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SAVE THE DATE |
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Junior Merino's Upcoming Appearances:
October 26-31 - Revisit Celebrity Equinox for the Turkey, Greek Isles, and Italian voyage
November 2-6 - USA launch of Celebrity Cruises Silhouette with the Molecular Bar in New York (Bayonne, NJ)
November 7 - Sabores Autenticos de Mexico Gala in New York
November 8-21 - Festival Gourmet of Puerto Vallarta and the Nayarit Riviera - featured food by Junior & Heidi Merino in collaboration with Executive Chefs Eugenio Villafana and Tlaltekiti Rivera and with a cocktail pairing by Master Mixologist Junior Merino at La Casona Hotel
November 23-26 - Launch of Mexico's signature cocktail: El Angel
November 27 - December 1 - The Art of Mixing with Tequila in La Feria Internacional del Libro (FIL) in Guadalajara with La Camara Nacional de la Industria Tequilera
December 4-6 - Gourmex Festival Seminar in San Francisco
December 11-16 - The Molecular Bar Solstice from Fort Lauderdale, the Caribbean to the Riviera Maya
March 2011 2-4 - Charleston Wine and Food Seminar in South Carolina
March 15-18 - Cancun-Riviera Maya Wine and Food Festival
March 15 - Cancun After Dark cocktails
March 16 - Cocktail Reception for Feran Adria
Cancun After Dark cocktails
March 17 - Junior Merino Sunset Cocktails Spectacular on Isla Mujeres
March 18 - The Future of Mixology Seminar @ Le Meridien Hotel |
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EVENTS |
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Happy Hour at the 2011 IFT in New Orleans
By: Lani Chun
Symrise is a global supplier of fragrances, flavorings, cosmetic active ingredients and raw materials, as well as functional ingredients. Clients include manufacturers of perfumes, cosmetics, foods, the pharmaceutical industry and producers of nutritional supplements. With a global market share of about 11%, Symrise is the fourth largest supplier in the fragrances and flavorings market.
The IFT (Institute of Food Technologists) showcases the latest food, science and technological developments. With its 340 presenters, 100 education seminars, 1,200 presentations and an attendee count of around 25,000, IFT is arguably the largest food show in the world.
It was at the IFT Annual Meeting & Food Expo in New Orleans where Symrise and Junior Merino collaborated to create a one of a kind experience for attendees. For two days, Merino hosted a happy hour session on the second floor of Symrise's booth located at the center of the Expo. Symrise's focus was their tropical flavor line consisting of vanilla, citrus, red fruit and onion. Within those parameters, Merino served and demonstrated the cocktails to onlookers and presented each with a one of a kind designed cocktail for attendees to take home.
Cocktails served during the IFT Expo included a Vanilla Mojito, Dragonfly (the signature cocktail of Celebrity Cruises Solstice Class Molecular Bar), a passion fruit cocktail with jalapeno and one with onion. Yes, that's right, onion! Everyone was amazed at his concoctions as Syrmise's booth became the destination point throughout the show.
On the first night of the event, Merino and his team orchestrated cocktails once again, but this time for a cocktail reception at the Royal Sonesta Hotel in which over 120 VIP guests were able to overlook Bourbon Street with Junior's delicious cocktails in hand. Who needs Mardi Gras when you can have a party like this one! |
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La Rosita at the Pisco Porton Launch in Peru
by Lani Chun
As the featured mixologist for the launch party of Pisco Porton in Peru, Junior Merino and The Liquid Team Peru served up a cocktail made with Pisco Porton, roses, rhubarb and sage. Hundreds of guests crowded around the bar for a taste of Junior's creation.
The following day, Merino was taken on a personal tour of the newly opened distillery of Pisco Porton. Here is a bit of information on this great mosto verde pisco made with quebranta, torontel and albilla grapes:
- Distilled to proof (no water added)
- Approximately 15 pounds of grapes go into every bottle of Pisco Portón
- Handcrafted in small batches
- Rested for months to achieve a complex, round flavor
- Never altered by aging in wood, the addition of water or artificial flavors and colors
100% made from must
Read More
Starchefs, Pisco Edition |
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Final Leg of The Molecular Bar Promotional Tour
For the second year running, The Liquid Chef, Inc. and Celebrity Cruises did a promotional tour exposing travel agents across the USA to the Molecular Bar concept as well as the partnership between Celebrity and Junior Merino. Junior and team demonstrated cocktails and held seminars in the final two cities of Wichita and Miami.
Wichita's crowd was for the call center for Celebrity Cruises and over 300 of them were in attendance to have Junior Merino break down this unique partnership and to also explain how the Molecular Bar came to be and the uniqueness of its concept. Merino also explained about mixology in general to a very inquisitive crowd.
The final event was held in a casino in Ft. Lauderdale for over 250 travel agents. While in Ft. Lauderdale, Junior made an appearance on NBC demonstrating a few cocktails from The Molecular Bar: South of the Rio, Coming Up Roses and a nitrogen cocktail with watermelon and cilantro called Xperience the X.
Drink Eat Travel
Celebrity Cruises |
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The Liquid Lab, on the Road with Glazers - Little Rock, AR
Little Rock's 100 most influential bartenders, chefs, and restaurant managers came together at Glazers Distributors office for an 8 hour Liquid Lab. 50 people a day for two days got to experience an abridged version of Merino's famed Liquid Lab session in The Bronx. Bartenders were treated to 5 rounds of blind tasting and cocktail creations, as well as were able to watch Junior demo a few of his signature cocktails such as Coming Up Roses, Alma Blanca, and the Avocado Mezcal cocktail. |
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NEWS |
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El Merino @ San Angel Inn, Mexico City
Recently, Junior traveled to Mexico City's famed restaurant that has been serving guests for nearly 50 years. There, Merino trained bartenders in the art of mixing cocktails and implemented a cocktail that was named El Merino, a blend of chamoy (a condiment used for snacks),fresh mango, tequila (or Mezcal), Grand Marnier, and citrus.
