One of the things that I enjoy most about this gig is exploring the drinks sent to me by readers, both pros and enthusiasts. Today I am happy to share two innovative drinks from Mixologist Jason Walsh.
The first of the two is The Root to Longevity. Its star ingredient is the beet, a rarity in the cocktail world, but a worthy addition to the bar. I've had few beet drinks and this is by far my favorite to date. I think the reason is the way that Walsh has handled it; pureeing it, then pairing it with gin and mint. Once you have a puree the drink is very easy to mix up, so I encourage you to get beyond any preconceptions that this may be a tough drink to make. In fact, it is the culinary influence here that is refreshing because it is not one of those drinks that requires exotic ingredients or $500 worth of equipment... beets and a blender or food processor is all that it takes.
Walsh's other cocktail is called the Sen-Cha Flip. This one is (once again) a simple mix of fresh ingredients and Plymouth Gin. In this case, we are mixing up a flip, meaning egg is involved and if you have an issue with that, I suggest passing on this. However, if you are one of us who enjoys a great flip every now and then, this is an impressive variation. As the name alludes, this drink is made with the Japanese green tea known as Sencha and when this is sweetened, chilled, and paired with Plymouth the result is a frothy sipper with an herbal blend of flavors that wakes up all the senses.
Though these two drinks are decidedly different from one another, I can see Walsh's style in both, as well as the influence of the many bars he has worked at in his 12+ years of bartending. His credentials include many fine New York City establishments including Butai (Japanese), Salinas (Mediterranean), and Le Madri and Lacondo di Bacco (both Italian). This fresh approach to drinks and the intriguing flavor pairings are nothing short of refreshing and it will be interesting to follow him as more of his concoctions are revealed and that will happen soon, as Walsh is working on the launch of a new website at CocktailLogic.com (I'll be sure to remind everyone about the website when it goes live).
Thank you, Jason, for sharing these cocktails with us.
If anyone else has drinks they would like to share, I'm always up for a taste. Simply email me your recipe.
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