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y Lauren Mote
One of the most exciting parts of
being a service professional is
hitting a home run with a food
and beverage pairing that not only works
perfectly but transcends your guests’
expectations.
There is a new concept in restaurant
bartending called “The Cocktail
Kitchen.” The aim of this program is to
develop cocktails based on deconstructed
tasting notes and complementary flavour
profiles against composed dishes in order
to achieve super-pairings. The idea was
born as a glass of dry cava was being
paired with lentil fritters. The realization
came about that, using the concept of
deconstructed tasting notes, a cocktail
made with split-yellow-pea infused gin,
sake lees, lemon and wheat beer paired
with the lentil fritters would be so much
more entertaining to the taste buds.
Analysis suggests that regional
fare – local produce, meats and cheese,
as well as local preparation techniques,
pair well with regional libations. What
happens when you pair a glass of Alsace
Riesling with a bowl of choucroute garnie?
Magic. Riesling’s slightly petroleum nose,
high-acid citrus fruits and rich mouth feel
pairs perfectly with the high-acid, braised
cabbage and pork belly of the region from
which it hails. There is a reason why
these pairings work, all you need is the
knowledge.
The role of a chef is to provide a
sensory food experience of thoughtful
combinations of ingredients, needing
to be enhanced only by the addition
of an appropriate beverage. Similarly,
bartenders can provide a sensory
experience within a glass, the character of
which is only enhanced by the addition
of food. It was just a matter of time before
cocktails were built in the same fashion as
culinary creations. This is The Cocktail
Kitchen program – the integration of food
and beverage science.
The Cocktail Kitchen concept has
since become a competition held at The
Refinery in downtown Vancouver. The
contest showcases the talents of both
young and veteran bartenders in front of
a packed room of guests equipped with
score cards and differing palates and
expectations. Each month, a featured
spirit is matched to a regional cuisine
that creates a theme preliminary pairing.
Examples include tequila and Mexico,
for recipes, please see page 124
Cognac and France, gin and India and
sweet vermouth and Italy. What started as
a few notes scribbled down on a cocktail
napkin during a brainstorming session has
now come to fruition. The first Cocktail
Kitchen Series held its finale in February
and The Refinery will host the second
series starting in March 2011.
Ben de Champlain, The Refinery’s
talented chef and lead bartender, has
13 years of cooking experience and
five years of bartending experience. He
represents exactly what the program is
FRISÉe Au LARdoNS SALAD PAirED WiTH A “CHArEnTE” CoCKTAiL
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