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A Cocktail Revolution By Mckenzie Brown | Photography by Todd Nakashima do,” says Bertrand Bouquin, executive chef of Summit and Penrose Room. one are the days when margarita For him, working in coordination with the mixers ruled and the Pina and creating innovative cocktail pairings GColada was considered exotic. is one of his favorite parts of the job. have come a long way in “When I cook, I imagine everything I recent years, and restaurants and bars have to work with. The possibilities are around the country are shaking up a endless,” he says. fresh approach to the spirited drink. Cocktail pairing, the art of pairing cocktails with food, is more than just the latest craze— Sweet Potato and Pear Soup Created by Bertrand Bouquin it’s the next, natural step in combining the 1 oz unsalted butter gastronomic flavors of the kitchen with what’s 1 white onion, sliced 2 Celery stalks, roughly chopped happening behind the bar. 2 Sweet potatoes (yams), peeled and diced “This is part of catching up to where 1 qt Heavy cream 1 Star anise we were before Prohibition,” says Robert 2 Pears, peeled and diced Leavy, head at Summit. In a large pot, melt butter and add sliced onions, around the country are celery and sweet potatoes. Sweat for about 45 minutes until vegetables are almost tender. Add creating their own spirit infusions cream, star anise and pears. Season to taste. Bring by searching out the highest quality to a boil and simmer for 20 minutes. Pass through a and then thin through a chinois or products from artisanal producers, using strainer. the freshest ingredients and tapping into Sparkling Pear the vast resources of the kitchen. Created by Robert Leavy “The cocktail should be balanced, 1 oz absolut Pear Vodka using the freshest and the best 1 oz Pear Purée (see below) 1/8 oz Fresh lemon ingredients to allow the art of cooking 2 oz Mionetto Prosecco and mixing to show off the talent of the Combine Absolut Pear, pear puree and lemon juice in a champagne flute. Stir to combine. Add chef and the mixologist,” says Junior Prosecco. Stir gently before serving. Garnish with Merino, owner of The Liquid Chef Inc. a lemon peel. and former bartender at The Modern in Pear Purée New York. 4 oz water Leavy has spent countless hours at 1 oz 4 Fennel seeds Summit perfecting their cocktails. By 1 bosc pear, ripe, peeled, diced making sure the beverages are consistent Bring the water, sugar and fennel seeds to a boil. Add pear. Simmer mixture until pears are tender, —that everything is measured, sampled about 10 minutes. Pour into a blender, and blend and tested—they know they are into a smooth purée. (If too thick, add a little bit supplying a premium product. of water.) Cool and set aside. “We are really passionate about what we

The Perfect Pear This Sweet Potato and Pear Soup paired with the Sparkling Pear cocktail expresses the complexity and delicacy of pairing a dish and a cocktail without over-stimulating the palate.

78 The Broadmoor Magazine | 2008/2009