Masala Martini Cocktail: 5 Ways Indian Bartenders Are Stirring Up Their Blending Game
Elegance meets eccentricity as much as it connects with changing cocktail traditions in the trending martini cocktail making landscape developing across the Indian subcontinent. If the drink, which was made so well-known by a certain British spy in popular culture – was to be ordered by this said hero in an Indian bar, it would be more than just ‘shaken, not stirred.’ It would be something similar to a drink infused with curry leaves, smoked with cloves or sprinkled with gunpowder spice.
Evidently, tastes and flavours of Indian cuisine have seeped into the makings of the martini cocktail in the newest and trendiest pubs in this region which calls for a closer look at how these shifts are actually putting the drink on a global map as more than just a refined flavour mix. The martini cocktail now belongs to the world, wherein Indian bartenders are hard at work to put inventive spins on the blend, carving a separate identity for the Indian martini cocktail drink complete with regional aromas and flavours.
From espresso martini cocktails to dessertime martini cocktail preparations, there has been a steady exploration of the different trending recipes which have been concocted as variations of this drink. Diving into Indian trends of making the martini cocktail blend then becomes another way of knowing what is current in the mixology landscape and how to hop aboard this trend.
Fat Washing Is Real
Fast becoming one of the trendiest ways of preparing the martini cocktail across Indian bars is fat washing. This technique introduces the cocktail with different rich and savoury flavours which add texture and depth into blends. Bartenders often prepare a modern martini cocktail with a desi character by lending this drink a ghee wash, or a wash with clarified butter, which adds a nutty and heavy aroma and flavour into the drink. Many times, coconut oil is also used to give a fat wash to vermouth or even vodka, depending upon the ingredients being used to make the cocktail.
What’s Up With The Pi Pi Martini Cocktail
Crafted at a very high-end bar in Bangalore, the pi pi martini cocktail is perhaps one of the finest illustrations of the different ways in which Indian mixologists are working on their martini cocktail making skill. It brings together about 15 ml vermouth infused with jujube with other martini cocktail ingredients to lace the drink with a piquant and subtly sweet note. Take the pi pi martini cocktail to the tiny martini cocktail trend and you would notice how it brings together this drink in a small, stylish coupé glass to offer a visually stunning experience.
Sustainability Ranks High
Of the different trends that are working their way into Indian mixology, one of the most crucial ones is sustainability. While a lot of mixology know-how about zero waste martini cocktails is already out there, it has also weaved into Indian variations in the form of drinks which use leftover veggie peels or dehydrated garnishes as ways of making a desi version of the blend. Sustainability thus occupies a prime spot among Indian bartenders while building curry or spice infused versions of the martini cocktail.
Appletini’s Growing Relevance
Attribute it to the growing number of microbreweries in India or to the resurrection of the 1990s cocktail traditions – either way, appletinis are having quite the moment in Indian mixology. While we have already explored a bunch of recipes that add a touch of desi flavour into martini cocktails including a pinch of saffron or even the tropical coconut, what is trending right now is the introduction of freshly brewed apple cider into the classic martini cocktail recipe that imbues it with rather fresh, fruity and effervescent notes.
Fruity, Quirky Desi Touches
As ever, regional infusions are making a big mark on the martini cocktail. Among the growing trends that you might have already spotted of making lychee-tinis or an herb-infused martini and lime cocktail, a quirky touch comes in the form of adding local fruits like watermelon, kokum or khus into the drink. Other trends are brought forth through creations like the martini cocktail pani puri where crispy shells ensconce the drink or the dessert-time gulab jamun martini cocktail with a saffron twist, which is as Instagrammable as it can get!
Also Read: A Beginner’s Guide To Making The Perfect Martini Cocktail
Drink Responsibly. This communication is for audiences above the age of 25.
