Trying out new and intriguing ingredients in your cocktails is one way to keep the customers more than satisfied. Experimentation and innovation is certainly the name of the game for mixologists the world over and you’ve got to stay on top of it if you’re going to draw the punters in.
If you’re looking for something a little different right now but aren’t sure where to turn, you might want to try throwing in a little bit of mushroom here and there. This is one of the latest trends to have popped up in the cocktail world right now and it could certainly make an interesting addition… but how do you go about including it in your drinks?
According to Thrillist, the use of mushrooms in drinks, both with and without alcohol, is growing in popularity among bartenders and drinks professionals all over the US.
Playing around with the various flavours of the different fungi seems to be of particular interest, with some mixologists preferring the sweeter taste of candy caps and others going for the luxuriously deep flavour of a cremini.
With so many different flavour profiles to choose from and an incredible array of mushies, you could have an amazing time coming up with new concoctions for your drinks menus.
Take a look at the Truffle Shuffle as a shining example of what can be achieved. This is the brainchild of those in the know at the Apothecary Bar in Dallas, Texas, featuring white truffles and washed liquor.
The liquor itself is infused with an ingredient (in this case, white truffle) to impart flavour and a wonderful mouthfeel, with the oil or fat then separated from the spirit. Here, Aberfeldy Scotch is washed with white truffle and then shaken with egg white, lemon and sweetener.
You could even go so far as to make your own mushroom gin if you want to have a well stocked bar behind you. This is easy to do and you don’t need any special mixologist skills, so a great project for any novices out there. Simply combine 250g of cremini mushrooms with a bottle of gin of your choice and then leave for 48 hours to infuse. Job done!
And don’t forget that you can use your mushrooms as garnish here and there, as well. It’s all edible, after all, which makes them absolutely perfect for use in cocktails.
How about candying your own mushrooms, much like they do at KYU in Miami when serving up their I’m One Fungai cocktail that also features shiso (a Japanese herb, akin to mint) and grapefruit.
We’d love to hear how you’re planning on using mushrooms in all your cocktails in the future, so get in touch to let us know. And, of course, if you’re considering taking a mixologist degree and aren’t sure how to go about it, we can help you out with this as well.
