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Breakfast of Champions
2 oz Castries Peanut Rum Creme
3/4 oz Kahlua
1 Tblsp of Chairman's Reserve Rum
3 oz oat milk
3/4 oz chopped banana
1/2 oz maple syrup grade B
1 tsp golden raisins
Maple-Pecan Cereal
Garnish with Fresh Origins micro orchids please link this website to the word fresh origin
Put all the liquids in a mixing glass and stir until all the ingredients are integrated then pour the milk mixture over the cereal and raisins and garnish with the banana and orchids.
For more recipes please visit Sabores Autenticos de Mexico
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The Liquid Lab
Thank you to everyone that has attended this past year of The Liquid Lab with us. Here are the groups that have attended from this past winter in which we rounded out our primary focus on clear spirits. In May we will be coming back with a focus of the artistry of aging and blending processes. We hope to see everyone who has attended and would like to invite some fresh faces to join the over 200 "labees". If you are a bartender, mixologist, restaurant owner, beverage director, chef, or media and are interested in attending a Lab session, please contact Heidi Merino.
Director of Operations, USA
Cell: 646.418.0655
Email: heidi@theliquidchefinc.com
Fax: 347.602.6421
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This March is the one year anniversary that The Liquid Lab's doors where opened to select individuals, though it has been almost four years in existence... From Junior's private mad scientist stash to a gift to the bartending world, The Liquid Lab has revolutionized the cocktail industry in New York and took Mexico by storm when Alchemix School of Mixology was created. Conceptualized from The Liquid Lab by Junior Merino in 2007, funded by Beam Global Spirits and Wine, and Event-Pro made this dream become a tangible reality in 2008 in which over 720 bartenders all over Mexico were trained in the fine art of Mixology in this transformer "Lab on wheels".
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Alchemix School of Mixology is the first of its kind in the world, with the most advanced technology for cocktail making with its own recording devices that project the "stage" onto 11 large plasmas around the mobile "Lab". To show aging, distillation, and blending processes, Alchemix boasts alambics, barrels, and stills. And like The Liquid Lab here in New York, Alchemix School of Mixology is focused on building awareness and tolerance of all styles of cocktails from classic, to contemporary, from new classics to molecular, Junior Merino- The Liquid Chef will continue to educate those whose thirst for knowledge crosses his path around the world...
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Liquid Lab by Junior Merino 11-01-09 by Carmen Operetta
As I arrived to the Liquid Lab venue, I walked into this corridor that was discretely tucked away in the River dale community of the Bronx. The building had no numerical address on it and you would never imagine what was lying behind those secret doors. Upon entry, your warmly greeted by the host Heidi Merino, which she then introduces you to the staff and asks if you can fill out the paperwork to register with the program. READ MORE
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December
Kathy Hubler, Eleven Madison Park:
Macchu Pisco, house made concord grape and poppy seed syrup, Castries, Whiskey Bitters
"Cool! I thought it was neat to have so much at my disposal to make cocktails with."
Ben Sandrof, Drink, MA:
Leblon, Domaine de Canton, simple syrup, whole egg, angostura bitters
"Great! Got to play with lots of new goodies."
Timothy Monaghan, Hotel Delmano:
Banana Mint, Velvet Falernum, Combier, Chairmans Reserve Rum
"Amazing! Ridiculous! Thorough!"
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Tom Schlesinger-Guidelli, Craigie on Main, MA:
Harrisons & Crosfield Asssam Tea infused La Diablada, Domaine de Canton, Agwa, floral bitters, Cinzano
"It's always good to be reminded not to be afraid of "kitchen" ingredients."
Moses Laboy, Pranna:
Siembra Azul Blanco, gooseberries, Combier, lime juice, grasshopper garnish
"Awesome, educational & an overall great experience and I really enjoyed working with liquid nitrogen!"
