Asian inspired cocktails for your wedding

Macao was a Portuguese colony in China for centuries, which explains the confluence of European and Asian cuisines one finds there. It also explains the unique menu structure at Macao Trading Co., the second venture from the team behind Employees Only. Specific ingredients are given a bi-cultural treatment: Portuguese-style lamb meatballs, for instance, are stuffed with cheese and served with paprika sauce; their Chinese equivalents are made with ground pork, rolled in sticky rice, and steamed. This approach was the contribution of David Waltuck, former chef-owner of Chanterelle and inveterate Chinatown-market maven. Dishes like curried-chicken-and-okra turnovers and bacalao fried rice are meant to complement exotic cocktails like the Drunken Dragon’s Milk, green-tea vodka blended with coconut purée, pandan syrup, Chinese-five-spice bitters, and Thai basil. — Rob Patronite and Robin Raisfeld

Macao Trading Company offers some unique drink ideas that can fill your wedding guests with a taste of tropical Asia!

Cicinho Sour

An original Macao Cocktail that was inspired by the classic Pisco Sour Cocktail. By substituting the Pisco with aged Cahcaça we achieved a more dimensional cocktail and a more direct flavor experience. Egg whites give the cocktail the signature creamy, fluffy texture wich is amplified with bitters and freshly ground nutmeg.

Recipe:

• 2 ounces Leblon Cachaça
• 3/4 ounce Fresh Lime Juice
• 3/4 ounce Simple Syrup
• 1 egg white
• nutmeg
• dashes of Angostura Bitters

Directions: Combine all ingredients except bitters and nutmeg into a mixing glass. Add ice and shake vigorously. Strain into a chilled cocktail glass. Garnish with dashes of bitters and fresh nutmeg.

Drink

Recipe:

• 1½ ounces Siete Leguas Reposado Tequila
• 1 ounce Bärenjäger Honey Liqueur
• 3/4 ounce Fresh Lime Juice
• ½ ounce Pink Grapefruit Juice
• 3 sprays of St. Elizabeth Allspice Dram
• Chipotle Salt for garnish – half rim

Directions: Take chilled cocktail glass and apply the chipotle salt on half of the rim and spray the allspice dram inside. Put the rest of the ingredients into a mixing glass. Add large, cold ice and shake vigorously for 6 seconds. Strain into the prepared cocktail glass.

Kaffir Jimlet

Kaffir lime [Citrus hystrix, C. papedia] leaves come from the Kaffir lime tree, a lime tree native to Indonesia. The leaves are highly aromatic and suitable for various Asian cuisines, including Thai, Indonesian, Cambodian and Lao cuisines. They are easily recognizable by their emerald-green, doubled sections, which makes them appear as if two leaves are joined together. This article explains ways to use the Kaffir lime leaf.

Recipe:

• 2 1/2 ounces Kaffir leaf infused Plymouth Gin
• 1 ounce Fresh Lime Juice
• 3/4 ounce Pandan Simple Syrup
• Green Chartreuse

Directions: Wash the inside of a cocktail glass with Green Chartreuse. Pour Gin, lime juice and pandan syrup into a mixing glass. Add ice and shake vigorously for 7-8 seconds. Strain into the prepared cocktail glass. Garnish with a fresh Kaffir Lime Leaf.

Drunken Dragon’s Milk

Original Macao Cocktail. Developed to be an offering that could be suggested as a pairing with some of the appetizers from our Small Dishes menu. Home made Pandan leaf syrup Works really well with the Young coconut puree creating a silky, soothing texture with the Green Tea Vodka providing a great finish with lingering tanins.
[Glass: Collins]

Recipe:

• 2 oz Charbay Green Tea Vodka
• 1 oz Young Coconut Puree
• 1/2 oz Lime Juice
• 1/2 oz Pandam Syrup
• Pinch of Thai Basil Leaves

Directions: Pour all ingredients into a cocktail shaker and shake vigorously. Pour out unstrained into a Collins glass.

Dr. Funk

This Cocktail was adapted from Trader Vic’s Bartender’s Manual. The story is that the cocktail was invented by a german Doctor whose last name was Funk and who was the personal physician to Robert Lewis Stevenson. He prepared the drink as the ultimate cure for heat exaustion. We use spiced rum from Tahiland that we combine with home made grenadine, fruits and spices.
[Glass: Collins]
Recipe:

• 1 3/4 ounces Mekong Rum
• 3/4 ounce Home-Made Grenadine
• Ginger Beer
• 3 Cucumber Slices
• 1 Lime Slice
• 1 Strawberry cut into 4
• Mint
• Drizzle of Absinthe

Directions: Build cocktail in Collins glass by adding ice rum, cucumber, mint, lime and grenadine. Shake briefly and add ginger beer. Drizzle absinthe on top.

