Cocktail Menu :: Part IV (Night Caps)

This is the last section of the menu, and of course it is about digestifs or night caps. For the most part sweet and creamy drinks fit into this category, but sometimes bitter drinks also fit into this section. The bitter drinks are usually for people who pulled a Mr. Creosote (Monty Python) and just hogged out on an 18 oz steak. In the case of Mint we are going to stick with some classic cream based drinks, a modern creation and some coffee drinks. Bitters are available if someone needs. See, if the waiter had just offered Mr. Creosote a glass of bitters and not a wafer, then none of that would have happened, or maybe he could have eaten the wafer without the cataclysmic results. Anyway....

Brandy Alexander :: Here’s a classic prohibition favourite. This is a relatively simple drink but it still requires some skill. The trick to this drink is to use good brandy, fresh cream, dark creme de cacao and freshly grated nutmeg. The nutmeg makes the drink, otherwise it tastes like chocolate milk. At Mint we will be using whole nutmeg and using a micro plane grater to dust the top. Also, shaking the drink like hell helps make it light and frothy.

Grasshopper :: This is another old, and simple, cocktail. It’s a simple combination of green creme de menthe and creme de cacao with some table cream. Again, shaking the hell out of it helps. These drinks are a perfect way to end a night, especially if someone dares skip dessert, I can always sell them a sweet creamy cocktail and who doesn’t love mint chocolate chip ice cream? Well, OK, I don’t, but it seems everyone else does.

Rum Kick :: This is a cocktail I created for a RumFest cocktail competition. I didn’t win, but people who have tried the cocktail like it. It’s a simple combination of rum, cold coffee, vanilla and cinnamon. You can read more about it on the Rum Kick page.
 
Specialty Coffee :: I’m not sure these will be big in the summer, but in the fall they sell like hot cakes. The Coffee Nudge is a good one with dark creme de cacao, coffee liqueur and brandy. Splat some whipped cream on top, plop a fluorescent red cherry on top and people love it. OK, I need to find some good cherries, but aside from that coffee is good. The standard coffee drinks are available, including Blueberry Tea and Irish Coffee

I will be adjusting this list based on tastes, but for the most part we expect to sell more cognac, scotch and liqueurs like Navan and Grand Marnier then digestif cocktails.

On a side note, I’ve been working on my timing for the Ramos Gin Fizz and it seems that to be made properly takes about 90 seconds. If I go any faster my wife says I look like a spazz, and it does get a little messy. I’ve been practising in my kitchen so some time may be chopped off once I get behind the bar. This time isn’t too bad considering it needs to be made a certain way.