Michael Dietsch, A Dash of Bitters:
Scoprion Reposado, Rye, Roi Rene Rouge
"Extremely challenging, but very enjoyable!"
Chantal Martineau, Village Voice & Imbibe:
Leblon, Royal Combier, Harrisons & Crosfield English tea, house made honey syrup
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Quick, Robin, to the Liquidlab! by Michael Dietsch
Two weeks ago, I was in the Riverdale section of da Bronx, getting all mad scientist in Junior Merino's Liquid Lab. Junior's a consultant and former bartender who created the Liquid Lab in a Riverdale apartment, as a facility where he can create and test new recipes for cocktails and food flavored with spirits. The Lab is stocked with thousands of bottles of spirits, liqueurs, mixers, and bitters-many of which are otherwise unavailable in the United States. READ MORE
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Leo Robitschek, Eleven Madison Park:
Chairmans, house made pumpkin spiced syrup, Royal Combier, amargo bitters, whiskey bitters, orange & lemon twist
"Very enjoyable, educational and inspirational! Loved being creative with like minded people!"
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Vitoria Setta, Leblon Cachaca:
Scorpion Blanco, tamarind, thyme, lime, Dainzu Agave Nectar, Dainzu Pasilla & Cinnamon Salt
"Highly educational while fun, interactive, and enjoyable (great food, great spirits, and lots of laughter)!"
Eliceio Mazia, Café Frida:
Habanero infused Siembra Azul, Combier, Dainzu Agave Nectar, lima (Mexican sweet limes)
Orlando Rueda, Café El Portal:
House made pumpkin spiced syrup, Leblon infused with Buddha's hand lemon & bay leaf, lime, Dainzu Pasilla & Cinnamon Salt
John Meyers, The Corner Room Kitchen & Bar, Portland:
Domaine de Canton, Castries, Macchu Pisco infused with pine acorns
"I had no idea what to expect and was blown away. While Junior and I have known each other over the years, it was amazing to watch him in his element."
Dave Catania, Team Spirits Imports:
Siembra Azul Blanco, Royal Combier, Dainzu Agave Nectar, muddled pear, Dainzu Rose syrup
"It was great to see the creative process in action. I was very impressed with what my fellow attendees created. This experience was exceptional and surprising."
Steven Meyers, Ilegal Mezcal:
Castries, Royal Combier, house made pumpkin syrup
"Excellent! Enjoyable! Learned loads- a great day!"
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Mixology: The Sweet Science by Joe DiStefano
Upon entering the Liquid Lab in the Kingsbridge section of the Bronx, one might think that it is the uptown lair of a mad scientist, or perhaps a liquor wholesaler. Despite the vast selection of unusual booze and tons of specialized equipment amassed by cocktail consultant Junior Merino, aka the Liquid Chef and the man behind the lab, there is nothing mad about the lab. Instead it is quite the sane center of experimentation and exploration where acclaimed mixologist and spirits educator Merino teaches daylong mixology workshops. READ MORE
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January
Sade Peters, Johnson & Wales University:
Muddled cherries, cantaloupe, peach, strawberries, apricot, lemon juice, Vita Coco Coconut Water, Dainzu Rose Syrup, Macchu Pisco, passion fruit concentrate, Combier, Blended in a BarBoss
"Amazing! I learned more in this one day than I have in all of my experience in the industry!"
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Michele Buchanan, The Cocktail Hour
Jarritos Mandarin soda, muddled kumquats, Siembra Azul Blanco, Combier
"Junior Merino's Liquid Lab is an excellent training experience for anyone who wants to understand more about spirits and the ingredients that are essential to the modern cocktail. Not only do you get to cross taste several spirits in the same category, you get to work with them in a wide variety of ways. I highly recommend it to anyone who is serious about spirits, whether behind the bar or in hospitality management."
