Nothing hits like a relaxing cocktail. Mostly everyone goes for the taste, whether for a punchy bright screw driver to a creamy White Russian. Yet there's a new layer to both cocktail and mocktail culture. That's layering. All of a sudden drinks are both eye catching and flavorful.
Regular contributor and cocktail expert Robert Simonson wrote about this not so mew phenomenom in yesterday's new York Times Food section. Striped drinks are nothing new. They go back to the other turn of the century when the very popular Pousse Cafe or Coffee Pusher was invented. This is a ribboned drink of creme de menthe, grenadine , bourbon and triple sec layered with rum. Then there was the mid Twentieth Century New York Sour, basically a whiskey sour with a top layer or float of red wine.Now a whole new generation of both drinkers and even non drinkers are discovering them. Bartenders are calling them "the fajita effect."One catches the eye of drinkers or diners and then others order it. There is also the social media effect where people are taking picures of these colorful drinks and posting them on different platforms. "There is an aesthetic appeal. " claims Conrad Hayes, the beverage director at the trendy Brooklyn bar Ottava. The result is striking with bright or deeply rich floaters - the layers on top and sinkers - the bottom layers.
The drinks are deceptively easy to make so any home bartender could easily make them. The Brother Wolf, an aperitivo bar in Nashville makes the jaunty Bicicletta. This is soda water layered with Pinot grigio and Italian red bitter liqueur. Another drink that can be served to guests is the Oaxacan Sunrise, which is Mezcal and orange juice blended . Grenadine is the sinker that provides the deep orange base.This is a popular drink at Dante;s in New York.At Paducah ,Kentuckey's Freight House they make the easy to replicate Oh Brother where Are Thou which has layers of bourbon, honey syrup and red wine.There are some bars that will let customers mix their own - which is good practice for those wanting to do this at home. There's Chez Zou in Manhattan,Their concoction Haifa Vice lets drinkers apply their floater themselves. The drink comes in a special glass vessel with two chambers. One is a milk punch, made of rum mango coconut and fruit juices. The other is a mix of Aperol and pomegranate. The orange punch is poured in first , followed by the red float.Lilistar also has a do it yourself drink in a hollowed out passion fruit. Then there are the mock tails at Brooklyns ElNico layered drinks made with yogurt green tea and grapefruit. The floater is beet juice and when combined produces a healthy alternative to an alcoholic beverage.
Layered drinks are becoming popular again. These fun sips are easy to make. Try them at home or at any bar.
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