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Mezcal Avocado
1 1/2 oz Scorpion Mezcal
3/4 Agwa Coca Leaf Liqueur
1/2 oz Cointreau
1 1/2 oz Fresh Lime Juice
1 oz Agave
1 Teaspoon Honey
1/4 Avocado
1 - 1 1/2 Cups Ice
Put all the ingredients into a blender and blend until smooth. Pour into a tall glass rimmed with The Liquid Chef Dehydrated Cactus-Lemongrass Salt. Garnish with a sprig of basil.
You can toast to your good luck and fortune with this exotic blend of coca leaf, creamy avocado and a subtle sting of Scorpion Mezcal.
VIEW VIDEO
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Gin Shocktail
Shock your tastebuds and electrify your senses with this high voltage cocktail.
3 Koppert Cress Szechuan Buttons
1/4 oz simple syrup
3/4 oz fresh pink grapefruit juice
1/8 oz fresh lime juice
1 1/2 oz Moet & Chandon Imperial Brut
Garnish: orange peel, Koppert Cress Szechuan Buttons, and Koppert Cress Purple Shiso. Pour Champagne into a coupe glass. Muddle the buttons in a cocktail glass then add the rest of the ingredients, ice, shake and double straine into the coupe glass with the champagne and garnish.
For more Koppert Cress Szechuan Button cocktails by Junior Merino, please visit: www.koppertcress.com
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Drinking the World
Welcome to The Cocktail Revolution! New, exciting, wonderful, stimulating, tasty, tangy, creamy, frothy, complex, unusual, thoughtful, icy cold cocktails are making the scene. We're in the Second Golden Age of Cocktails and you ain't seen nuttin' yet! Here at Drinking the World we're going to delve into All Things Cocktail on a regular basis. How To tips, History, the Future of Cocktails, Spotlights on Mixologists, New Spirits, Liqueurs, Ingredients; and of course, Recipes.
Today we're going to put the spotlight on Mixologist and Educator, Junior Merino - The Liquid Chef.
I've known Junior for several years. We first met when I was invited to a food and cocktail event at a small pan-Latin restaurant where he was pouring his cocktail creations with a flair all his own. Junior is always impeccably dressed in smart suits and classy ties, looking like a cross between a GQ model and businessman. I was just getting into the new, premium cocktails that were making the scene and was very impressed. I chatted with Junior off and on all night, taking photos and being a pest. He was gracious, charming, and fun; and he immediately invited me to another event a few days later.
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Best Cocktails Ever
by This is Life in Austin
Last night I went to La Condesa, a luscious Mexican restaurant in the true sense of the word, for a tasting of cocktails. Above the funky interior–a mix of concrete and leather banquettes, unfinished wood and Cuban mural–sits Malverde, a bar that will undoubtedly make a huge impact on Austin nightlife. A glassed-in, patio-surrounded black-concrete floored place for more mature audiences to dance and groove to DJ tunes, Malverde will be to Second Street what The Marq was to Fifth–a breath of fresh air. I’m not comparing Malverde to The Marq, for all The Marq’s charm she’ll never be in the same class as Malverde, but The Marq singlehandedly transformed a forgotten strip of bar–5th & Congress–into a downtown destination. And Malverde will do the same with 2nd & Guadalupe, the Lambert’s corner.