The Bashful Maiden a.k.a. Lovee-Long-Time

Hendrick’s Gin, rather than being dominated by juniper, is more lightly flavored with botanicals and infused with cucumber and rose hips. The aromatic character of the gin marries with the tropical perfume character of the St Germain, Velvet Falernum, a rum-based lime and clove liqueur from Barbados sweetens with zest and spice. A powerful Aphrodisiac, this cocktail should be served only to persons comfortable with open sexual expression.

Recipe:

• 1/2 oz. Hendrick’s Gin
• 3/4 oz. Velvet Falernum
• 1/2 oz. St. Germain Elderflower Liqueur
• 3/4 oz. Lemon Juice
• 1 oz Cantaloupe Melon Puree

Directions: Put all ingredients into a mixing glass. Add large, cold ice and shake vigorously for 7-8 seconds. Strain into a chilled martini-cocktail glass and garnish with a spanked mint sprig.

Firecracker Cocktail

Macao Original Cocktail created by our own Ivan Radulovic. A fantastic flavor explosion with a beautiful smoky finish from Mescal. An great cocktail to be recommended to everyone who is interested in exploring the cutting edge of trendy mixology.

Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 oz. Bar Sol Pisco
• 1 oz. Mezcal & Agave Nectar PreMix
• 1/2 oz. Fresh Squeezed Lime Juice
• 1 oz. Pineapple Juice
• 1/4 oz. Allspice Dram
• Cinnamon Sugar Rim

Directions: Ground fresh cinnamon into sugar bowl. Mix with sugar. With a lemon wedge – wet the rim of a cocktail glass and apply a thin layer of cinnamon sugar onto the rim. Place the glass back into the freezer to harden.
Pour all liquid ingredients into a mixing glass. Add Large cold ice. Shake vigorously for 7-8 seconds. Strain into the prepared cocktail glass and serve.

West Side

This Cocktail is an Employees Only variation of the famous South Side Cocktail first served in the 1920’s at the New York’s speakeasy Jack & Charlie’s now known as the 21 Club. We chose to substitute gin with Meyer lemon infused vodka thus achieving a more balanced and subtler concoction. God only knows how many West Sides we have been pushing over the bar in the last 5 years. It is a by far the most popular cocktail served at Employees Only and lends itself naturally for enjoying in the sun. Why is this cocktail so popular? Even if we neglect the fact that it is vodka cocktail and we and the fact that we witnessing the end of the Great Vodka Dynasty, the simplicity of the cocktail with just lemon and mint flavors that makes it so addictive and refreshing. It will definitely be a favorite of any cocktail party served over ice or in pitchers.

Recipe:

• 2 ounces Charbay Meyer lemon vodka
• 1 ounce freshly squeezed lemon juice
• 1/2 ounce simple syrup
• 3 finger pinch fresh mint
• 1 splash club soda

Directions: Pour all ingredients except club soda into a mixing glass. Add large cold ice and shake vigorously. Open the shaker and add a splash of club soda. Use a julep strainer to strain into a chilled cocktail glass.

House Cocktails – not on current menu

Port Wine Cobbler
[Glass: Collins]
Menu Description: Muddled Citrus Fruits, Dows Crusted Port Wine, Clement Orange Shrub & Pellegrino

Recipe:

• 2 oz. Dows Crusted Port
• 3/4 oz. Clement Orange Shrub
• 1 orange wheel
• 1 lime wheel
• 1 lemon wheel
• citrus garnish: lemon wheel, orange wheel, lime wheel
• Pellegrino

Directions: Muddle citrus fruits in a mixing glass. Add port and orange shrub. Add ice and shake vigorously. Strain into a collins glass with fresh ice and citrus garnish. Top off with Pellegrino.

Mr. Ho

Ingredients:

• 2 oz. Hayman’s Old Tom Gin*
• 3/4 oz. Fresh squeezed Lemon juice
• 3/4 oz. Aloe Juice
• 1/2 oz. Simple syrup
• Sparkling water or Club soda
• Lemon wheel
• Brandied cherry

Directions: Combine all ingredients, except sparkling water or club soda, in a chilled Collins glass filled with ice. Fill with sparkling water or club soda and stir gently. Garnish with lemon wheel and brandied cherry.

Esmeralda

[Glass: Rocks]
Recipe:

• 3 cubes of Fresh Honeydew Melon
• 1 teaspoon of cubed fresh ginger
• 2 demitasse spoons of sugar
• 1/2 oz. Fresh Lime Juice
• 1/4 oz. Luxardo Maraschino liqueur
• 1 1/4 oz. Velho Barriero Cachaça

Directions: Muddle the melon, ginger and sugar in the bottom of the mixing glass. Add the rest of the ingredients and ice. Shake and pour unstrained back into a rocks glass. Garnish with a honeydew “sharks fin”.

Salty Lemonade

[Glass: Collins]
Recipe:

• 2 oz. African Star Rum
• 1 oz. Lime Juice
• 1/2 oz. Simple Syrup
• Thai Basil Leaves
• 1 splash of Club Soda
• Salted Lemon

Directions: Combine all ingredients except club soda into a cocktail shaker. Add ice and shake vigorously. Add club soda and strain into a chilled cocktail glass. Garnish with lemon.

