Mim Bar & Restaurant (Aberdeen)

[evo-lution]

I've just completed a drinks menu for a consultancy I'm working on for a new bar-restaurant that's opened near me in Aberdeen, and just wondered if you lovely people would like me to post it up here to have a look at?

I had contributions from Robert Hess, Dave Wondrich and Dale De Groff which I've used for the menu, and also had a contribution from Gary Regan but I didn't think it was right for the menu. It will be included in the second menu we're producing.

Edited August 13, 2008 by evo-lution (log)

[slkinsey]

Please do post.

[evo-lution]

Okay, here's a little info first:

There's two sets of descriptions, as we're producing two menus. The first menu has short, snappy descriptions, whilst the second drinks menu will be in 'book' format, with longer descriptions and more info on the drinks on sale in the bar-restaurant. I'll keep you posted on this as it's developing...

The bar-restaurant is called Mim (pronounced - MEEM), which is the 24th letter of the Arabic alphabet, and means relax/chill. I've signified this by compiling a list of 24 drinks, split in three sections.

The food menu takes influences from all around the world and offers a variety of dishes like curries, sushi, noodle bowls, fish & chips, homemade burgers, soups, and so on, so forth, with its main influences taken from far-eastern/middle-eastern cuisine. I've taken this ideology and transferred it onto the bar, so we're making all our own syrups, brandied cherries, etc, reviving the culinary aspect of bartending.

The first section is called 'The Cities', featuring 8 drinks from some of the worlds most influential cocktail cities (Havana x 2, London, New York, Paris, Florence, Kentucky and Rio De Janeiro).

The second section is called 'The Bartenders', featuring eight drinks created by eight of the world's most foremost drinks authorities (Jerry Thomas, Constantino Ribalagua, Paul Harrington, Dale De Groff, Victor Bergeron, Dick Bradsell, Dave Wondrich and Julio Bermejo).

The third section is called 'Mim Recommends', with eight new drinks that showcase the culinary aspect of bartending, utilising a variety of herbs/spices/flavours, complimenting the food on offer.

[evo-lution]

Foreword

When I was first approached by Shabbi to act as a consultant for his new venture, Mim, it didn’t take me long to realise that this was exactly the sort of person I started Evo-lution to work with. From the off-set, I knew that Mim was exactly what Aberdeen needed, a bar & restaurant with the sole intention of offering a point of difference, but still focusing on what really matters, great food, great service, great music and great drinks. Anyone who’s ever been to Jewel in the Crown will know exactly why I was excited at the prospect at working with Mim.

With the restaurant taking influences from around the globe, I wanted to mimic that ethos with the drinks menu, taking influences from around the world, but still creating a unique point of difference that falls in line with the restaurant offering.

As Mim is the 24th letter in the Arabic alphabet, I’ve signified this number by compiling 24 cocktails that are split into three sections, ‘The Cities…’, ‘The Bartenders…’ and ‘Mim Recommends…’ each signifying all that Mim stands for. I’ve been lucky to have a few drinks given to me by some of the worlds foremost authorities on mixed drinks, and they’ve also given me a little note as to their inspiration behind them, so many thanks to them for their contributions.

Those that know me know that my love for cocktails is serious, so I’ve selected what I like and what I think you should be drinking, with a selection of the finest rum, gin, vodka, tequila, cognac, scotch, bourbon, cachaca and liqueurs around. I’ve selected these brands based on their quality, consistency and the unique subtleties that they lend to the drinks you’ll find listed. As I wouldn’t want to ruin these spirits with second rate mixers and modifiers, all Mim’s juices will be squeezed fresh by hand, and syrups prepared in-house, ensuring that you’ll be drinking the freshest tasting cocktail possible.

All my time and effort has gone into creating and compiling a cocktail list that I feel is right Mim. It’s been an absolute pleasure working with Shabbi and his family, and I hope you enjoy the drinks on this menu as much as I’ve enjoyed compiling and creating them.

Sláinte!