Enough analyzing, let’s get down to the dirty details: the drinks. La Condesa will open next week and we’ll talk more about her then, but for now we must talk drinks, and Malverde. (Lest you be confused by the bar being named “BadGreen,” Malverde is the patron saint of liquor in Mexico)
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La Condesa (continued from February’s Newsletter) by Lani Chun
For the first week of February, Junior Merino found himself in Austin, TX training the bartenders and bar management of La Condesa, which seats about 150 and has a tequila list of over 90 – 100% Blue Agave Tequila and Malverde, which holds 240 (the lounge located on the second floor of La Condesa) to execute his cocktail program. First, he shopped for ingredients such as Texas grapefruits, and other local produce. An intensive 3 day, hands-on training, was given, stressing Junior Merino-The Liquid Chef's philosophy of freshness and consistency while maintaining balance and harmony within cocktails. He trained the bar preps how to properly cut and grill fruit to obtain the full flavor of each product, how to infuse spirits, and how to predetermine the amounts of juicing that needed to be done, as it is done fresh every day. Junior Merino also sampled the cuisine of La Condesa which is based on Mexico City's style of cooking, but with Chef Rene Ortiz's own creative interpretation to give a unique sabor.
To read more about La Condesa click below:
La Condesa Austin
Austin 360
This is Life in Austin
La Condesa Grand Opening on Youtube
Les Merles Blog |
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Featured Liquid Team Member of the Month: by Lani Chun
This month, we turn the spotlight onto The Liquid Team's, Israel Nocelo. The Liquid Chef first encountered Israel in New York at Café Frida almost 4 years ago. He began training with The Liquid Chef and was soon heading events with The Liquid Team. Recently, Israel moved to Philadelphia where he has taken the training and knowledge that was instilled in him and has worked on a creative cocktail menu for Positano Coast and still will find time to head to New York to be apart of The Liquid Team's events. Israel Nocelo also works part-time at Tequila's Restaurant in Philadelphia.
Here is an original recipe by Israel Nocelo that is available at Positano Coast, PA:
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Space
1 oz tabacco infused Leblon Cachaca
1 oz Siembra Azul Reposado Tequila
¼ oz D'Aristi Xtanbentun Mayan Liqueur
¾ oz fresh lime juice
½ oz agave nectar
1 oz Perfect Puree Tamarind Concentrate
Garnish with a dry tobacco leaf
Place all ingredients into a shaker, add ice, shake and strain into a martini glass and place garnish.
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Press Links
Philadelphia Citypaper January 2009
Fox News January 2009
City Paper January 2009
Special Events Feature Cocktail Couture
Hispanic Business November 2008
Womens Wear Daily Lifestyle November 2008
Webstv November 2008
The Record North Jersey August 2008
Bloomberg August 2008
Daily News en Espanol August 2008
City Search August 2008
Artisanal Tonic Water
The New York Times (Shaken & Stirred) July 2008
El Universal June 2008
Food and Wine Magazine April 2008
New York Times March 9th, 2008 |
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Hedge Funds Care: Open Your Hearts to Children Fundraiser by Lani Chun
The Liquid Chef and The Liquid Team are proud supporters of this great foundation, who over the course of 10 years, has raised over $25 million and has donated over 500 grants worldwide to provide treatment, support, prevention, research, and legal advocacy for abused and neglected children.
This will have been the third consecutive year that The Liquid Chef and The Liquid Team participated in this event. The main function for 2009 was to create cocktails for each level of sponsorship for Hedge Funds Care.
Almost 1000 guests were in attendance showing their support and generosity, giving a bit of their hearts for this amazing cause.
Cocktails included:
• The Beautiful Heart: Grey Goose Vodka, lime, Regatta ginger beer, pineapple, fennel, with an absinthe mist
• The Golden Heart: Woodford Reserve, Damiana Liqueur, honey tangerine, maple syrup, and orange bitters
• The Grand Heart: Dewars 12, Domaine de Canton, lime, black pepper syrup
• The Great Big Heart: Hennessy VSOP, Domaine de Canton, Grand Marnier, lemon, pear, Peychaud Bitters
• The Amazing Heart: Patron Tequila Blanco, St Germain, Agave Nectar, Grapefruit Juice, serrano peppers, The Liquid Chef Hibiscus-Rose Salt
• The Heart of Hearts: G'vine Gin, Sloe Gin, raspberry syrup, Pomegranate, egg whites, rhubarb bitters
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The Liquid Chef also donated a home bartender starter kit for the silent auction with items that consisted of:
• Leblon Cachaca
• G'vine Gin
• Moet & Chandon Imperial Brut
• Siembra Azul Tequila
• Domaine de Canton
• St. Germain
• Combier
• Cherry Heering
• The Liquid Chef Salts and Syrups
• The Liquid Chef Barware: Muddler, Strainer, Bar Caddy, Stirrers, Napkins, etc.
