23 February,2023 10:50 AM IST | Mumbai | Sammohinee Ghosh
Bartenders say that working with cocktails requires years of research
It happened over a martini. Back then, I was working as assistant manager at a restaurant called Chopsticks on Linking Road. One day my manager told me that he was putting me in charge of the bar and I was expected to make cocktails, too. I knew how to make cocktails theoretically and he reckoned I would figure out the practical bit. The first order came in almost immediately, before I could open my books and start reading. A gentleman wanted a dry martini. I knew what went into the drink and while the bar had gin, it didn't have any dry vermouth. To substitute the flavour, I took a stirrer and dipped it in a bottle of aperitivo. I wanted to get the flavour without picking up the colour. I, then, stirred the drink with ice, gin and a little bit of white wine. The gentleman liked the drink so much that he ordered another one. My go-to drink is vodka with diet coke. I feel enjoying a cocktail at a bar is too much pressure - for me and the bartender as well.
It wasn't really a drink that inspired me to take up barkeeping as a profession. It was Tom Cruise in the 1988 film, Cocktail that pulled me into it. The jazz, acrobatics and skills involved in it left me enthralled. Now when I think of the film, the character played by Cruise was performing basic flair but it fascinated a 13-year-old. My interest grew further when I met flair bartenders as a young adult. After stepping into this world, I started learning the basics. So initially, it was about the classics and different techniques. A little while later, when I could try my hand at cocktails, I started liking the flavours of fresh ingredients at the bar. I started using flowers and tea a lot. Spiking my favourite iced tea with a shot of gin or vodka felt great. If I happen to hit the bar now I would like some India Pale Ale - my best liked kind of root beer. In the case of a spirit, I would opt for a gin and tonic with lots of ice and some slices of lime.
A classic old fashioned - that's what inspired me to become a mixologist. Our class was at the Trident in Nariman Point in 2017 for a session on food and beverage. That's where this classic drink was introduced to me. A perfectly balanced concoction was created using only three ingredients - bitters, sugar and whiskey. At that moment, I realised what I wanted to do. I wanted to travel and experiment with new cocktail flavours from around the world. For youngsters who are looking to explore this profession, my suggestion is to learn about a new drink every day. Remember to serve others before serving yourself, learn to substitute flavours, and never stop experimenting. Also, don't drink while mixing.
Two drinks piqued my interest in bartending - negroni, and espresso martini. I tasted the drinks as part of a seminar during my hotel management course. The taste and memory of it has stayed with me since. When I drink with friends or colleagues, I prefer a G&T or negroni. Although this field of work doesn't involve rocket science, it demands a certain kind of passion.
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