Unusual Ingredients In Cocktails: Edible Gold
Mixology is a very dynamic craft and over time, bartenders and spirit enthusiasts have come up with some stunning recipes which make use of the most curious and unexpected ingredients to create delicious cocktails. From making savoury drinks which include tomato juice and gazpacho to introducing floral flavours like lavender into spirits, mixology experts have been hard at work, designing cocktails out of the most eclectic elements. One such unusual ingredient that has started making an appearance in cocktails is edible gold. This luxurious garnish adds quite a bit of glamour to your regular tipple and makes it appear shimmery and shiny, perfect for a festive occasion.
Edible Gold Garnishes
Don’t worry, edible gold is often used in culinary art as a garnish and has little ill effects in the way of toxins entering your body. If you are not allergic to heavy metals, you can easily add edible gold and silver garnishes to your cocktails and make some very interesting mixes. These gold and silver garnishes are without flavour or aroma but work splendidly for enhancing your cocktail presentation and making your drink look exquisite and quite beautiful. Their striking appearance makes drinks stand out, hence the appeal of a gold garnish in cocktail craft.
Sometimes, gold garnishes also have a bit of sugar added into the mix so be sure to check the label on the packet before incorporating them into the drink, otherwise it might affect the overall flavour profile of the cocktail.
There are many different ways in which edible gold can be incorporated into cocktail recipes. One of them is using a gold leaf or gold flakes to sprinkle them on a drink. These elements can be added directly to cocktails like martinis or margaritas and sometimes even to a quality champagne so that the transparent liquids and the sparkling drinks cast a brilliant throw of shimmering golden light when they are served.
Another way to incorporate edible gold into cocktails is to use gold dust for rimming your drinking glass. You can use a gold dust and sugar mix and roll the glassware onto it for a very glittery rim. This can be used to serve tipples like martinis, margaritas, gin fizzes and more.
Edible gold is also added to certain cocktails in the form of a syrup. If you are a mixology enthusiast, you can create this syrup at home by adding some edible gold dust to a simple syrup and using this to concoct your cocktail recipes. This gives the drink a certain visual depth that is highly alluring and seductive.
Other applications of an edible gold garnish include making gold encrusted ice cubes or gold decorated cocktail stirrers which add to the overall appeal of a very grandiose cocktail presentation.
Cocktails Using Edible Gold
There are many recipes which can be easily picked up that use edible gold while mixing drinks. A variation of a gin and tonic with the addition of prosecco or champagne will give the cocktail a delightful colour. And when the drink is served in a glass rimmed with shimmering gold dust, it adds a whole layer of elegance to the mix.
Another variety of cocktails that often uses edible gold is the one with lots of froth like a white lady or a whisky sour. While making these drinks, you can actually use a gold dust spray which adds lustre to the drink. With a stencil, you can also make delightful patterns like a leaf or sophisticated lettering on the white froth.
One of the most interesting and enduring uses of edible gold in cocktails however remains using the gold sheet as a simple garnish over the most indulgent and colourful cocktails to nicely adorn them with a luxurious coating. So, the next time you are thinking of using some unconventional ingredients to make cocktails, go for edible gold that not only enhances presentation but also adds depth to the cocktail mix.