Pomelo Lee

[Glass: Rocks]
Recipe:

• 3 wedges of Pomelo
• 3 spoons Sugar
• 3 dashes Peychaud’s Bitters
• 3/4 lime Juice
• 2 oz. Cachaça 51

Directions: Muddle Pomelo wedges with sugar. Add remaining ingredients and ice. Shake vigorously. Pour unstrained into a rocks glass.

Mai Tai

[Glass: Rocks]
Invented in 1944 by Victor “Trader Vic” Bergeron, when he mixed Jamaican rum, juice from a fresh lime, a few dashes of orange curaco syrup, some french orgeat, and rock candy syrup. As recounted by Trader Vic history, it was served to some friends from Tahiti, who promptly proclaimed “Mai Tai, Roa Ae!”, which in Tahitian means “Out of this world, the best!”. Macao Trading Co. makes their tribute to the classic with 4 year old Flor de Caña Light Nicaraguan rum, the best French orange curacao, Lebanese almond syrup and fresh lime juice and a float of 12y old aged Flor de Caña on top. The rock candy syrup was omitted to keep the cocktail balanced and not so sweet.
Recipe:

• 11/2 oz. Flor de Caña 4y Light Rum
• 3/4 oz. Marie Brizzard Orange Curacao
• 3/4 oz. Almond (Orgeat) Syrup
• 1 oz. Fresh squeezed Lime Juice
• Float of Flor de Caña 12y Rum

Directions: Pour all ingredients into a mixing glass. Add large, cold ice and shake vigorously. Strain into a rocks glass over ice. Float aged rum on top. Garnish with a mint leaf, lime wheel pineapple chunk and a brandied cherry.

Kaffir Martini

[Glass: Cocktail]
Recipe:

• 3 1/2 oz. Kaffir leaf infused Plymouth Gin
• 1/2 oz. Dry Vermouth
• Green Chartreuse

Directions: Wash the inside of a cocktail glass with Green Chartreuse. Pour Gin and Vermouth into a mixing glass. Add ice and stir for 40 revolutions. Strain into a chilled martini-cocktail glass, Garnish with a Kaffir leaf.

Yellow Fever

[Glass: Rocks]
This cocktail was inspired by the classic Singapore Sling which incorporated the flavors of Benedictine and Cherry Heering. At its heart it is a whiskey sour accented with the flavors of honey and herbs (Benedictine) and accented with the sweet ripe cherry fruit of Cherry Heering which falls to the bottom (supplying the fever).

Recipe:

• 1 3/4 oz Rye Whiskey
• 3/4 oz Lemon Juice
• 3/4 oz Simple Syrup
• 3/4 oz Benedictine
• Egg White
• 3/4 oz Cherry Heering

Directions: Combine all ingredients except Cherry Heering into a cocktail shaker. Add ice and shake vigorously. Strain into a rocks glass filled with ice. Drizzle Cherry Heering. Garnish with an Orange-Cherry “flag”.

Arrack Fizz

[Glass: Collins]
This cocktail was inspired by the likes of the Ramos Gin Fiz and Pisco Sour. It uses Arrack, a spirit made from sugar cane and red rice giving it a musty aroma. Mandarin.
Before the age of cocktails we had punch, and no spirit was more celebrated and sought for punch than Batavia Arrack. The trade of Batavia Arrack dates as far back as the early 17th century, when Dutch colonialists of the Dutch East India Company (VOC) found this alluring complement to the spice trade that brought them East, and soon found its passage with these voyageurs to Amsterdam and onward to growing demand in London and old New York. More so than rums, gins or other spirits, the Batavia Arrack had then as now the extraordinary effect of elevating the aromatics of the spices and citrus notes. While historical circumstance eventaully curtailed the availability and affordability of Batavia Arrack, it remains a highly sought ingredient for boutique chocolatiers and pastry chefs. It’s importance with classic cocktails cannot be understated. New York bartender Jerry Thomas’s 1862 imprint, How to Mix Drinks, or the Bon Vivant’s Companion (still considered the foundation-text for the fine art of mixing drinks) dedicates the first section of the book to Punches, with 78 recipes, many of which call for Batavia Arrack. Cocktail books still to this day highlight recipes with Batavia Arrack (or the Swedish Punch made from it), no matter the challenge of finding the spirit.

Recipe:

• 1 3/4 oz Batavia Arrack
• 3/4 oz Lemon Juice
• 3/4 oz Simple Syrup
• 3/4 oz Pineapple Juice
• 3 drops of Mandarin Flower Water
• 1/2 oz Hybiscus Cordial
• Egg White

Directions: Combine all ingredients into a cocktail shaker. Add ice and shake vigorously. Strain into a Collins glass filled with ice.

Photos by Gabi Porter