Adam Elmegirab

Evo-lution Bar Consultancy

The Cities

Paris, New York, London, Havana, Rio De Janiero, Florence, Kentucky… Seven cities synonymous with some of the finest cocktails ever created. I’ve selected eight of the most recognisable libations originating from these cities for your delectation.

Mint Julep – Kentucky

The world famous drink of the Kentucky Derby, the Mint Julep is the quintessential Deep South cocktail. Its name derives from the Arabic word ‘julab’, meaning rosewater, and is regarded by many as the pre-cursor to the Cuban Mojito. The oldest known reference was printed in 1803, where it was said it could be made with rum, whiskey and brandy, the latter two being the preferred option nowadays.

Your choice of Bulleit bourbon or Hennessy Fine de Cognac, stirred through crushed ice with gently pressed fresh mint, sugar syrup and, staying true to tradition, served in a tin to keep it as cold as possible.

Bloody Mary - Paris

This is my version of the drink created in 1920 by Fernand Petoit at Harry’s New York Bar in Paris. The drink was named by one of Petoit’s customers, entertainer Roy Barton, after the Bucket of Blood nightclub in Chicago where he once performed. The original Bloody Mary contained only vodka and tomato juice, and it wasn’t until 1933, after Petoit had moved to the United States, that the drink we know today was born.

Our lighter variation on the original calls for Belvedere Cytrus vodka, shaken with fresh cherry tomatoes, basil, lemon juice, red chilli and a pinch of sugar, salt and pepper.

John Collins – London

Considered by many to be an English invention, this refreshing drink was created by John Collins, a waiter at Limmer’s Hotel in London. It even has its own rhyme:

"My name is John Collins, headwaiter at Limmer's,

Corner of Conduit Street, Hanover Square,

My chief occupation is filling brimmers,

For all the young gentlemen frequenters there."

Tanqueray gin shaken with fresh lemon juice and sugar syrup, served over cubed ice and topped with soda.

Caipirinha – Rio de Janiero

Pronounced KYE-PI-REEN-YA, which translates to ‘Little Peasant’, this is a traditional Brazilian cocktail that utilises the national spirit of Brazil, Cachaca, a derivative of rum distilled from sugar cane juice. This is the drink to be sipping if you ever make it to Copacabana beach in Rio De Janiero.

Sagatiba cachaca with muddled fresh lime and sugar syrup, served short over crushed ice.

Mojito – Havana

Arguably the most famous drink in the world and undoubtedly one of the most refreshing, the Mojito was likely invented sometime in the 1800’s after Americans introduced the Mint Julep to Cuban locals. La Bodeguita Del Medio is the bar usually credited with popularising the Mojito, and was where Ernest Hemingway could be found drinking his, “My Mojito in La Bodeguita Del Medio, my Daiquiri in El Floridita.”

‘10 Cane’ rum stirred through crushed ice with gently pressed mint, sugar syrup, fresh lime juice and a splash of soda, served long over crushed ice.

Daiquiri – Havana

The Daiquiri was created by Mr Jennings Cox, an American mining engineer who was working in Santiago, Cuba, in 1896. At the time, foreign visitors did not drink rum, seeing it as a drink of the lower classes. The story goes that Cox had unexpected visitors, and had nothing to hand other than rum, fresh limes and sugar, so he scrawled down a recipe using these ingredients, and named it after Daiquiri, the town that he lived in. El Floridita in Havana has since become the adopted home of the Daiquiri, largely down to Ernest Hemingway.

A light, crisp mix of ‘10 Cane’ rum, fresh lime juice and sugar syrup, shaken until ice cold and served ‘straight up’ or ‘on the rocks’.

Negroni – Florence

This adaptation of the Americano (Campari, sweet vermouth and soda) originated in the 1920’s, after Count Camillo Negroni asked the bartender in the Casoni Bar, Florence, to remove the soda and add a good hit of gin. Thus the Negroni was born. This aperitif cocktail serves three purposes, cleansing the palate, stimulating your appetite and getting you ready for food. Truly the marmite of cocktails, you’ll either love it or hate it, with a finish as long as this list.

