. Besides of "hanging out" in the evening behind Noir (again - now even with more emphasis) - my duties are also updating the beverage lists of the other restaurants. The cocktail discussed is for the Levantine restaurant. Now the Levant is the area on and around Lebanon. This area is rich of culinary culture and traditions - but not so much of alcoholic drinks (and yes - Lebanon is a great wine producing country - and they also create arrack... and: especially Beirut is known for t...

I really wanted to do some house-crafted limoncello today, for our Italian restaurant. And instead of zesting lemons, I had the idea of using whole fruits. Yes - usually zests working better - because there is far more surface. However my good friend, the sous-vide immersion circulator helped to cut the time in a fraction of traditional limoncello. The normal procedure of limoncello is: Zest [cleaned] lemons Add them into alcohol Traditionally high proof grain alcohol is used - however using vodka is just fine, if you are regarding the difference in ABV. Obviously in Italy high proof booze is used, as it is in production far cheaper than the refined product 'vodka'. Wait for several weeks [depending on the size of the zest pieces]. Strain and add sugar syrup [depending on the original occurring alcohol strength and the target strength]. Bottle and label. Now - I want to do this procedure as well - with two major differences: I want to use whole lemons - du...

I am not a christmas'y person. Not at all. However I am a business savvy person - and I know, that a lot of people like to come into the mood of xmas with some awesome xmas drinks. In Germany, Austria and Switzerland I can't think of anything [liquid] which expresses more xmas memories like mulled wine. Its warm, spicy, syrup'y smells imbues the air and brings you into the mood of the festive season - if you drink it - well - one brings you into the mood, two are even better, three are taking you off the feet [doesn't mean, that it takes anything away from the mood - maybe only the morning later]. There is no need of using a premix - it is so simple. Use a wine. Don't use a fancy one. A dry, "working day" wine is more than adequate [however you don't want to use bad hooch - it will even worsen your hangover as if you would drink it normal]. You need an orange. You need spices. And sugar. 2 l dry, inexpensive but adequate red wine 10 clov...

We tried today the modified wines from the new Skylite menu, and I have to say, the idea was a strike of geniality. We tried to boost the typical varietal characters of 4 different wines: a chardonnay - which is rather balanced with lesser acidity and some poached pip fruit aromas - we infused this with roasted coconut, poached pears and vanilla a sauvignon blanc - which is acidic, sports greenish exotic fruits - we infused with passion fruit, rock melon and lime zest a merlot - which is round and mellow and has some berry aromas - we infused with raspberries, blueberries and vanilla a cabernet sauvignon - which is spicier and rich - we infused with allspice berries, roasted coffee beans and added some amarena cherry syrup. We poached the pears and vanilla in wine for the chardonnay and let it cool down - the other wines were just "married" with the other ingredients. Everything went then in plastic containers into the vacuum chamber, and Jowell the "chef de ...

Yes - there is another awesome video of Jeffrey Morgenthaler out, with his thoughts about the classic Mint Julep. I think the video is not as timeless as his first one about the daiquiri - but anyway - it rocks. But there is also some more to say about your humble julep... The first you can find is, that julep comes from the Arabic jallab - as they had a drink, made out of grape molasses and dates flavored with flower water [and all]. I think this reference is rather unimportant - you won't always refer to Karl Benz and his first car, if you are talking about a modern automobile, will you? But it is rather essential to understand, that this drink is already quite some time around. It predates the cocktail [1806] easily for at least half a century - maybe even longer. The notion to say, that it is a predecessor of an Old Fashioned cocktail I really cannot share. You have to understand: most cocktails were very similar - smashes, juleps, slings, sours - often only one in...