This cocktail is part of our What’s the Problem series where we hired Bartender Atlas bartenders to create a cocktail inspired by a social issue that is important to them.
I chose the topic of migration and its pain points. I migrated to Canada from Iran in the hope of finding peace and building my future. I’m grateful for what I achieved so far but migration has downsides. Moving to a new country miles away from where you were born and raised feels like driving on an extremely foggy road. You don’t know where you are going, how people will treat you there and where you will live for the rest of your life. In the first couple months culture shock hits you in the face. You have no safety net, no friends and communication can be hard with your siblings due to time difference. You have to slowly overcome language barrier, find new friends, build your safety net and find joint points in order to fit into the new society you are living in. Please be kinder to migrants, they are going through a lot of issues that you may not be aware of.
This cocktail resembles migration for me. First it will be served in a vessel full of smoke. (Sense of uncertainty) You will have a 100% Canadian cocktail with a Persian flavoured ice cube. The first few sips will hit you in the face since the flavoured ice will release a huge amount of taste in the first few minutes (culture shock). As the time goes by it will dilute further and you will see how these flavours balance and complement each other (time to dissolve).
Resources for this topic:
TED – Migration is inevitable. Progress drives migration.
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Fig Chamomile Saffron Flavoured Ice*
2oz Lot No 40 Rye Fat-washed with Bacon**
0.25oz Grade B Maple Syrup
4 dash Angostura Bitters
Method: If you have a smoker, you will smoke your cocktail at the end. If you do not, you will smoke the rocks glass as you make your cocktail. Add all ingredients, except for flavoured ice, in mixing glass. Add plain ice and stir until chilled. Strain over flavoured ice cube.
*Fig Chamomile Saffron Flavoured Ice:
1) Create Fig-Chamomile Extract by mixing 50g of dried fig and one chamomile tea bag with 200ml of water. Let infuse for 1-2 days. Strain out solids and store in resealable container.
2) Create Saffron Tincture by combining 100ml of vodka with two pinches of saffron. Let sit for 2 hours. Strain using fine strainer and store in resealable container.
3) To create ice, mix 100ml of Fig-Chamomile extract with 5ml of Saffron Tincture. Freeze in king cube or sphere ice cube tray.
**Lot No 40 Rye Fat-washed with Bacon:
Mix 20 ml bacon fat with 60ml Lot 40 rye in a sealed bottle and shake vigorously. Rest it for 1 hour and place it in the fridge. After oil is set run it through a fine strainer and bottle it.
