Beverage

Celebrity chef Kathy Casey’s favorite word is “wow.” She applies it to everything she does: cocktail creation, menu consulting, restaurant development, TV hosting and cookbook writing. She’s the owner of Kathy Casey Food Studios - Liquid Kitchen, a global food, beverage, and concept development and innovation agency.

In an increasingly competitive marketplace, how can restaurant and bar operators serve up that wow factor? “Always do something that is a little bit different, whether it’s a serving vessel, a garnish or an unexpected ingredient. Do something that sets you apart,” Casey says. “For instance, using a tiny wooden clothespin to secure a cocktail garnish; that extra little touch makes it memorable. When it comes to food, a combination of textures, unexpected flavors, and a unique presentation can make it a photo-worthy snap.”  

The difference between a perfect cocktail and a mediocre one often comes down to ice, which, once melted, can account for half of a drink’s volume. With so much riding on frozen water, it’s not surprising that there’s more than a little ice mythology in the mixology world. Add a blender into the equation and it becomes necessary to call on science to make sense of it all.

A sidekick of the comfort food trend, boozy milkshakes are appearing across a broad range of bars and restaurants, from posh clubs to burger chains. The Powder Room in Hollywood, California, offers the Velvet Goldmine, a $500 concoction made with dark chocolate ganache, cognac, English lavender split black bean Tahitian vanilla ice cream and chocolate caramel fudge, topped with fresh whipped cream and edible 23 carat gold flakes. It includes a Swarovski Crystal Nirvana ring for every customer.

Latin America has enjoyed tremendous economic growth over the past several years, led by Paraguay, Panama and Peru, which grew at rates of 11, 9 and 6 percent respectively in 2013. Argentina, Chile, Columbia, Bolivia, Brazil and Mexico have also seen their economies expand and their restaurants and bars fill up with newly affluent customers.

Ask a bar full of “norteamericanos” to name a Latin American cocktail and surely the Margarita will top the list, along with the requisite debates: frozen or on the rocks, salt or no. But go a little deeper—a little father south—and you’ll find some unique cocktails sure to win over customers. And for guests in search of gluten-free indulgences, these drinks are a boon—all are made with brandies or grain-free liqueurs. 

Balsamic vinegar. Arugula. Smoked jalapeno. Blenheim apricots.

Matthew Biancaniello isn't cooking with these ingredients. He's making drinks.

Call him a cocktail chef: a self-taught alchemist who has perfected the art of combining fresh herbs and produce with liquor to make garden-crisp cocktails. Through his company, Eat Your Drink, he now serves as a consultant and bartender for high-profile clients. He shared his expertise on creating and successfully launching an innovative produce cocktail program.

  
The idea of a sweet digestif to round out a meal has gone into overdrive. Bartenders and chefs are teaming up to create after-dinner drinks more decadent than many selections traditionally featured on dessert menus. Whether driven by budget-conscious consumers trying to combine dessert and an after-dinner drink into one indulgence or by calorie-conscious diners believing that it’s better to drink than eat their cake, the trend is taking the sweet cocktail well beyond a simple glass of Bailey’s.

Gourmet syrups and specialty liqueurs can save time and make dessert drinks highly profitable, and sugar-free syrups are also available for lower-calorie or low-sugar dessert cocktails. Imaginative syrup flavors make it easy to serve up dessert martinis like these created by Monin.