opinionated alchemist

I am usually not a big fan of mocktails! Really - come to a bar and drink some proper drinks - or just drink water, a soft drink or orange juice [please spare me, with something like watermelon juice or kiwi juice!]. However being a beverage manager of a resort, also included "creative" introductions of alcohol free drinks - and especially in family restaurants, you will sell a lot! So - as you can see on the picture, these are a quite evolutionary type of drink! Basically it is an instant soda pop. You muddle your fruit and/or herb [you can add also some syrups like elderflower or vanilla] - you fill the glass with ice and fill it up with a neutral soda pop base. This contains water, sugar, citric acid, carbon dioxide, a small pinch of salt and a small pinch of bicarbonate of soda. I actually realized, that adding a bit salt and bicarbonate really boost the flavors and make the "pop" sing!  I am using Soda Plus, to carbonate the soda b...

As mentioned in my previous post, we are opening a restaurant with a Tiki beverage concept [please don't check for grammar mistakes or alike - I really try to keep you in the loop - though haven't got the usual time, to write up a perfect piece]. Due to the fact, that it was revealed not so long time ago, that the concept is changed to Tiki and the a rather busy holiday season, I could not prepare the infusions for Falernum, Allspice Dram and alike. However I am pretty good in putting 'a' and 'b' together... There is a version in the internets, which features to blend the ingredients for an allspice dram. Neat and interesting. Further Dave Arnold's rapid cavitation infusion would be also a way to go. Now the first concept usually works quite well. However the liquid is a bit cloudy - it is quite difficult to strain the blended pieces of botanical as well. And also the second concept works - however through rapid cavitations, aromas usually are far...

Ok - folks, as always an apology! It have been quiet around here. Yes - my work-life balance actually totally broke down. Festive season - a wine trip to Italy [well - this was at least a bit of life - nice trip though and nice wines... let me know, if you want to learn more about it]. Anyway - I am back... that means, not completely - I am just standing before a rather big challenge - another opening of a restaurant with a challenging beverage concept: tiki cocktails. If you have been more than once, you might have had the notion, that I am more like a classic cocktail kind of guy. Yes - I love to do something new - but always on rather simple cocktails with few ingredients.  Tiki is not necessary right in my alley. However my style formed working almost 2 decades in the beverage business. And yes - I did my fair share of tiki. I will definitely post some picture of the tiki madness. However today, I am dedicating my time and this space for one particular ingredient: banan...