Infuse your favourite liquor with a dash of lemon, orange or basil and a delightful cocktail is ready for you to savour. Experts share their take
Yashita Mishra
To beat the heat this season, what can better than some refreshing cocktails? Although classics like LIT, Sex on the Beach and Margarita remain all-time favourites, there are other amazing ones that are unique and transcend the boundary of creativity.
So, what exactly is a cocktail? An alcoholic drink with blend of spirits, mixed with other ingredients such as juices, flavoured syrups, tonic water, shrubs and bitters. Former chef at The Taj, Hyderabad, Somnath Das says, “Cocktails can be very different depending on where you are in the world. Many chefs or bartenders can whip up both the original recipes and their own versions of famous cocktails.”
Mixologist Vijay Prakash believes making a cocktail is ‘very easy’. “One can always include a dash of their favourite alcohol in the juice and cold beverage, isn’t that easy? Especially in the summer, it is difficult to resist a favourite orange, lime and basil-infused drink,” he says. His all-time preferred drink is a ‘delightfully uncomplicated’ glass of gin and tonic! “People who aren’t keen on hard liquors or want something smooth and delicious can start out with cocktails, one of them being a Cosmopolitan or Cosmo, a congenial mix of vodka, a staple in cocktails, and other ingredients like Cointreau, cranberry juice (often paired with vodka) and freshly squeezed or sweetened lime juice,” he adds.
Chef’s favourite
Chef Somnath Das’ favourite cocktail is Frozen Daiquiri — a classic cocktail made by blending white rum, lemon juice and simple syrup with ice. The blending gives the flavours a depth and adds a fun texture to it. Mixologist Vijay Prakash’s favourite drink is a Picante de la Casa, which is made with unique ingredients like Reposado, Agave nectar, red chilli pepper, coriander leaves, jalepenos and fresh lime juice.
While Vijay Prakash prefers Picante de la Casa, Chef Somnath Das’ favourite cocktail is Frozen Daiquiri
Vijay is known to use unconventional ingredients in his cocktails. He gives classic cocktails a creative twist. For instance, he added mangos to a Sangrita, a great addition in this weather.