• The Liquid Chef Bar Chef Coat with cufflinks and pin
• Just to name a few items |
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Junior Merino the liquid chef
In 2006, Junior Merino created the Liquid Chef as a means of harnessing his talents and knowledge as a mixologist and offer them to the public. The Liquid Chef, Inc. was founded to educate and to show case the artistry and mixability of ingredients and liquors from all over the world. In 2008, Junior Merino added the Liquid Team—a group of highly trained mixologists inspired by his passion.
Always eager to share his extensive knowledge of spirits and ingredients, Junior has been featured in Gourmet, Marie Claire, Time Out, Latina, the New York Times, Women’s Wear Daily, and New York Magazine, among many others, and has appeared on BBC Radio, Martha Stewart Radio and Televisa. He’s currently working on a new show called “The Liquid Chef.”
Philosophy
Balance and harmony are the essential qualities driving the artful execution of an elegant cocktail.
The cocktail should be served with food or any occasion that is uniquely suited to it. Fresh, quality ingredients, the complexity of their flavors, evolve with the collaborative talents of Mixologist and Chef. The result is a perfect pairing of food and drink.
Junior identifies five elements contributing to an enjoyable and memorable cocktail. First—the visual, the beauty of the creation. Second—the scent of the combined ingredients. Third—taste; the harmonious interplay of all parts. Fourth—balance; the creation of something greater than the sum of the parts. Fifth—the human element; the dedication, passion, the knowledge and respect—with out these none of the above would be possible. |
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Services
PRIVATE EVENTS
The Liquid Chef/The Liquid Team offers original cocktail design and staffing for weddings, anniversaries, etc to add that special touch to your event.
CORPORATE EVENTS
The Liquid Chef/The Liquid Team offers original cocktail design for your event, such as holiday parties, corporate launches, etc.
The Liquid Chef offers workshops and seminars on bartending, mixology, liquor history, for your staff.
COCKTAIL DEVELOPMENT
The Liquid Chef will develop signature/specialty cocktails for Liquor brands/Restaurants based on the specifications of the client using ingredients and brands based on the event, needs, season, and
budget for almost any occasion.
SPECIALTY TECHNIQUES
• Molecular
• Fusion of the kitchen and bar
• Various Spherification Techniques
• Suspension
• Airs
• Foams
• Edible cocktails (gelees, marshmallows, Popsicle, etc.)
• Liquid Nitrogen
• Infusions
BRAND DEVELOPMENT
• The Liquid Chef will develop signature cocktails for your brand to aid in placement and sales.
• Will head Demos for press releases and/ or product/brand launch
• Staff training for brand reps and corporate establisments
• Monthly videos with webcast feature, featuring your brand available for purchase
• Will aid with product development flavor proflies and design.
• Aid in designing original concepts for marketing strategies.
• The Liquid Chef/The Liquid Team can develop your concept and execute it around your brand's philosophy
SEMINARS / WORKSHOPS
The Liquid Chef will provide a member from The Liquid Team to head/host seminars on a wide range of categories such as cocktails/brand facts and history, molecular mixology, tastings, edible cocktails, etc.
EXPOS / TRADESHOWS
The Liquid Chef/The Liquid Team will create and/or execute demos, cocktails press events for your brands and corporate accounts.
THE LIQUID TEAM
Hand picked and meticulously trained by The Liquid Chef, these members are available for each function with cocktails created by The Liquid Team/The Liquid Chef.
Please visit www.theliquidchefinc.com for more information. |
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