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Cocktail Menu / List :: Part I
As I mentioned in my previous post, the opening of Mint is fast approaching. Since I'm the bartender, I created a cocktail menu that balanced new and old. The drinks span a wide range from aperitifs, classic drinks and modern creations. A portion of the menu is dedicated to cocktails with mint as an ingredient. It seems a bit obvious, but when was the last time you had a properly made Mint Julep? The other thing to remember is that the city I'm in hasn't had a good cocktail for years, so it's better to start off walking than running.
The list of cocktails, and why I chose them is as follows:
Mojito: A classic mint based drink and one of my all time favourites. Simplicity rules the Mojito. The drink will use a true Cuban rum, Havana Club Anejo Blanco, fresh mint, simple syrup and a splash of soda. I might think about using Perrier because it works well.
Centaur: This is a brandy and ginger ale based Mojito. I've written about it before so I'll save you the reading, but you can read about it (Centaur Cocktail) if you've missed it.
Lotus Martini: This is a nice gin based martini style drink. It combined gin, mint and lychee fruit syrup. It also has Blue Curacao and grenadine, but they are added to make the purple colour, with little effect on the taste.
Mint Julep: This is another mint based classic and really simple to make. It combines Bourbon (possibly rye), mint, a splash of simple syrup and ice. I'm hoping to serve these in a traditional silver Julep cup, but finding an affordable one is proving difficult. If anyone has a source please let me know.
Mint Fizz: This is a simple, minty drink that uses vodka, creme de menthe and soda water. It's cool and refreshing and a good way to finish off a night after a bucket load of garlic.
If you were paying attention you may have noticed that the first five drinks on the menu each showcase a different spirit. Basically we have a different cocktail for rum, brandy, gin, whisky and vodka. This should cover almost anyone's taste, so long as they like mint. If not there are an additional thirteen cocktails on the menu that might peak their interest.
In the next post I will highlight what are referred to as "Bartender Classics." When I was coming up with them menu, maintaining costs was an important factor, so I couldn't make every cocktail according to Trader Vic, since rum costs a little more these days. But, when I was designing the menu I asked that a number of classic drinks stay true to the original formula, even though the drink will costs a fair bit more. Happily, my new boss is an awesome guy and said I just needed to tell him which drinks they would be, and price them accordingly. As a bartender there is nothing more that I could wish for. The coolest part is that I am allowed to use egg whites, so pretty much anything goes!
175 Comments on Cocktail Menu / List :: Part I
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D -
What city are you in? It's just that I noticed you mentioned a dearth of good cocktails there. I'm remembering it's in Canada, right? (that wold explain the HC rum...)
Cool menu. Looking forward to part II.
Jimmy
Jimmy,
I'm in London, Ontario. It's about two hours from Toronto and an hour and a half from Detroit.
Havana Club is a very good rum and it's unfortunate that it is not available in the US. But if you every visit north or south of the border give it a try.
Darcy
I bartend in Boston and have made the mint julep with the mini silver stein and all that. It's a great drink, but honestly, there is no easy way to get a hold of cheap julep cups. However, they will last forever if you take proper care of them (you can buy silver polish mitts and just clean them every other day or so).
The one drink that you may like to include on your menu is the Whiskey Smash: Bourbon (or rye, or even well aged Canadian Whiskey), simple syrup (to taste, about an ounce or so), 2 lemon slices, mint (two of the bottom stem leaves lightly muddled at the bottom of the glass, and a nice top sprig to garnish the drink, the top three leaf levels or so), and regular and crushed ice.
Preparation: Add Lemon and simple syrup in a pint glass and muddle together (add a dash of water if you wish). Top with the ice in your normal ice bin and pour 11\2 oz. of bourbon or whatever(I like to use Makers' with my customers, but you can keep it cheap with rye, like Old Overholdt, and no one's the wiser). Shake to emulsify and prepare the glass.
Separately, prepare a rocks glass with two sprigs of mint, lightly mashed at the bottom with a muddler (just enough to release the oil). Fill the glass with crushed ice. I have found that the best crushed ice is made with a hand-cranked ice crusher as it makes bigger pieces. The commercial crushed ice or the crushed ice makers have a tendency to make the drink separate with a quickness. No bueno.
Then fill the glass with the shaken liquid and garnish with a smallish mint top.
These things go down like candy. Beware!!
You can also use a simple syrup infused with mint for fun summer cocktails. Make a big ol’ batch of simple syrup and drop a couple of good handfuls of mint that is no good for garnish into the syrup ( I would suggest putting the mint into coffee filters and stapling the whole thing tight so you don’t have to strain it all later!!). Let that sit in a walk-in or regular refidgerator for 4 days to a week (the longer, the better). Then you can give a minty edge to any of your drinks for the mint harvest and you don’t have to feel bad about discarding the mint that you can’t use for garnish.
Good luck on you menu.
James Dorsey, Bartender, Cuchi Cuchi, Cambridge, MA
I'm looking for a small el;ectric or hand cranked ice crusher, if they are still on the market. Anyone know any businesses that carry this item or where one can be purchased? I'm near the Barrie area and about an hour and half from Toronto.
This reply comes about a year later, but hand cranked ice crushers still exist. I found a great one on eBay. The housing is chromed plastic and the workings are stainless steel. It works great and looks good on the bar, too.