TASTE
REFLECT
the type of lemongrass most used for
culinary purposes is cymbopogan
citratus, which is seen across Thailand,
Vietnam and Laos. Another variety
of the same grass is used to harvest
citronella, which is widely used as an
insect repellent. So it’s important not to
confuse the two.
Probably the oldest of all cocktails,
the earliest descendent of the mojito
is said to have been the drink of 16th
century sailors (or more likely pirates)
and named El Draque in honour of the
explorer Sir Francis Drake. Although
not seen in the refined form it is served
today, its base ingredient is aguardiente
(a crude form of rum) that would have
been widely available to the marauders
of the high seas.
While the first mix of ingredients
may originate from the 16th century,
the name is said to be influenced
either by the Spanish mojar (meaning
to wet) or by the Cuban mojo, which
means to cast a spell. The popularity
of the drink was boosted in the 1800s,
when the white rum brand Bacardi
was established, and is supposed to
have been the drink of choice of the
legendary writer Ernest Hemingway,
who discovered it in a Cuban bar.
The classic mojito is made with
rum, lime and mint. But one of the
latest twists is to add the fragrant
oiliness of lemongrass to the classic
ingredients, which pairs nicely with the
fresh leaves. Visitors to Thailand will
often find the mint substituted for the
aniseed richness of Thai basil.
Margarita Somehow nothing says
holidays more than a margarita, the
large glass as inviting as a pool, just
waiting for you to dive in. The saltflecked rim provides a perfect foil for
the complex drink within — but take
care — this heady mix of tequila and
triple sec or Cointreau has only a spritz
of lime to temper its intensity. The
influence of the tiny lime belies its size.
U N D E R T H E B A N YA N T R E E
07/12
2015
CREATE
L E F T : A fruit seller in
Mexico plies his delicious
bounty to guests enjoying
the perfect beach experience
below C E N T R E : No
matter where you drink
one, the mai tai will always
whisper to you the warm
breezes of Polynesia
below left : Hawaii's
South Shore at sunset is a
fitting backdrop for a freshly
mixed cocktail
This hardworking fruit, not only makes regular appearances in Asian cuisine, its
fresh almost soapy zest perks up most of the bar stars mentioned here.
Legend has it that the margarita, the beachside staple of any destination today,
was created in 1938 for the actress Marjorie King — who was allergic to all alcohol
other than tequila, Mexico’s beloved national drink.
Feeling sorry that she couldn’t join her friends with a drink, Tijuana bartender
Carlos Herrera used the staples of a tequila shot: tequila, lime and salt to make a
refreshing drink. But surprise, surprise, Herrera is not the
EXPENSIVE TASTE
only one making a claim on this Mexican classic. Wealthy
The latest extravagance
Dallas socialite Margarita Sames is reported to have
on the cocktail scene
is made of vintage
created a special drink for guests who visited her palatial
champagne and an
Acapulco home in 1948, a concoction that was so good that
Armagnac that pre-dates
the Boer War. Topped
she named it after herself.
with gold leaf, it was
Many credit tequila as being a drink that can be
designed for singer Grace
Jones as a thank you for
enjoyed without fear of a hangover. Made from agave: a
attending the opening of
Mexican succulent, agave is almost one and a half times
Gigi's in Mayfair, London,
last September. Whether
sweeter than sugar. Now a popular drink the world over,
she was asked to pay the
a margarita can be served as made — or (to the disgust
US$14,000 cost is
not recorded.
of purists) frozen. In 1971 Dallas restaurateur Mariano
ALL IN A NAME
The word cocktail
is said to have first
appeared in print in
London in 1798 as
a report of a party
attended by the
UK's youngest prime
minister, William Pitt
the younger. Yet it's
hotly contested: The
Farmer's Cabinet from
Vermont, USA, lays
claim to the origination
in 1803. By 1806, the
word was widely in use
on both shores and the
first bartender's guide
on cocktails appeared
in print in 1862.
PHOTOgraphy: ching photos: corbis (beach); getty images (food seller)
EXPLORE
Martinez designed a machine to
maintain the frozen margarita’s
granular slushiness, after years
struggling to get it just right. Not
only did it save his business from
failing, it also gave the tequila
industry a boost as restaurants
worldwide emulated the Martinez
frozen margarita.
In modern times, July 24 is
deemed national tequil