Spirits in da house

How the rotovap is creating a flavour revolution

A rotovap is used to separate out compounds to create flavour-packed extracts from raw ingredients. iStock/Getty Images Plus/ surasak petchang photo

The first cocktail I had the pleasure of trying in the recently revamped Library Bar at Toronto’s Fairmont Royal York was the Sacred Beast, a spirit-forward lowball made with bourbon, mezcal, verjus, lapsang souchong tea and habanero.

Before you get to sip, though, the drink puts on a little show. Atop the glass is a slate coaster that entirely covers the cocktail and supports a small nest of steel wool that the bartender ignites to create a “cinnamon explosion”—sparks sprinting through the threads to create a mini-pyrotechnic display and a puff of baking spice smoke.

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’Tini talks

The best gin for Martinis, according to the experts

iStock/Getty Images Plus/ Mustafa Bugra Celik photo

Was it bartender Jerry Thomas, at San Francisco’s Occidental Hotel in the 1860s or was it Tartini di Taggia at New York’s Knickerbocker Hotel in 1911 who invented the Martini? And is it a 5:1 ratio of gin to dry vermouth or equal parts that is the correct recipe these days?

While it seems that the Martini’s origins and recipe are, well, mixed, few cocktails rival the Martini in its ability to showcase the intricate nuances of a spirit, with each ingredient playing a crucial role in crafting the perfect sip. From the classic dry Martini, with its clean, bracing profile, to innovative twists incorporating a spectrum of botanicals and garnishes, gin Martinis provide a platform for both convention and creativity.

We recently chatted with our panel of industry experts to see what gin they’re currently drinking and their preferred Martini specs. The tasting panel for this edition features Evelyn Chick, Chantelle Gabino and Dash Tume from Toronto, Ontario, and Soren Schepkowski, Zoe Bates and Robyn Gray, from Vancouver, B.C.

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Gin Martinez

Adam Dewar photo

Recipe by Robyn Gray (@robynagray)

• 1.5 oz Copperpenny 005 Social Project Gin
• 1.5 oz Cinzano Rosso Vermouth
• 0.25 oz Luxardo Maraschino Liqueur
• 3 dashes Angostura Orange Bitters
• Garnish: orange twist

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Dirty Gin Martini

Photo courtesy of Chantelle Gabino

Recipe by Chantelle Gabino (@chantigabino). Why three olives for garnish? “Because I want an olive at the beginning, middle and end of the drink.”

• 2.25 oz Roku Gin
• 0.75 oz Cocchi Vermouth di Torino Extra Dry Vermouth
• 0.5 to 0.75 oz Cerignola olive brine
• Garnish: lemon zest, 3 olives

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Team behind Published, Bar Susu reveals plans for third Vancouver restaurant space

A Mexican-style cocktail and snacks bar is replacing Novella on Main Street

Get ready for bright orange and teal inside the former Novella space on Main Street, as the crew behind Published and Bar Susu – with some key new additions – are prepping a Mexican-style cocktail and snack bar for a summer launch. Photo by Sarah Annand/courtesy of El Gato Gab Gab

The restaurant space at 2650 Main St is going from coffee to cocktails, with a Mexican twist.

After closing down café by day (and wine bar by night) Novella on April 7, Boxset Collective – the same team behind award-winning Published on Main and Bar Susu – is set to debut a new concept called El Gato Gab Gab this summer.

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