FOOD EDITION
FRENCH 75 Ingredients: Gin, lemon juice,
simple syrup, champagne. Taste: Light, bubbly, with citrus and floral notes. Best for: Those who want a celebratory drink with a touch of class.
Cocktail making is not rocket science but you do have to pay attention to detail “The scientific theme weaves into the cocktails too. They’re very experimental and look and taste wonderful. For instance, customers always ask for ‘the one with the bubble’ – the Hawking’s Big Bang, a blend of dark rum, apricot brandy and fresh lime juice. It arrives at the table with a big bubble on top that you can blow out, which dissolves into smoke. People often ask us to re-bubble the drink because they enjoy popping it so much!” Another cocktail called The Inspiration has an edible paper topper printed with an image of Einstein – it’s a delicious blend of white rum, bergamot and citron liqueur, passion fruit liqueur, fresh lemon juice and foam. “We also have a cocktail dedicated to Marie Curie that’s served with a variety of edible flowers. One eye-catching cocktail, which features purple foam, always causes a ripple of excitement in the bar!” Whether it’s the exciting combinations of texture and flavour that float your boat – or the theatrical presentation – there’s sure to be a cocktail out there with your name on it. And if there isn’t, the time is surely right to invent one.
“You can spend weeks perfecting the way a drink looks and tastes, but you then also need to consider the type of ice you use – crushed or cubes? You have to check how it tastes after 20 minutes to see what it’s like once diluted, right at the end.” La Raza on Rose Crescent is one of the best-loved and longest-established cocktail bars in the city. Its extensive drinks menu caters for a range of tastes, including classic and modern drinks with creativity and flair. Offerings include botanical blends, prohibition-style cocktails and molecular infusions alongside original creations such as Love Island Iced Tea, Spritzwilliam and Papa Don’t Peach – all unique to La Raza’s menu. Distinctive ingredients like sun-blushed tomato vodka, butter-washed bourbon and pear eau de vie set them apart from the standard. The Lab on Regent Street is also rewriting the rules on cocktail creation, giving its drinks a scientific twist using ‘molecular mixology’. This involves using foams, gels, smoke, infusions, tinctures and spherification (creating caviar-like pearls of liquid). Presenting cocktails in beakers, test tubes and other lab-themed glassware creates a theatrical element people love. “The bar’s decor has elements of the American prohibition era, with the science theme running through as well,” says events manager Kerrie Dickson.
DAIQUIRI Ingredients: White rum, fresh lime juice, simple syrup. Taste: Sweet, tart and refreshing with a light rum base. Best for: Fans of rum who enjoy a zesty, citrus-forward cocktail.
PIÑA COLADA Ingredients: White rum, coconut cream, pineapple juice. Taste: Sweet, tropical, creamy. Best for: Anyone who loves tropical, fruity flavours and wants to feel like they’re on holiday!
UNIQUE CONCOCTIONS Dutch, within Turing Locke, puts its own spin on the classics (top)
62 NOVEMBER 2024 CAMBSEDITION.CO.UK
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