Serious Eats
Making Your Own Cocktail Ingredients
Interest in classic cocktails and creative mixology continues to grow at a phenomenal pace, even as the economy has taken a dive. But as bartenders and home enthusiasts explore new or forgotten products and flavors, it's not unusual that they run into a wall: the range of commercial products, while growing, is still somewhat limited.
In response, these folks are increasingly turning to the kitchen to create their own ingredients--syrups, bitters, liqueurs, and other spirits and mixers that can exponentially expand the number of options available when mixing drinks.
Last summer I chaired a panel discussion at Tales of the Cocktail that touched on making everything from simple infusions to complex liqueurs and compound syrups, and this week--as part of the monthly Mixology Monday cocktail-blog event, this edition hosted at Pegu Blog--nearly 30 bloggers posted the recipes and results of their own explorations into DIY mixology.
While it's not surprising to see people making their own fruit syrups such as grenadine and homemade fruit infusions--the flavor benefits are substantial for a process that's so simple--what became clear from the event is how adventurous bartenders and home enthusiasts are becoming with their ingredients. From homemade vermouth to peppery bitters to house-cured olives for garnishing martinis, the range of ingredients produced by participants is really eye-opening.
When you're mixing drinks for friends, do you stick with store-bought ingredients, or add a homemade touch?
About the author: Paul Clarke blogs about cocktails at The Cocktail Chronicles and writes regularly on spirits and cocktails for Imbibe magazine. He lives in Seattle, where he works as a writer and magazine editor.