San Angel Inn |
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Drinkable Wednesday: Junior Merino's spirits aren't kid stuff
Seanan Forbes - Chicago Sun Times
Junior Merino trains bartenders and mixologists all over the world, but he still has an ability to make bartending accessible to the rest of us.
Merino can take it to extremes. He serves powdered margaritas in capsules. He'll spend weeks making a tincture of Buddha's hand citron. He dehydrates rum. When Merino travels - which he does a lot - he does so with culinary oils, herbs and spices, all of which he's used. Read More |
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Experto en mixología JUNIOR MERINO Poblano triunfador de Nueva York a Japón, que conserva la sencillez de un buen amigo mexicano.
Pilar Meré - Personae
Hace unos días, tuve la oportunidad de acudir a la presentación del libro del periodista Wilbert Torre, Todo por una manzana, cuyo tema, muy interesante por cierto, está cimentado en su labor periodística de investigación y entrevista para compartirnos la historia de varios mexicanos que han emigrado a Nueva York y han logrado tener éxito internacional. Read More |
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Junior Merino: secretos de un mixólogo
Mariana Castillo - Menumania
Le pedimos a Junior Merino, The Liquid Chef, nos diera algunas claves respecto al tema de la mixología y aquí est´ lo que compartió en entrevista exclusiva para Menumanía: Read More |
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Junior Merino: secretos de un mixólogo
Mariana Castillo - Menumania
Le pedimos a Junior Merino, The Liquid Chef, nos diera algunas claves respecto al tema de la mixología y aquí est´ lo que compartió en entrevista exclusiva para Menumanía: Read More |
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Junior Merino - Artífice de la Mixología
Orgulloso de sus raíces mexicanas, Junior Merino es un verdadero artífice de la mixología y es reconocido a nivel mundial por combinar el hechizo de la cocina mexicana en cocteles de lo más sofisticados. Ha trabajado en Nueva York y Washington poniendo en alto el nombre de nuestro país en lo que se refiere a bebidas destiladas como el pulque, tequila y mezcal transmitiéndole a la gente lo que realmente las bebidas mexicanas ofrecen al mundo. Read More |
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Interview with Heidi Merino
Sara Gorelick - Bar None Drinks
As the saying goes, "behind every great man there is a great woman." Heidi Merino, a member of the Liquid Chef team and wife of master mixologist Junior Merino, takes her place not behind but right next to her husband, and often steals the show with her warm personality. With a colorful background starting in Hawaii, Heidi has traveled the world studying culture, art, theater, food and drink. Her involvement in the Liquid Chef was a progression, starting when she was a ceviche chef at Rayuela, a line cook at Crema and working with Junior part time as an assistant. "When the Liquid Chef became more and more in demand, my husband needed more help," she said. "I decided that I would rather work beside him to support his dreams in making the Liquid Chef Inc a global company which eventually became a reality." Read More |
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New York's Liquid Lab
Sara Gorelick - examiner.com
Think you have what it takes to be a great mixologist but don’t know where to begin? Try your hand at the Liquid Lab, a hands-on, all day session where Liquid Chef Junior Merino and his staff teach their students everything they need to know about the wide world of bartending.
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Cocktail of the Week: Aguacate y Mezcal
Stephanie Nolasco - Noche Latina
April is officially Earth Month, so it only makes sense that we pay tribute to Mother Nature with a succulent drink that's a little verde. While avocado isn't the first ingredient you would think of adding in your cocktail, this creamy fruit from Latin American can give a wonderful thickness to nearly any drink. It's like sipping on a spiked milkshake! For an avocado-themed cocktail, we went to our good friend, world renowned mixologist Junior Merino, and he provided us his Aguacate y Mezcal. His latest creation is an interesting blend of sweet agave nectar, honey, refreshing Combier, and Mexico's notorious mezcal for a powerful kick to your taste buds. In addition, Aguacate y Mezcal features AGWA De Bolivia, also known as "the world's only coca-leaf based liqueur." You can order Aguacate y Mezcal at Macondo in New York City or prepare it at home tonight. Either way, go green! Read More |
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Bebidas moleculares para emborracharse "sanamente"
Maibort Petit - Miami Diario
Junior Merino es uno de los más populares chef líquidos de Nueva York. Vino a Miami a contagiar al público con su sofisticada y pegajosa técnica, que hace que un coctel se convierta en una experiencia molecular inimaginable. Read More |
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The Spirited Traveller: Mezcal's moment in Mexico City
Kara Newman - Reuters, UK
(Reuters.com) - Lucky is the tippler who is Mexico City-bound: there's no shortage of good things to drink here.
Of course, tequila is abundant, as are refreshing beer-based Micheladas. But the tipple of the moment is mezcal, an agave-based spirit similar to tequila, pit-roasted to bring out magnificent smoky tones. Read More |
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Additional Links:
Fresh Origins Microgreens Cocktail Recipes from Junior Merino |
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ABOUT |
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Junior Merino the liquid chef
Junior Merino is arguably the best known mixologist on the planet. Between his commercial ventures, his consulting work with top spirit brands and restaurants around the world, his public appearances judging competitions and teaching; and his unsolicited press mentions, Junior's name and brand — The Liquid Chef, Inc. — have been seen by over 60 million people worldwide.
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 la Mixteca Region 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.
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