The recipe for Lemon Roar 2 or Fig Infused Bourbon, caviar, and Nutella powder is a variation of the drink I submitted for the Bols cocktail competition a few years ago. The main difference is that I used molecular mixology techniques to create a different sensory experience.
Initially, it might seem time-consuming and complicated to do on the spot, but it should not take more than 5 minutes for the drink to be served with the proper preparation. To get the appropriate timing and speed for making more labour-intensive drinks, we should not be doing and expecting everything to be done right away from scratch. If the drinks call for Air, Foam, Caviar, Powder, crushed ice, flavoured syrups, infusions, etc., doing in on the spot will put you so behind that you will never be able to keep up with orders. The same is true if one is hosting a party.
Preparation is the most critical part of making and serving drinks. Imagine you were going to a restaurant for dinner and ordered Caesar salad and a steak; if the chef had to get the lettuce, wash it, chop it, and then defrost the meat, cut it, season it, and cook it, you might as well bring a sleeping bag with you. We have to look at the organization of the food preparation in the kitchen and use it as an example of setting up the bar service the same way.
Once we implement that kind of preparation, any drink’s seeming complexity and labour intensity will be reduced to a minimum. That’s why I believe the kitchen organization is an excellent example of how complex dishes/drinks can be prepared and served on time.
Lemon Roar 2
Fig Infused Bourbon, Caviar, and Nutella Powder
Ingredients
- 1 ½ oz. Fig infused Bulleit Bourbon – 3 min. infusion*
- ¾ oz. Bols Apricot Brandy
- ½ Lemon juice
- 1 ¼ oz. Lychee juice
- Top with Passion fruit foam
- Sprinkle Nutella powder
- Garnish with fig wedge.
- Serve with a side of Bols Strawberry liqueur Caviar, Infused with Lemongrass and Pink Peppercorn syrup.
- Sprinkle on top of the caviar finely cracked Black Tellicherry pepper.
Instructions
*Bourbon infusion – I used the nitrogen cavitation technique. –iSi canister and one N20 cartridge
- Cut a few figs into smaller pieces, put them in the creamer
- Add also 4-5 oz bourbon
- Charge with 1 N20 charger for 500 ml creamer, and shake for 1 min
- Let it rest. The infusion will be done in about 3 min
- Slowly disperse it in a vessel
- Let it rest for 5 minutes for the flavour to develop fully
- Double strain it; I used cheesecloth
- The bourbon has a smooth taste with an aftertaste of figs
Passion fruit foam - the same way to prepare any foam
- 500 ml passion fruit juice
- 0.5% Xanthan gum
- iSi creamer or anything similar
- N2O cartridges
- Caviar - see the post on how to make caviar. The main thing here is to add the alcohol after dissolving the Sodium Alginate if using Basic Spherification.
- Add 2 oz of the Strawberry liqueur to the syrup if using Reverse Specification or after the SA is dissolved for the Basic one.
The caviar can be kept in the fridge for several days and used as needed. The longer you hold it, the less liquid and more jellified it will become.
Lemongrass peppercorn syrup
- Prepare the syrup by simmering water and sugar at a (1:1) ratio; don't boil; otherwise, you will make an inverted syrup.
- Add a spoonful of pink peppercorns and a couple of lemongrass sticks—cut 1/2 inch from the bottom. Discard the leaves as well.
- Simmer for about 5 -10 min.
- Remove it from the stove and let it infuse for 30 minutes. The longer you infuse it, the stronger the flavour.
- Double strain it, especially if you used cracked red peppercorns, before mixing it with the Strawberry liqueur.
- 120 gr Nutella
- 80 gr Tapioca Maltodextrin
Blend it and scrape the sides of the blender occasionally. If it is not powdery enough, add more Maltodextrin. Store in the fridge for a couple of weeks.
Shake the drink with ice and strain it into a cocktail glass. Top with the Foam, sprinkle with Nutella and garnish with a fig wedge. Serve with the caviar on a side and a small spoon.
Notes
I wasn't sure how to name this drink, so I asked Nathan, my younger son, and Lemon Roar it was.