To read more about Michele's experience at The Liquid Lab, please visit:
Chris Cote, Johnson & Wales University & Radisson Hotel, RI:
Regatta Ginger Beer, condensed milk, Domaine de Canton, house made pumpkin spiced syrup, Chairman's Reserve
"The concept of "physical cocktails" was the coolest thing I saw all day... Pisco Sour Marshmallow... Awesome!"
Sherene Cote, Johnson & Wales University:
Leblon infused with kaffir lime leaves and green cardamom, Combier, simple syrup, lemon, rim with Dainzu Cactus & Lemongrass salt
"A very educational experience with an eye opening experience of many different ingredients and Junior gave a good variety of spirits to taste so I was able to taste the difference between different processes."
Josh Kohn, Johnson & Wales University:
Macchu Pisco, Domaine de Canton, orange juice, muddled mango, guava juice
"Learned a lot about mixing ingredients for drinks that wouldn't normally be mixed together."
Brian Warrener, professor @ Johnson & Wales University:
Blood orange juice, muddled lima (sweet Mexican lime), La Diablada, Royal Combier, house made buddha's hand syrup, Koppert Cress Basil Cress
"It would be great if future groups of students could be offered this experience as this was an exceptional experience for these students."
Chris Fierro, Johnson & Wales University & Gracie, RI:
Siembra Azul Reposado, Dainzu Rose Syrup, Dainzu Hibiscus Syrup, lime
"A lot of fun, I learned a lot, tried a ton of new spirits…an overall great experience!"
Ashley Mogyzel, Johnson & Wales University & India Restaurant, RI:
74% chocolate, simple syrup, Castries, heavy cream, Chairman's Reserve infused with spices
"The "nieve" and other techniques Junior demonstrated made this an awesome learning experience."
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Liquid Lab with Junior Merino - an Enlightening Experience
GN Bannerman here. Sometimes the universe comes together in a perfect way, which it did for me recently when I was invited to attend one of Junior Merino's Liquid Labs in Riverdale, NY. Many people might not be familiar with Junior, but I can assure you that he's one to watch. In the four years since he started The Liquid Chef, he's garnered contracts with both Celebrity Cruises and Disney, designing drinks menus, providing infused syrups and rimming salts, and achieving the high honor of being the only mixologist with his name on his own menu at Walt Disney World. Junior's magic comes from his experience working in his family's restaurant, and from his interest in bringing the culinary flavors of indigenous sections of the Americas (he's proudly Mexican-American with dual citizenship) into the bar, using techniques such as sous-vide and CO2 freezing. Therefore it was an honor to be invited to take an all-day course with a select group in Junior's spirit-laden lair, an experience that normally costs $2300. READ MORE
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Scott Goldman, Cadre Noir Imports & Combier Liqueur:
Siembra Azul Blanco infused with buddha's hand lemon, lima juice (sweet Mexican lime), Domaine de Canton, Combier
"Unlike any other dining or drinking experience I've had- the lessons learned, ingredients tasted, all were so unique. This was 4 years of college in one day!"
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John Henry, Pipeline Brands:
Kaffir lime and cardamom infused Leblon, lime, Royal Combier, Domaine de Canton, St. Germain
"It was great "liquid chef-ing" it myself!"
Ana Cristina Enriquez, Grupo Reforma:
Strawberries, Epazote from Fresh Origins, Macchu Pisco, lime, powder Tajin, club soda
"It was really a surprise to find out that I can make cocktails."
Ricardo Palafox, Havana Alma de Cuba:
Chairman's Reserve, lime, muddled blackberries, red cactus pear, simple syrup, Royal Combier
"One of the best experiences in a long time! Junior has amazing knowledge!"
Stacy Lasprogato, LDV Hospitality/Lucy's:
Scorpion Mezcal, maple syrup, house made horchata syrup, lemon, Castries
"Thank you! This was fantastic! The aroma architecture alone was worth it!"
