Today, many bartenders look towards cocktails with a dense, enveloping body. One of the latest trends in mixology is olive oil cocktails. Madness or a sure step of progress?
Modern mixology is an amazing world where bartenders do not shy away from experiments and do everything to surprise a sophisticated guest. Now the trend is cocktails with a dense, enveloping body. Various additives are used for this, including meat broths and even the fat that remains after frying bacon. But unlike animal fats, olive oil will not hit the circulatory system of our body with a huge dose of cholesterol. At the same time, it has a more versatile vegetable taste.
A small amount of this Mediterranean brew with a deep herbaceous and floral taste can breathe new life into long-forgotten cocktails. As practice has shown, olive oil can also inspire creators standing on the other side of the bar. Now it serves as a base ingredient in many new cocktails.
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Perhaps they could have thought of this before, but there was one problem – oil cannot be mixed with water (including alcoholic beverages). Pip Henderson, head bartender at Marvel Bar in Minneapolis, came to the rescue. He suggested a simple and logical solution – to add egg white to the cocktail, which is able to “emulsify” water and oil together. This, in fact, was a revolutionary decision, because for many years there have been cocktails that include a chicken egg. This means that instead of the yolk or a small part of the protein, you can add a little olive oil.
The first olive oil-infused cocktail was Henderson’s Oliveto. Cooking it, in general, is not difficult:
- 60 ml London dry gin
- 20 ml lemon juice
- 10 ml of sugar syrup
- 10 ml Licor 43
- 1 egg white
- 15 ml olive oil
All ingredients must be placed in a shaker, add three ice cubes and shake vigorously for about 2-3 minutes until the ice is completely dissolved. Oliveto is ready and can be poured into a tall wine glass or regular flute.
A good tradition was started. The best thing is that the described principle is suitable for many other oils. There are successful experiments with walnut oil, linseed oil, etc. But back to olive oil. In a short period of time, American bartenders have tried it in many ways. The oil has been found to be a great accompaniment to grassy-flavoured drinks: Fernet Branca, Chartreuse yellow and green. In such cocktails, vodka looks good as a neutral “weighting agent”, greens like basil, as well as all the ingredients of the Dry and Dirty Martini – gin, dry vermouth, olive brine.
Horizons are open. I can only advise developing bartenders and imbibers to break into this movement, try, look for new compromises and do not forget to share their discoveries with those who are thirsty. Finally, I will offer a couple of cocktails in which olive oil has become a worthy resident. In addition, there are cocktails in which protein is not added.
Canary Flip Olive (twist on the Canary Flip cocktail)
- 30 ml yellow Chartreuse
- 30 ml cognac Courvoisier VS
- 15 ml of sugar syrup
- 3 days Fernet Branca
- 1 egg (white)
- 15 ml olive oil
- 1 lemon twist for garnish
Place all ingredients in a shaker and shake without ice for about a minute. Then add 3-4 ice cubes and beat for another 2-3 minutes. Pour the finished cocktail into a flute or wine glass. To compensate for the sweetness of the Chartreuse and make the foam more drinkable, you can add a little black pepper instead of lemon zest. It is good to savor such a cocktail with pistachio biscotti.
Mezzin Wit ‘Ya Cocktail с mescal
- 60 ml of mescal
- 15 ml liqueur St. Germain*
- 15 ml of green Chartreuse
- 15 ml agave nectar
- 30 ml of lime juice
- 2 dashes of olive oil
Shake with ice and garnish with a lime wedge and serrano pepper. Agave Nectar can be replaced with Monnin’s Agave Syrup.
*St. Germain is an elderberry liqueur.
IANTB Olive Oil (без squirrel)
- 60 ml orange juice
- 75 ml mango juice
- 60 ml olive oil
- 60-75 ml gin
- 1-2 tsp light IPA*
Pour fresh juice, oil and gin into a shaker with ice, shake well for 2 minutes. Strain the finished drink into a glass – Irish or cocktail. If desired, you can pour a couple of teaspoons of light IPA beer on top as a “topping”.
* IPA, or India Pale Ale, is a British type of Pale Ale with more hopping than regular ales. It appeared in England in the XNUMXth century, and it was made specifically for the subjects of the empire, who suffered in the territories of India from bad water and nostalgia that gnawed at the soul.