Tanqueray, Campari and sweet vermouth stirred over ice and served ‘on the rocks’, before finishing with orange zest.

Mim Martini – New York

The origins of the Martini are debated the world over, although it is largely agreed that it was created at some time during the turn of the last century. The original Martini had a larger emphasis on the vermouth, and as we’re big on flavour, we make our Martini’s at a ratio of 5 to 1, that’s 5 parts gin or vodka to 1 part dry vermouth. A dash of orange bitters is also thrown in to give the drink some added depth.

Your choice of Tanqueray 10 or Belvedere Pure stirred with dry vermouth and orange bitters, served straight up in a chilled cocktail glass.

The Bartenders

Behind every great drink, there’s a great bartender. The next eight drinks were created by some of the most influential bartenders to ever walk the Earth. From Professor Jerry Thomas, who wrote the first bar manual, ‘How to Mix Drinks (A Bartenders Guide),’ in 1862, right up to living legend Dale De Groff, aka King Cocktail and author of ‘The Craft of the Cocktail,’ I’ve reproduced a selection of mixed drinks that were always destined to be classics.

Japanese Cocktail – Jerry Thomas

Professor Jerry Thomas was the author of the oldest bar manual known to man, ‘How to Mix Drinks (A Bartenders Guide)’ in 1862, and is considered as the father of the cocktail. The Japanese Cocktail is one of the few drinks we know for sure he created, and was first printed in the Professor’s second book, ‘The Bartenders Guide’ published in 1887. This is a complex drink, lightly sweetened with a hint of almond and spice.

Our adaptation of Jerry’s recipe uses Hennessy Fine de Cognac, fresh lemon juice, orgeat almond syrup and a dash of sugar syrup, shaken until ice cold and served straight up.

Trader Vic Mai Tai – Victor Bergeron

Undoubtedly one the best tasting drinks in the world, the Trader Vic Mai Tai was created by one of the forefathers of Tiki culture, Victor Bergeron, in 1944, at his Trader Vic’s restaurant in Oakland, USA.

“I was at the service bar in my Oakland restaurant. I took down a bottle of 17-year-old rum, made by J. Wray & Nephew from Jamaica; surprisingly golden in colour, medium bodied, but with the rich pungent flavour particular to the Jamaican blends. The flavour of this great rum wasn't meant to be overpowered with heavy additions of fruit juices and flavourings. I took a fresh lime, added some orange Curacao, a dash of sugar syrup, and a dollop of Orgeat, for its subtle almond flavour. A generous amount of ice and vigorous shaking by hand produced the marriage I was after. Half the lime shell went in for colour. I stuck in a branch of fresh mint and gave the two of them to Eastham and Carrie Guild, friends from Tahiti, who were there that night. Carrie took one sip and said, "Mai Tai - Roa Ae". In Tahitian this means, "Out of This World - The Best". Well, that was that. I named the drink "Mai Tai”

Appleton V/X, fresh lime juice, orange Curacao, orgeat syrup and sugar syrup served short over crushed ice.

Hemingway Daiquiri – Constantino Ribalagua & Ernest Hemingway

The famed novelist, Ernest Hemingway, is associated with a vast array of cocktails, but none more so than the Daiquiri. Whilst Hemingway lived in Cuba he became fascinated with the Daiquiri, although it’s claimed he wasn’t a fan of sugar in his libations. To get over this problem, Constantino Ribalagua, a bartender at Hemingway's favourite haunt El Floridita, created him a Daiquiri to his own taste substituting sugar for maraschino liqueur and adding fresh white grapefruit juice to make it extremely tart. The drink was nicknamed the ‘Papa Doble’. We’ve adapted the original for the modern taste.

