Jellies in a drink?

no... seriously! 

With cocktails becoming more and more popular and every celebrity chef seemingly an expert in bartending as well as in the kitchen, I thought it time to reveal what’s hot in the drinks world in 2009.

This year has seen a turn towards reinventing old spirits and using some of those lesser know products in the bar to shine. At Mai Tai our bartenders are using products such a Campari (a bitter orange liqueur) and Famous Grouse Whiskey to make some exciting new drinks. This paired with bartenders increasing their knowledge of how chefs treat their ingredients, has produced a very exciting time for the drinks industry.

So what are the new things you might see appearing in your cocktails this summer!

Foams:

Bartenders have started to realise that producing a flavoured foam to sit on the top of your Martini drink can add a new texture, hints of flavour and a creamy top similar to that of a cappuccino.

Jellies:

With some cocktails you want a contrast in flavours to bring out the full wow factor of the ingredients. A

 sweet and sour cocktail plays with the palate but is very hard to accomplish if all ingredients are included in one drink. So bartenders are now producing very sour lime jellies or what we call lime caviar, which are basically small pearls of very sour lime jelly which float on your drink and pop in your mouth when you sip your cocktail.

 

Sorbets:

The same as with the jellies, sorbets are being used to flavour or accompany cocktails in order to give a contrast in texture and temperature while still allowing a balance to the drink.

 

Lining The Rim of glasses:

Everyone has seen a margarita cocktail rimmed with a layer of salt, but now bartenders have realised, why stop there! The classic bloody Mary, a cocktail made from vodka, tomato juice and Tabasco source has been given a new lease of life with a cracked pepper and dried chilli rim, it now packs a real spicy punch! Or a luxurious espresso martini has been made even more glamorous with the martini glass dipped in caramel source!

 

So when you head out to your local cocktail bar ask for something a bit different and see what you get!