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Junior Merino's Cocktail Lab Brings Together Bartenders for Boozy Experiments, Complete With Lab Coats by Chantal Martineau
If you're a bartender, you've likely heard of Junior Merino's Liquid Lab. If you haven't scored yourself an invite yet, it's well worth it to try, if only for a chance to glimpse the lab itself. The space, accessed via an Old World-y courtyard in Riverdale, houses more booze than most people will ever set eyes on in one place READ MORE
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February
Janet Rhew, Team Spirits Imports/Chairman's Reserve & Castries:
Macchu Pisco, Domaine de Canton, lemon, lime, Dainzu Hibiscus Syrup, Fresh Origins Lemon Balm
"Not from a bartending/mixology background, I felt anxious about sharing my drinks, however, the atmosphere was fun & open and I enjoyed myself immensely. I was surprised by the diversity within each category of spirits for the blind tasting, particularly Tequila and Mezcal."
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Luis Villanueva, Yerba Buena:
Castries, cinnamon powder, house made horchata syrup, heavy cream, star anise
"Awesome experience! Best EVER! The most innovative thing I learned today was that there is STILL a lot to learn."
Richard Ocejo, professor & researcher @ John Jay College, CUNY:
Chairman's Reserve, orange & angostura bitters, Dainzu Agave Nectar, Royal Combier
"Junior and Heidi's food was amazing! Great use of alcohol!"
Mathew Giblin, 42 @ The Ritz Carlton, White Plains:
Leblon, muddled strawberry, Koppert Cress Basil Cress, Dainzu Agave Nectar, Combier, egg white, lemon juice
"Your foams are incredible. Simple concept, great execution."
Edward Henwood, cocktail consultant:
Siembra Azul Anejo, Benedictine, rhubarb bitters, oloroso sherry
"ALCHE-MIX! Your mixology school in Mexico (Alchemix) and what you have going on here is just phenomenal."
German Montenegro, Riazor Blues Bar:
Scorpion Blanco, Dainzu Agave Nectar, Domaine de Canton, muddled cucumber, lime, and raspberries
"Working with herbs and fruits was amazing!"
Adam Fox, Flatiron Lounge:
Leblon, lime, simple syrup, Regatta Ginger Beer, kaffir lime peel, Fresh Origins Rosemary tops
"Wonderful to meet others with an understanding of a balanced cocktail."
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Liquid Courage by Amanda Hathaway
Cocktails have never frightened me. I generally consider them my friends and embrace them warmly when they cross my path - even when it's a cocktail that's at first a stranger to me. After a couple sips, we're fast friends - a few more sips and we might even start singing sea shanties together. In that same group of friends: cocktail ingredients - the pretty bottles, many with cool stories about their origins (which often involve monks, oddly enough) and exotic names. Since reaching LDA (that's industry-speak for "over 21"), these friends have been there for me in good times and bad. Trusted, reliable, comforting and never scary...
And then I met the Liquid Chef. READ MORE
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Eva Lipman, Yerba Buena, Perry St.:
Jalapeno, pineapple juice, muddled green apple, simple syrup, lemon juice, Siembra Azul, Koppert Cress Coriander Cress
"I will be implementing more herbs and seasonal fruits to my establishment."
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Laren Spirer, Serious Eats NY:
Macchu Pisco, Domaine de Canton, Grilled Pineapple Juice, rim with salt & chipotle
"Incredible! It was wonderful to do blind tastings & to gain knowledge by opening my palate. Was great to experiment & learn from others! And your spherical tequila drink was pretty cool."
Adriana Carballido, Café El Portal:
Chairman's Reserve infused with dragon eye & lemon verbena, Dainzu Passion fruit Mixer, Royal Combier, Coconut Milk
"Wonderful! I had a lot of fun and was given a ton of information"
Michael Lester, MS Walker:
Muddled Coquinhos, Decanter Bitters, Leblon infused with Black Cumin, Golden Raisins & Fenugreek Leaves, Castries
"The blind tasting was great! I liked how we tasted through twice to examine nuances."