‘10 Cane’ rum is shaken with maraschino liqueur, sugar syrup, fresh lime and white grapefruit juices until ice cold and served straight up. The drink is then garnished with a homemade cherry that has been steeped in liqueur.

Anejo Highball – Dale De Groff

The world’s most famous living bartender, New York based Dale De Groff aka King Cocktail, is the author of ‘The Craft of the Cocktail’ and is regarded by many as the man responsible for the success of the Cosmopolitan. Best known for his stint at famed New York bar, the Rainbow Room, and most recently his consultancy work for the Match Bar group in London. Dale’s musings can often be found in a number of magazines and newspapers like the New York Times, Tatler, Glamour, Esquire, GQ and Marie Claire.

“I created the Anejo Highball as a tribute to the great bartenders of Cuba, in particular Constantino Ribalagua from Havana’s El Floridita bar. The Anejo Highball evokes the spiciness of the Caribbean rum drinks; rum, Curacao and lime are the holy trinity of the island-rum drinks”

Pampero Especial Venezuelan rum, orange Curacao, fresh lime juice and Angostura bitters, built over cubed ice and lengthened with spicy ginger beer.

Bramble – Dick Bradsell

If the United Kingdom was looking for their own ‘Dale De Groff’, then this is surely the man. Responsible for training some of the finest bartenders this country has to offer, Bradsell almost single-handedly revived cocktail culture in the UK at ‘Atlantic Bar & Grill’ in Soho, London in the 90’s. He is responsible for many of the modern classics including the Russian Spring Punch, Espresso Martini, Treacle and the Bramble, surely his finest drink to date.

Tanqueray, fresh lemon juice and sugar syrup served short over crushed ice, finished with a float of blackberry liqueur.

Jasmine – Paul Harrington

A former bartender turned architect, Paul Harrington is the author of ‘The Drinks Bible for the 21st Century’. Regarded as one of America’s greatest bartenders, one of a select band that kick-started cocktail culture on the west-coast of the US. The Jasmine was created by Harrington in the 1990’s, for a regular customer named Matt Jasmine, whilst he worked at the ‘Townhouse Bar & Grill’ in Emeryville, California. Based on gin, Harrington has countered the bitter edge of Campari with Cointreau and sugar syrup, whilst fresh lemon juice keeps the drink sharp and refreshing.

Tanqueray, shaken with Campari, Cointreau, fresh lemon juice and sugar syrup, served straight up and finished with orange zest.

Tommy’s Margarita – Julio Bermejo

You’re not a true tequila aficionado if you haven’t heard of Julio Bermejo, the tequila ambassador for the United States, described in the Wall Street Journal as “the epicentre of the tequila revolution.” Bermejo owns and operates Tommy’s Mexican Restaurant in San Francisco, and this is the signature drink which he created to showcase the true beauty of tequila. Bermejo has removed the orange liqueur from the traditional Margarita and replaced it with agave nectar, the natural sap of the agave plant that tequila is made from, which brings out the natural sweetness and complexities found in tequila.

A generous measure of Jose Cuervo Tradicional is shaken with fresh lime juice and agave nectar, and then served ‘straight up’ or ‘on the rocks’ with no salt.

The Tombstone – Dave Wondrich

Dave Wondrich is widely recognised in the drinks industry as the world’s foremost authority on the history of cocktails. With his recently published book, ‘Imbibe – A Salute in Stories and Drinks to the Professor Jerry Thomas’, his work is now being recognised on a much wider scale. Wondrich gave me the recipe for ‘The Tombstone’, as well as a little insight into the origins of the drink.

“I must confess that I stole this drink, but I stole it fair and square. It's really nothing more than Jerry Thomas's basic Whiskey Cocktail, but made with the Demerara sugar syrup I normally use with dark spirits. The name is to commemorate the first time this was served, which was at Jerry Thomas's grave, on the day in 2005 a group of New York bartenders and writers first discovered it.”

Baillie Nicol Jarvie stirred with rich Demerara sugar syrup and a brace of dashes from both Angostura and orange bitters bottles. Served straight up and finished with lemon zest.

