By Paul Johnson
How far can any artform go?
Always a knotty problem, but particularly vexing if you're a bartender. How far out can you go with a cocktail? And what makes a great bar into a great bar?
I'm suppose to say that there are no limits, but I really don't know. The web is full of blogs, and I doubt it needs one more, but here I am. For me Booze of the Month is about how far something can go, and when do we say "Wherever our limits are, they are not here."
Please remember: I'm no defeatist. I keep thinking of old painters with their portraits in 1912, just before they saw "Nude Descending A Staircase." What a mind-bender that must have been!
What must it have been like to see Jackson Pollack in the 50's, if you were a conventional painter? One would have thought the avant just became much less guarded.
I've never thought of myself as a conventional bartender. I used herbs before most, fresh ingredients for a long time now, and truly enjoy what I do. I love taking it as far as I can. But even my fellow bartenders who are used to flying at Icarian heights often fall for the same old tricks: like basil and cucumber in gin. Basil leaves and a slice of cucumber muddled into gin makes for a yummy cocktail, but it stopped being the cutting edge more than a decade ago.
Ever seen two white spirits with lime juice and simple syrup? Sure you have, not an idea with the dew still on it. So why is this the tail end of most cocktails on a drink list? Did the bartenders of the Big Apple get rid of all their sour mix (finally!) only to replace it with the fresh version? Is that good enough?
Even for those of you who mix a juice or two with vodka, please realize that sooner or later (in two years? in five years? ten at the latest?) you'll grow tired of the same-old-same-old. Then your palate with develop and yearn for more. You'll want more flavor, Earth will run out of different kinds of juice to mix with your Absolut, and finally want something new and more satisfying. Something better and more exciting.
It's just around the corner. A few years away. You'll want it.
More.
This is what Booze of the Month is all about: authentic flavors, real innovation, for a mature palate. Look for some great infusions, some great recipes, and words of wisdom from some of the best bartenders in New York City.
No comments:
Post a Comment