Tommy Crudup, The Rachel Ray Show:
Siembra Azul Reposado, Roi Rene Rouge, Navan
"JUNIOR! Everything he made was innovative!"
Jack Egan, Hecho en Dumbo:
Scorpion Blanco, Grapefruit juice, Coconut Milk, Lime
"So much fun while learning so much."
Lizzie Asher, Macchu Pisco:
2 oz Leblon infused with Kaffir Lime Leaves, Watermelon juice, Lima (Mexican Sweet Lime) Juice, Dainzu Gomme Syrup
"Using alcohol in food?!"
Erin Williams, Hush Cocktails:
Chorizo infused Scorpion Blanco, Dainzu Hibiscus Syrup, Lime Juice, Dainzu Agave Nectar & Rose Syrup, Dainzu Hibiscus & Rose Salt
"Excellent! Fantastic brands- an interesting exercise in palate education."
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A Trip to the Liquid Lab, Junior Merino's Cocktail School by Laren Spirer
Junior Merino, also known as The Liquid Chef, is a well-known name in the cocktail world. He's developed cocktails for spirit brands and restaurants (including Rayuela, Macondo, and The Modern, among others here in New York). He has also taken his cocktails to the skies on Mexicana Airlines and to the seas by developing custom bars for Celebrity Cruises. READ MORE
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March
Gerry Schweitzer, Leblon Cachaca:
Fresh Origins Tangerine Lace, Strawberries, Leblon, Dainzu Hibiscus Syrup, rimmed with Merino's Hibiscus & Rose Salt
"Fantastic learning experience!."
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Jose Torrella, Jr., InterContinental Hotel:
Macchu Pisco, Dainzu Aloe & Lemongrass Syrup, Rosemary, Combier
"The selection of spirits for the blind tasting makes you learn to taste and that everything tastes different. This was a lifetime event of passion and love for the cocktail."
Justin Fairweather, The New York Grapevine:
Domaine de Canton, Combier, Regatta Ginger Beer, Chairman's Reserve
"Eye opening as I was not familiar with South American Spirits (Latin Spirits)."
Nicolas O'Connor, Apotheke:
Pine Acorn infused La Diablada, Golden Raspberries, Egg Whites, Dainzu Agave Nectar, Lime, Bitters
"Amazing collective work. People working together to create amazing cocktails."
Dennis Luna, The Viceroy, Miami, FL:
Siembra Azul Reposado, Avocado, Lemon, Dainzu Agave Nectar, Orange, Jalapeno, Domaine de Canton, Garnished with Lima & Coriander Cress
"This experience was more than I could have expected, considering what can be accomplished in one day. Great learning experience to share with the world. Totally worth my trip (from Florida)."
Karen Fu, PDT:
Lavender, Rhubarb Bitters, Lemon, Simple Syrup, Leblon
"Excellent and wide range of ingredients, impressive re-tasting of flights, and communal spirit."
Craig Simpson, Apotheke "The Green Hour":
Habanero infused Siembra Azul Blanco, Lime, Dainzu Agave Nectar, Serrano Pepper
"Amazing! I was so engulfed in the experience that I didn't keep proper notes."
Geoffrey Canilao, East Side Social Club & 10 Downing:
Chairman's Reserve, Roi Rene Rouge, Grapefruit, Rosemary, Sea Salt
"A taste bud opening experience. Junior and his group definitely push the envelope and the cocktails experience."
