Raising the Bar

Muse

1. To think or meditate in silence, as on some subject.

2. Archaic. To gaze meditatively or wonderingly.

verb (used with object)

3. To meditate on.

4. To comment thoughtfully or ruminate upon.

Libation

1. A.  The pouring out of wine, etc., in honor of a deity

b.  The liquid so poured out

2. Usually facetious an alcoholic drink

[From Latin lībātiō, from lībāre to pour an offering of drink]

Where does one start, your behind the bar, slammed on a busy night, pouring so many vodka sodas your hands instinctively pour the drink before your know it, your already cashing out the tab and moving to what one would only assume another order for more vodka sodas.  This time someone doesn’t exactly request, that o’ glorious in and out drink of choice by every resident of river north.  This person says this time, he would something bitter, with depth, not something too sweet, but something on it’s own. It’s own identity could be something outshining it’s classic cocktail predecessors. Hell if you have been fortunate to be in this industry, you have probably been that person sitting in front of Chicago’s beverage leaders, asking these outrageous demands.  That person turns away throws something in together comes back and you have your drink, but its more than that, it’s yours, it contents catered to your request sitting in front of you, it’s life depending on your reactions. Yes it’s great just, what I wanted, or no not what I’m looking for but keep trying and you may get it right next time.

Regardless what matters is how you approach the situation and react, producing the final product.  For some this isn’t enough, for some boundaries need to be pushed, new ideas need to be formed. This is why I mention the definitions above. Reflection is the key to discovering new ideas and directions.  A vodka soda only differs from a vodka tonic simply by changing the mixer, or if you can say an Americano only differs from a Negroni by the addition of gin instead of club soda. If you think about it, the only way to advance is to consider what is in front and changing the base components. That doesn’t mean that everything has to be that simple, but for the most part it’s not just about finding exotic ingredients, its taking the core and shaping it to however you desire.  Take lemonade for example, it has always been the crucial training for all bartenders. Master the drink, you can master any cocktail under the sun. If you take the lemon out and switch it with a lime, it becomes limeade. Noticing a pattern? If you take the lemon out and switch it with an orange, and maybe the sugar out, switch the water with tonic, what becomes of the drink?

What inspires us is what we recall upon when put in the situation that requires quick decisions to custom make cocktails. If time spent is on learning how flavors work with each other, and what flavors different ingredients give off, then the possibilities are endless.

For the next couple of weeks, experiments will be conducted during the duration of time spent in the countries we stay in, with the limited resources I have at my disposal. To make my point clear, spirits will be tested in ways to expand their usefulness outside of conventional bartending.  I will use the spirits given as a sort of muse, to learn and expand and make something new, a libation worthy of the best of us. We are in the class to learn, to push new boundaries, to take risks and challenge the conventional. Some of us may not make it in this business, some of us may not even need to try, but as long as one of us learns something extraordinary, then others will follow.