By Raul Dias
Paired with everything from the rather neutral vodka
and gin to a more robustly flavoured red wine, and muddled with other fragrant
botanicals like hibiscus and elderflower, the sweetly perfumed lavender blossom
is enjoying a turn at several restaurants and bars across the country, making a
lavender cocktail the perfect springtime tipple. We bring you a serving of a
few such iterations that exude lavender with every sip!
MON CHERI
Imbued with an experimental streak when it comes to his bar, Pranav Mody the restaurant’s manager and mixologist, sends off this rather exotic looking, deep purple-hued cocktail with a generous pour of house-infused lavender-hibiscus vodka, and vanilla, along with a splash of orange liqueur and citrus mix. Adorned with a marigold flower to offset the colour, the drink is the ultimate ode to flower power.
The Sassy Spoon (Nariman Point outlet), Mumbai. Rs600
LAVENDER
ORCHID
As the signature cocktail of the award winning Mediterranean restaurant and bar, this lavender cocktail—that’s the creation of Olive’s bar manager R. Dhanendran—is the refreshing sum of its Grey Goose vodka, lychee, pomegranate and lavender parts. Perfect for spring, the cocktail sees fresh lychee and pomegranate muddled together and then shaken with vodka, house-made lavender syrup, fresh lime juice and ice cubes and served in a cocktail glass with an orchid as a garnish.
Olive Beach, Bengaluru. Rs650
As the signature cocktail of the award winning Mediterranean restaurant and bar, this lavender cocktail—that’s the creation of Olive’s bar manager R. Dhanendran—is the refreshing sum of its Grey Goose vodka, lychee, pomegranate and lavender parts. Perfect for spring, the cocktail sees fresh lychee and pomegranate muddled together and then shaken with vodka, house-made lavender syrup, fresh lime juice and ice cubes and served in a cocktail glass with an orchid as a garnish.
Olive Beach, Bengaluru. Rs650
LAVENDER
DOLL
Even Mumbai’s newest Pan-Asian restaurant seems to be caught up in the lavender maelstrom. Not only is their lavender ice-cream the most in-demand dessert, they say, but another lavender-based creation is surging up the popularity charts as well. Imagined by beverage and cocktail developer Tanai Shirali, this cocktail is made with vodka, sparkling wine and lavender and wild flowers’ extract, with the lavender’s perfume lending a beautiful, sweet-scented complexity to this libation that’s stylishly served up in a champagne flute!
Shizusan, Mumbai. Rs625
Even Mumbai’s newest Pan-Asian restaurant seems to be caught up in the lavender maelstrom. Not only is their lavender ice-cream the most in-demand dessert, they say, but another lavender-based creation is surging up the popularity charts as well. Imagined by beverage and cocktail developer Tanai Shirali, this cocktail is made with vodka, sparkling wine and lavender and wild flowers’ extract, with the lavender’s perfume lending a beautiful, sweet-scented complexity to this libation that’s stylishly served up in a champagne flute!
Shizusan, Mumbai. Rs625
15
BLOOMSBURY
Drawing inspiration from their bestselling Japanese-style deconstructed lavender cheesecake, this Park Street, Kolkata restobar has now come up with a liquid homage to the springtime blossom. A potent blend of homemade flower bitters, gin, tonic with a strong hit of lavender flowers, this cocktail is named 15 Bloomsbury, in memory of the chef and co-founder Urvika Kanoi’s chef school address in London, which had a beautiful lavender garden that would bloom in springtime.
Bodega Cantina-Y-Bar, Kolkata. Rs295
Drawing inspiration from their bestselling Japanese-style deconstructed lavender cheesecake, this Park Street, Kolkata restobar has now come up with a liquid homage to the springtime blossom. A potent blend of homemade flower bitters, gin, tonic with a strong hit of lavender flowers, this cocktail is named 15 Bloomsbury, in memory of the chef and co-founder Urvika Kanoi’s chef school address in London, which had a beautiful lavender garden that would bloom in springtime.
Bodega Cantina-Y-Bar, Kolkata. Rs295
FLORAL
SANGRIA
Taking a rather bold detour from the de rigueur pairing of lavender with vodka or gin, Ema Pereira, head mixologist ‘consciously couples’ a deep garnet red wine with dried lavender blossoms for her floral version of the wine cocktail. Served up in a gin and tonic coupe, bits of muddled apple, a sprig of thyme, and fresh jasmine flowers top it off.
Theory, Mumbai. Rs550
Taking a rather bold detour from the de rigueur pairing of lavender with vodka or gin, Ema Pereira, head mixologist ‘consciously couples’ a deep garnet red wine with dried lavender blossoms for her floral version of the wine cocktail. Served up in a gin and tonic coupe, bits of muddled apple, a sprig of thyme, and fresh jasmine flowers top it off.
Theory, Mumbai. Rs550
GREEN
TEA & LAVENDER MARTINI
A rather subtle mélange of decidedly Eurasian flavours, this martini is made using a special in-house green tea and lemongrass infusion, with thyme and lavender added to accentuate the herbaceous, floral notes. A splash of vodka (in lieu of gin) and lemon juice finishes it off. And just like its sangria counterpart, this martini is jazzed up with the Theory signature garnish of fresh jasmine buds and a few sprigs of thyme.
Theory, Mumbai. Rs860
A rather subtle mélange of decidedly Eurasian flavours, this martini is made using a special in-house green tea and lemongrass infusion, with thyme and lavender added to accentuate the herbaceous, floral notes. A splash of vodka (in lieu of gin) and lemon juice finishes it off. And just like its sangria counterpart, this martini is jazzed up with the Theory signature garnish of fresh jasmine buds and a few sprigs of thyme.
Theory, Mumbai. Rs860
(A shorter, edited version of this article appeared in the 25th February 2017 issue of the Mint Lounge newspaper, India http://www.livemint.com/Leisure/pkGcW8z5s4q0ZGThYCkXaJ/RoundUp-Lust-for-lavender.html)
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