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Junior Merino's (The Liquid Chef) Cocktail Lab
Last month, I was invited to attend Junior merino's cocktail lab in new york. What an experience! The hungriest child in the biggest candy store could not possible have felt the glee I experienced upon entering junior's riverdale office. Shelf after shelf was lined bottles of standard, exotic and homemade cocktail ingredients. There were the usual suspects present: club liquors (hypnotic and the like), and your absolut vodkas and such, but then the selection became more obscure until finally my eyes settled on bottles i knew i'd never seen before. And that was junior's private collection of spirits unavailable for purchase in the united states, which he generously allowed us to sample. One of the highlights of the day for me personally was that I finally got to taste the new Créme Yvette, from the makers of the famed St. Germain. The verdict: it was good, especially in comparison to the slew of recently revived violet liqueurs out there. But it was no st. germain! READ MORE
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Heidi Merino, The Liquid Team:
Scorpion Reposado, Horchata, Koppert Cress Basil Cress, Orange Bell Pepper, Dainzu Gomme Syrup, Royal Combier Payman Bhamani, Life is a Cocktail: Fenugreek infused Leblon, pumpkin spiced syrup, Domaine de Canton, garlic powder, lime, Dainzu Hibiscus & Rose Rim
"Are you kidding me? I've had no experience like this. Totally liberating experience to have EVERY ingredient on call."
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Tobby Cecchini, The New York Times:
Macchu Pisco, watermelon, lemon, dragon fruit juice, Combier, Mexican cinnamon syrup
"Nothing more fun than playing with ingredients all day."
Jan Warren, 10 Downing:
Chairman's Reserve, coconut milk, Royal Combier, orange bitters, cardamom, cacao pod
"Like a kid in a candy store."
Daniel Sanchez, The Liquid Team:
Siembra Azul Blanco, watermelon, dill, meyer lemon, lime, simple syrup
"The most innovative thing was the use of spirits in food. It's very interesting how specific flavors are extracted from the spirits and infused into the food."
Brian Miller, Death & Co.:
Chorizo infused Scorpion Reposado, lime, pomegranate molasses, Koppert Cress Coriander Cress
"Great! Informative!"
Ross Crowley, Casper Square Hotel:
lemon, blueberries, Domaine de Canton, La Diablada
"Intense. A lot of knowledge. Very organized and creative."
Lisa Saitz, Harrah's Atlantic City:
Leblon, Koppert Cress Basil Cress, strawberry, Regatta Ginger Beer, lemon, lime, simple syrup
"Like no other!"
Kyle Richardson, Caesar's Palace Atalantic City:
Dainzu Gomme Syurp, nectarine, Cinnamon, spiced Chairman's Reserve, Combier
"Fantastic learning experience. Will definitely used what I learned!"
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Junior Merino, the Liquid Chef, Hosts First Liquid Lab Session for Creative Mixologists by Lani Chun
The Liquid Lab opened its doors to the first participating group of mixologists, bartenders, and writers that The Liquid Chef, Inc., headed by Junior Merino, the Liquid Chef (pictured), had invited from various establishments all over New York City. Participants included: Amaury Robayo of Macondo, John Pomeroy of Hideout in Brooklyn (and contributing editor to Bar Business Magazine), Sami Silbert of Whiskey Park NYC, Eryn Reece of Louis 649, Justin Noel of Pranna and Contemporary Cocktails, Katherine Martinelli of Starchefs.com and Fernando Lopez of Rayuela. READ MORE
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Related Links
Molcajete News in Spanish
Polished Palate/Spirits of Mexico
New York Bar Show
Key West Bacchanalia
Gourmet Latino
Star Chefs
Expo CDC
Dainzu Gourmet
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Junior Merino the liquid chef
It is no surprise master mixologist Junior Merino The Liquid Chef has built his career on fusing exotic, unexpected flavors: He grew up in the culinary melting-pot of Central Mexico. Beginning when Junior was just 10, his food-loving parents taught him to cook with local produce ranging from indigenous cocoa beans, to pomegranates native to the Middle East, to cilantro, which has Mediterranean roots. Despite all these foods' varied origins, Junior saw that in combination, they created harmony--planting in him an early passion for culinary mestizaje or blending diverse flavors. It's a technique that's helped Junior rise quickly in his field along with his intense work ethic.
READ MORE
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