Mim Recommends…

Every restaurant & bar should have their own selection of signature cocktails that sets them apart from the rest, and in the following eight, Mim has an offering to be proud of. From Mim’s original signature cocktail, the ‘Mim Fusion’ right up to the ‘Ding Ho’, given to me by drinks historian Robert Hess, aka Drinkboy, I’m sure you’ll agree that these drinks are more than good enough. I’ll let them do the talking.

Mim Fusion

I’ve adapted a drink I created for a drinks competition in early 2008, which I’m now proud to call Mim’s signature cocktail. Based on Gabriel Boudier’s Saffron gin, I’ve added Grand Marnier and orange bitters to accentuate the bitter-sweet notes found in the gin, vanilla sugar syrup for sweetness, and fresh lemon juice to keep the drink sharp and refreshing. On top of this, I’ve lengthened the drink with ginger beer, offering a sweet spice hint that gives the drink yet more depth.

Saffron gin, shaken with Grand Marnier, orange bitters, fresh lemon juice and vanilla sugar syrup, strained over cubed ice and lengthened with ginger beer.

Ding Ho

This drink was given to me by San Francisco based drinks historian, Robert Hess, and is an ideal fit with the offerings of Mim.

“A few weeks back I was in ‘Chopsticks’, a little Chinese restaurant near me where they specialize in ‘Trader Vic Mai Tai’s’ made from scratch. I saw he had an unopened bottle of St. Germain elderflower liqueur on the back shelf. The owner had no idea what to do with it; he just loved the bottle and so bought it. I decided to try to make them up a ‘house specialty’ cocktail to use it in, and so tried a variation of the ‘Mai Tai’ with gin, fresh lime juice and Orgeat syrup. I named it ‘Ding Ho’, since that means in Chinese about the same thing as ‘Mai Tai’ means in Tahitian.”

Tanqueray gin, shaken with St. Germain, fresh lime juice and Orgeat syrup, served short over ice. The drink is then garnished with lime and a homemade cherry that has been steeped in liqueur.

Mediterranean Fizz

Another drink of mine, this time influenced by tastes of the Mediterranean. For the base, I’ve used Ciroc, French vodka distilled from grapes. To accentuate the base spirit, we muddle fresh white grapes to extract their juice, a small handful of fresh basil leaves which offers a hint of pepper, vanilla sugar syrup for sweetness and fresh lemon juice to keep the drink balanced. For the final fizz element, we charge the drink with sparkling water.

Ciroc vodka, shaken with fresh white grapes, basil leaves, vanilla sugar syrup and fresh lemon juice, charged with sparkling water and served long over ice.

Vanilla & Coconut Lassi

Lassi is a traditional Indian beverage, made by mixing yoghurt, water, spices, fruit juice and either sugar or salt. Our adaptation is of the sweetened variety on a base of rum or vodka, and is flavoured with coconut milk, vanilla sugar syrup, fresh lime juice, and a hint of spice. It’s hard to beat an ice-cold beer when accompanying hot food, but this Lassi is a fantastic alternative.

Your choice of Pampero Especial rum or Smirnoff Black Label vodka, shaken with Greek yoghurt, coconut milk, fresh lime juice, vanilla sugar syrup and a hint of saffron and cardamom, served long over ice.

Scotch Missed

I created this drink for the first mixology competition I competed in, and won, in 2005. As it was a rum competition, the influence behind it came from classic Tiki drinks, which I tried to marry with Scottish produce, namely preservatives and whisky. I’ve adapted it for Mim, with the base still being rum, but mellowed with fresh white grapefruit juice, orange marmalade, a dash or two of Angostura bitters and Orgeat syrup. The drink is then finished with flamed cinnamon and a sprig of mint. The name came about as I’d tried to work some Scotch into the recipe, with no success.

Pampero Especial rum stirred through crushed ice with fresh white grapefruit juice, orange marmalade, Orgeat syrup and Angostura bitters, served short over crushed ice.

