Paulo Freitas

So I ended up second on the competition didn't won the trip to Cuba but was very happy anyway here is the recipe: Toreador Habanaro (my modern take on the Hemmingway Daiquiri): 1 1/2 oz Havana Club Anejo Blanco 1 1/2 oz Grapefruit Juice 1/4 oz Lime Juice 1/4 oz Licor 43 1 tsp Vanilla Sugar (or 1/4 oz Vanilla infuse Simple Syrup) 1 dash Angostura bitter Shaken and strained in a cocktail glass with a zest of grapefruit

The one that I'm going to make is a "tweak" on the Hemmingway Special, but using Licor 43 and vanilla sugar instead of the maraschino liqueur, adding some angostura to balance it all (my bookers bottles didn't arrived yet ) I'm in love with this cicktail, but I'm not sure if it is "modern" enough. I think I gonna have to come up with a good history to sell it like so. My other cocktail revolves around Mango, Pink Pepper and Cloves. The competition gonna be this wednesday, gonna keep you informed of the results

Another problem that comes to mind with this technic is that the plastic itself could impart some flavor to the final product

I'm going to compete on the Havana Club Grand Prix and one of the three cocktails that the participants have to make is a modern take on a classic cuban cocktail. That made me think for quite a while... how to make a classic cocktail modern if the trend right now is to go back to the basics? If it was some yars ago it would be easy, just make a Cuba Libretini I made my choice, but what do you think would make the cocktail modern? Molecular Mixology; Ingredients that didn't existed when the cocktail was created; Infusions; New tecnics?

Sweet Lime is the Citrus limetta species of the citrus genus http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Citrus_limetta "Palestine Sweet Limes don't usually show themselves on the grocery store shelves here in the Northwest, but are quite common in other parts of the world. The juice is oddly non-acidic and sweet without being as sweet as an orange. The overall flavor is much lighter, even drinkable straight from the fruit." Don't know in the US, but here in Brazil I can find it pretty much everywhere

Here are some mocktails recipes that cmae to my mind the other day... NO names for them yet as they are preliminary recipes. Waiting feedback for them. Also, if you come up with a name for them, feel free to say so, as I am terrible at naming my children : Recipe 1: 1 1/2 oz mango puree 3/4 oz Ginger syrup 2 oz. Sweet Lime juice 3 drops of Orange Flower Water Shake and strain in cocktail glass, garnish with 3 pink peppers. Recipe 2: 6 strawberries 4 blackberries 3/4 oz rose syrup 2 oz canberry juice Muddle the berries, shake and strain in cocktail glass, garnish with a purple basil leaf with a rose water drop on top of the leaf. Recipe 3: 6 lychees, 3 mint leafs 1 1/2 oz Apple Juice 3/4 oz Grapefruit Juice 2 dashes Angostura bitter Muddle the lychees with the mint, shake and strain in cocktail glass, garnish with a mint leaf and a drop of angostura on its side (yes, i used toby's idea ) Recipe 4: 2 oz Passion Fruit 3/4 oz lemon juice 3 tbsp vanilla sugar 1 oz club soda Shake and strain in a cocktail glass rimmed eith vanilla sugar, add the club soda and garnish with a vanilla stick.

As a bartender I hate when: - people asks for the menu, keep flipping it's page for 2 full minutes before asking for a JW Red Label or a "Bud" type of beer. - when I know that a girl wants to ask for something different and her date/boyfriend/husband ask a vodka+red bull for her. - People ask for little ice wishing I would pour more booze. - People think that asking for "making it a good one" would also earn them more booze. - People keep calling you "pal" the hole night but forget our "friendship" when the tab arrives. As a costumer I hate when: - The bartender thinks I would like more booze instead of a well balanced drink. - People brag about their work experience and don't know how to make an Old Fashioned or a Manhattan - Bartenders/waiters don't know how to explain their menu - Bartenders/waiters wait until you order something from the menu to tell you thay don't have it right now

Amazon doesn't do international shipping for this kind of item. It seems I will have to wait 'till someone goes to the US or Europe and try to smuggle some for me

I think "high end" is dangerous because it could be misunderstood for "top shelf". I guess a top shelf Long Island is way different than what you promotes @ TVH Toby

I think some of us are missing the point: who is going to be reading Kent's piece. As he has stated, it's the general public, so they will not make some of the assumptions we from the business take for granted. For that I back up the neo-classical way of thinking. But that also started a hole new discussion: what WE would like to call OUR moment. Borrowing from the Art world (I'm also a designer), either we let time and history name our movement,but only our grandsons and daughters gonna be around to know the answer; or we first need a manifesto, leaving all this West vs. East Cost or any other type of grudge aside. I just think we should all raise our glasses together in a big toast and start to make history... but that's just my point of view from Brazil, where our cocktail culture go as far (and stops) at margaritas, mojitos and cosmos and 90% of what I serve every night are beers, caipirinhas and something-red bull

The other option that I have is to try a Brazilian brand that tries to look like a Lebanese brand. I was afraid at first but gonna try anyway

It's a shame my first post on eGullet is about bad news I live in Rio, Brazil, and it's really difficult to find some exotic ingredients over here (ok, I can find Açaí berries in every corner, but that's something completely different). Forget about Creme de Violette, Chartreuse, Orange Bitters and a hole plethora of spirits and liqueurs. I came empty handed back from my search for pomegranates... no juice, no molasses, no concentrate, no even the actual fruit itself. I think i have to put my grenadine making plans on hold for now, at least I can find some pomegranates and go through the painstaking process of making fresh pomegranate juice. Meanwhile, I could only find the Lebanese Orange Flower Water from Zeenny. Right know I think it's impossible to get hold of some Monteux bottles or any of the European varieties. Have anyone heard of these Lebanese brand? any directions on proportions compared to the Europeans ones? Time to taste my first batch of ginger syrup