10 Cool Cocktail Recipes
Fresh and fruity cocktail mixes from across the country
By Kyle Wagner
The principles chefs have been applying for decades to gourmet cuisine have found their way into the world of cocktails. Concepts such as: Keep it simple; Use only the freshest produce; Buy the best ingredients you can afford; Pay attention to details. These ideas are shaking — and stirring — things up at the bar.
"Actually, it's the details that make the cocktails pop," says Eric Simpkins, mixologist for Trois restaurant in Atlanta. "Things like make your own simple syrup, which takes 10 seconds, and use fresh lemon and lime juice instead of sour mix. It's the tiny things that make the biggest difference."
Simpkins believes cocktails are cool again in part because the country's palate has become more sophisticated. "America is getting its taste back for spirits, and since we've been so [positively] challenged on a culinary level, it's only natural that our tastebuds are going to follow," he says.
Adam Seger, CCP (Certified Culinary Professional) and mixologist for the nightclub Nacional 27 in Chicago, sees a trend toward higher expectations. "People are actually drinking less, not more," he says, "but they are going for better quality." Seger points to pioneers in the food world such as Alice Waters. Her use of local ingredients and emphasis on freshness and seasonality has had an influence on the current direction of the cocktail.
"The classics are coming back, but you're seeing more use of fruits, textures through the use of muddling and things like weekly cocktail lists written from what we find at the market," Seger says. "Look for pomegranates and blood oranges [and] fresh cranberries." Muddling, or crushing, fresh fruit such as this allows the fruity flavors to extract into the drink.
Fine dining restaurants across the country are now putting as much time and effort into their cocktail rosters as their regular menus. Even chefs like David Myers at Sona in Los Angeles have their hands in the mix. "Wine is still the ideal drink to have with food," Myers says, "but a cocktail before you dine is the perfect way to set the tone for the night."
Here are 10 cool cocktail recipes sure to do just that, from some of the hottest restaurants across the country. They're arranged by the city of their origin.
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