Pont Des Arts

This is my variation on the classic Champagne Cocktail, consisting of a sugar cube, Angostura bitters and Champagne. Staying true to the original, I’ve adapted the recipe to offer a more aromatic, complex drink with the addition of St. Germain elderflower liqueur, orange, vanilla and a hint of subtle spice, which helps soften the drink and give it more depth. The name came about as I was creating the drink. A song called Pont Des Arts, by one of my favourite bands St. Germain, began playing in the background. I looked into what it meant and found it to be a bridge in Paris, making it the perfect name for a drink consisting of French ingredients.

A sugar cube soaked in orange bitters is dropped into a Champagne flute, before adding Hennessy Fine de Cognac and St. Germain, before lengthening with sparkling wine and lemon zest.

White Orchid

The original White Orchid is a drink I discovered around 3-4 years ago, but for the life of me I cannot remember where. Over the years it’s a drink that I’ve adapted and found to be extremely popular in Aberdeen, whenever I’ve had someone ask for an off-menu drink. An extremely complex drink based on citrus vodka, it hits all the right spots with its main flavour notes being a mix of lemon, orange, vanilla and a hint of chocolate liqueur. The simplest way to describe it would be a floral, sweet taste similar to that of lemon meringue.

Belvedere Cytrus, shaken until ice-cold with Cointreau, white cacao, fresh lemon juice and vanilla sugar syrup, served straight up in a chilled cocktail glass and garnished with an edible flower.

Spiced Whisky Smash

Around 2005, I came across a fantastic drink in London called a ‘Fuego Manzana’ (rum, fresh apple, chilli syrup and lime juice). This inspired me to create a similar drink recognising my background, with Scottish and middle-eastern influences, that would work on its own or as an accompaniment to a variety of dishes. I’ve always been a fan of spiced cuisine, having been brought up with middle-eastern food, so I just had to work out a way of softening the kick of the red chilli I wished to use. Glenmorangie Original has predominant notes of orange and honey, tastes that are prevalent in a number of Asian and middle-eastern dishes and often used to mellow the kick of chilli. With the addition of fresh muddled orange and honey, the ‘Spiced Whisky Smash’ was born.

Fresh orange wedges are muddled with honey and diced de-seeded red chilli, before adding a large helping of Glenmorangie Original, then churning through crushed ice.

Edited August 13, 2008 by evo-lution (log)

[slkinsey]

Interesting list, evo-

Some thoughts and questions...

1. As far as I am aware, the John Collins is made with genever (aka Hollands gin). What you have there would appear to be a Tom Collins.

2. I'm curious about your decision to standardize on Ten Cane rum for your Mojito, Daiquiri and Hemingway. These drinks call for a Cuban-style rum made from molasses, such as Havana Club or Flor de Cana. Ten Cane, being distilled from sugar cane juice and in a different style, would seem to offer a different flavor profile for these drinks. Not that they wouldn't be good, of course, just different. What was your thinking on that?

3. As you point out, Dave's "Tombstone" is more or less JT's "Whiskey Cocktail." To the extent that the Tombstone is different, I thought it was due to the specification of the whiskey (Wild Turkey Rye 101) and the fact that it is shaken rather than stirred. I note that you're making the drink stirred with scotch?

These are nitpicks, of course. I like the list. All hits. No wasted space. Good variety. Something for everyone. Are the stories going to appear on the menu? If there's room, it's a nice touch. What's the cocktail culture like in Aberdeen?

[evo-lution]

1.  As far as I am aware, the John Collins is made with genever (aka Hollands gin).  What you have there would appear to be a Tom Collins.

I had the same belief as you, also believing that a Tom Collins should be made with Old Tom gin. Then I read this article:

http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?.../WIHQ11I5I0.DTL

And that really confused me. So I thought it only right to name the drink after the man who supposedly created the cocktail that is essentially gin, lemon juice, sugar, soda water and ice.

