Soup Season Is Here, But Did You Know You Can Turn Them Into Cocktails?
Turning autumnal soups into cocktails is culinary mixology at its finest: savoury soups layered with a touch of spice, coupled with a dash of a spirit make for interesting drinks in fall weather. From warm pumpkin bisque to butternut squash soup to rasam served piping hot, fall is all about cooking these flavourful and often very fragrant soups which are well-suited as dinnertime staples amidst the chilly winds that blow.
In culinary mixology – which is a branch of cocktail making that fuses cocktail cultures with different savoury dishes prepared in the kitchen – soups can work as rather interesting ingredients for crafting both warm and chilled cocktails. Certain simple flourishes can be added to different soups to turn them into showstopper drinks. Here’s how:
Roast Pumpkin Bisque Old Fashioned
Pumpkin bisque is traditionally a savoury soup that is very creamy and rich. It is made by roasting pumpkin before turning it into a fine purée that lends the soup its silky texture and its creamy thickness. A sweet and savoury cocktail can be crafted, complete with a smoky autumnal nuance, using the bisque as its base.
Cocktail Build: Inspired by the creaminess of the pumpkin bisque, craft an old fashioned variation using bourbon that is stirred in with a spiced pumpkin purée, maple syrup and a dash of citrus bitters. Use roasted pumpkin to bring a smoky effect into the cocktail.
Garnish Option: Cinnamon stick and toasted pumpkin seeds can build into the savoury effect of the culinary cocktail blend.
Food Pairing: Pair this autumnal soup cocktail with crispy, fried bacon strips and crusty breads like rosemary sourdough or roast garlic focaccia.
Tomato Basil Bloody Mary
Tomato soup with a creamy touch is an autumnal staple, served warm with croutons. It can be accentuated with the aromatic touch of basil leaves and the crisp flavour of freshly ground pepper for a spicy touch. Craft a bloody mary variation using a classic tomato basil soup as base, complete with a tangy, savoury and fresh effect.
Cocktail Build: Concoct the tomato soup cocktail using vodka as the base spirit. Stir it in with roasted tomato juice, basil syrup and just a hint of balsamic reduction.
Garnish Option: A basil sprig and a roasted tomato chunk can work as interesting tangy and aromatic adornments.
Food Pairing: Pair the savoury tomato basil bloody mary with mini grilled cheese sandwiches as an ode to the classic tomato soup and grilled cheese culinary pairing.
Butternut Squash Soup Flip
Roasted, creamy and quite luxurious, butternut squash soup is known for its flavourful yet warm quality. It can be made as a bisque, which is a slightly thick soup known for its creamy nuance. Roasted butternut squash can be turned into a creamy cocktail too, full of a dessert-like effect, gently flavoured with spices.
Cocktail Build: Roast butternut squash to make a thick, sweet purée and combine it with rum, an egg yolk, honey and a sprinkling of nutmeg and shake it into a frothy, custardy mix.
Garnish Option: Grated nutmeg and a sage leaf can work as excellent autumnal garnishes atop this savoury cocktail, complete with a sweet and roasted touch.
Food Pairing: Serve the butternut squash flip cocktail with a roasted beet salad whose earthy flavours contrast the sweetness of the squash.
Also Read: 5 Festive Season Mocktails That Offer Non-Alcoholic Elegance For Every Occasion
Carrot-Ginger Soup Highball
Another autumnal highlight, the carrot and ginger soup is known for its crisp savoury flavour offset slightly by a gingery spice. Convert the hot soup into a cocktail that is earthy, bright, slightly spicy yet quite fresh. The drink can be prepared using honey roasted carrots for a sweeter touch.
Cocktail Build: Use gin as the base for building this highball coupled with a roasted carrot juice and ginger syrup, all of which is topped off with club soda.
Garnish Option: A carrot ribbon twist can be accompanied by a candied ginger skewer as a garnish atop the autumnal blend.
Food Pairing: The carrot ginger highball can go well with the crunchy and herbaceous notes of Hasselback potatoes, baked until they are slightly crispened.
Rasam Soup Gin Blend
Peppery, spicy and complete with a classic tomato tang, rasam is a warm, desi soup well-suited to the autumnal weather. Turn this into a culinary cocktail as a savoury and layered alternative meant for evenings when the cold fall winds are gusting.
Cocktail Build: Craft a rasam reduction and pair this with gin for a herbaceous lift. Also add jaggery syrup, lemon juice and a pinch of black salt to the blend for added sweet, sour and savoury flourishes.
Garnish Option: Garnish with a crisp curry leaf or a dehydrated tomato slice as adornments which are in tune with the season.
Food Pairing: Pair the classic southern Indian rasam soup turned into a cocktail with mini idlis coated in podi and ghee.
Key Takeaways:
– In culinary mixology, warm autumnal soups can be converted into fall cocktails that are full of spiced flavours, rich textures and seasonal aromas.
– Craft soup cocktails like the butternut squash soup flip cocktail, the tomato basil soup bloody mary or the rasam soup gin blend for an encounter between soups and mixology.
– Serve the cocktails with complimentary food pairings such as grilled cheese sandwiches, Hassleback potatoes, mini idlis and more.
FAQs:
– How can soups be converted into fall cocktails during autumn months?
Savoury soups layered with a touch of spice coupled with a dash of a spirit make for flavourful, aromatic and spiced drinks well-suited to fall weather.
– What are some of the flavours and textures that these autumnal cocktails embody?
Cocktails like roast pumpkin bisque old-fashioned or the butternut squash soup flip carry a rich, creamy and sweet nuance accentuated with the spiced flavours of cinnamon or nutmeg. For their part, the carrot-ginger highball and the rasam soup gin blend are fresh drinks with a tangy nuance.
– Which are some of the autumnal garnishes that can be used to adorn soupy fall cocktails?
Toasted pumpkin seeds, basil sprigs, dehydrated tomato wheels and candied ginger skewers are among some of the autumnal garnishes well-suited to soup-based fall cocktails.
All cocktails listed use 30 ml liquor measurements for single serves. Drink Responsibly. This communication is for audiences above the age of 25.