2. I'm curious about your decision to standardize on Ten Cane rum for your Mojito, Daiquiri and Hemingway.  These drinks call for a Cuban-style rum made from molasses, such as Havana Club or Flor de Cana.  Ten Cane, being distilled from sugar cane juice and in a different style, would seem to offer a different flavor profile for these drinks.  Not that they wouldn't be good, of course, just different.  What was your thinking on that?

Two things, first being that I wanted a point of difference with the menu. I tried numerous Mojitos, Daiquiris and Hemingways with a number of white rums, and the drinks with 10 Cane were as good as any I'd tried. I've selected Havana 3 as one of the rums on their back-bar, which the bartenders can use for those who prefer a Cuban-style rum

We also had listing fees in place so had an obligation to use 10 Cane in some drinks on the menu.

3.  As you point out, Dave's "Tombstone" is more or less JT's "Whiskey Cocktail."  To the extent that the Tombstone is different, I thought it was due to the specification of the whiskey (Wild Turkey Rye 101) and the fact that it is shaken rather than stirred.  I note that you're making the drink stirred with scotch?

I did a few tasting sessions with the menu, and every time the stirred Tombstone was preferred to the shaken one. I also tried it with a number of whiskies (Scotch, American, Irish) and the Bailie Nicol Jarvie version was a particular favourite. Again, this offered a point of difference as scotch cocktails are really seen on drinks menus.

Also, in the training of the menu, I used the Whiskey Cocktail, Old Fashioned and The Tombstone to show how one drink is fundamentally the same, but completely different at the same time. As they learnt about the Tombstone, they also learnt about the Old Fashioned and Whiskey Cocktail as well.

So while I haven't stayed true to Dave's original recipe, I've just adapted it for different tastes.

These are nitpicks, of course.    I like the list.  All hits.  No wasted space.  Good variety.  Something for everyone.  Are the stories going to appear on the menu?  If there's room, it's a nice touch.  What's the cocktail culture like in Aberdeen?

Thanks for your comments. The menu is intended to be a base for the bartenders to work from, so they understand the history of the cocktail, where drinks are from (Cities), the people behind the history (Bartenders), and where cocktail culture is going (Mim Recommends).

The stories do feature in one of the menus we're producing. There are two menus, the first has short, snappy, straight-to-the-point descriptions, whilst the second is going to be in a book format, with loads more info on all the products available, basically a 'what's what' of the bar. It'll offer insight into everything stocked on the bar.

The cocktail culture in Aberdeen is constantly evolving, with a few independent bars opening up recently and doing well.

It's quite a strange city, as you've a vast number that work in the oil industry -because of this, Aberdeen has the second highest disposable income in the UK, second only to London - but at the same time there's a huge student populace that study at the cities two universities, so you've got the opposite end of the spectrum where they don't have two pennies to rub together.

Obviously with the two we have a variety of different cultures and nationalities that frequent the city, so if you've got a reputation for doing something well, chances are people that are new to the city will have heard of you from colleagues, etc.

With recent changes to the industry (smoking ban for example), bars have had to up their game to stay ahead of the competition, so it's no surprise to find the bars that have good beer/wine/cocktail lists, or offer food, are doing better than those that don't.

Edited August 13, 2008 by evo-lution (log)

[Penwu]

About the Anejo Highball...I just tried one with the addition of 1/4oz pimento dram (St Elizabeth), and it was really flippin' good. The allspice really fits in well. I tried it because apparently Dale DeGroff originally made them that way:

“Yes..I was probably the only customer left in the USA using Wray & Nephew Pimento Dram at the Rainbow Room in the 1990’s and I used it in the Pilgrim Cocktail the Anejo Highball , my Planters Punch Rainbow Style...among other drinks...but when they pulled it off the market I removed it from my recipes...”

(http://www.smallscreennetwork.com/video/97/anejo/)

[evo-lution]

Review here for those interested.

http://www.pressandjournal.co.uk/Article.a...843857?UserKey=