Provocachic(sm) at the Amex Centurion Gala 2007

Provocachic was recently invited to be part of the Amex Centurion Gala project on the 13 June at the Red Dot Museum. This was the second year of the exclusive celebration for Centurion members in Singapore. The celebrity bar element last year was mixologist Colin Field from Hemmingway Bar of the Paris Ritz hotel. (This event is featured in the August issue of the Singapore Tatler, from page 46.)

Three basic cocktails were offered, namely the “Rose Cosmopolitan”, “After the Rain” and “Lemongrass Champagne Mojito” (2007 June’s cocktail for The Gilded Fork).

Easily one of the most popular cocktails of that evening, the “Lemongrass Champagne Mojito” is a beautiful collage of La Mauny white rum, Dom Perignon champagne, lemongrass vanilla cane sugar syrup, spearmint and Tahitian lime.

For the “Rose Cosmopolitan,” a touch of rose on the ever-popular Cosmopolitan cocktail (supposedly popularized after Madonna was seen having one at the Rainbow Room bar in New York), crafted with a much fuller & drier mouth feel through the choice of pure organic cranberry juice. Belvedere Cytrus was used as the base, a wonderful lemon-lime flavored vodka through quality maceration, in an industry of vodkas mainly flavored artificially or through addition of essential oils.

Amedei Jamaica Cru was designed to be the garnish for the "Rose Cosmopolitan", selected for its aggressive dark cocoa, pronounced acidity and gentle fruitiness, with a tinge of grassy note.

One of the best Polish vodka (Belvedere Pomarancza: orange-mandarin-orange blossom) marries the lovely notes of fresh lychee, Japanese yuzu, organic Bourbon vanilla, thyme and calamansi. These gorgeous fruits, strongly balanced with the best spirits, are fashioned into what could become one of your favourite fun cocktails – “After the Rain.”

A highly limited sampling of the following three cocktails was also offered in a special tasting. These are more true to the potential of Provocachic’s core specialty.

“Pan-Asian Cosmo”
Torch ginger bud, Tahitian & Bourbon vanilla, Advocaat, Malibu, Japanese kelp (konbu), fleur de sel (flower of salt), yogurt, ruby grapefruit zest, sparkling apple juice, Volvic spring water ice.

“Theobroma”
Belvedere Pomarancza, Amedei Chuao (Gold Winner of “Best Dark Chocolate” and “Best Bean to Bar” in 2005 & 2006 at the World Chocolate Awards), Tanqueray gin, beetroot, pure maple syrup, Hungarian “Noble Sweet” smoked paprika.

“Candle In The Wind”
Belvedere Pomarancza, Dom Perignon champagne, frizzante Moscato d’Asti, ruby grapefruit, parmesan.

Being the official "Liquid Chef/Flavor Artist", it was a wonderful experience being able to share Provocachic's unique offerings, which at its core bespoke level, answers the evocative question:"what would your story taste like?"

"Stirring Your Soul" Cocktail Design

Belvedere, the super-premium Polish rye vodka, offers a flavour canvas for two of the most exclusive spices in the world – saffron and vanilla.

Three Madagascan Bourbon vanilla pods macerate in a bottle of Belvedere to create a voluptuous base for this provocative painting. Vanilla is the only edible fruit of the largest family of flowering plants in the world (Orchid), while its flowers only bloom for a day. As it increases adrenaline, it is mildly addictive. It is one of the few “comfort” flavours popular across a diverse majority of cultures, and sometimes affects a nostalgic feel. Vanilla is hardly “plain”, which is an alternative adjective of the word. In fact, probably the only spice that is more exclusive than vanilla is saffron.

Perhaps the ‘Queen of spices’, saffron have been cultivated up to five millennia ago. According to legend, Cleopatra of Egypt had used it in her baths in the belief that it would increase sexual pleasures. The stigma (the female sexual organ) of the flower is painstakingly hand-harvested, whereby it takes up to 150 flowers to yield 1 gram of stigmas. And the flowers only bloom during Autumn merely for up to two weeks. It has a most unique hay-like and mildly bitter flavour, and stains a golden-yellow hue. Spanish saffron is reputed to be one of the best, and one of the leading brands (Carmencita, since 1920) has been selected to add complexity to this opulent recipe design.

To balance the bitterness of the saffron, among other undesirables, a touch of salt is used to clean the taste. Had chosen Indian Black Salt, which also offered an intriguing depth to the recipe design. Actually a pinkish volcanic rock salt, it is truly unique among salts for its distinctive sulphuric flavour. With a smell described variously as hard-boiled eggs, garlic or onions, Indian Black Salt is commonly used in Indian cuisines such as chutneys. Its use in cocktails had been suggested by Luca Turin, author of “The Secret of Scent.” Extremely potent like saffron, only the smallest pinch shall be used.

Decided to use one of the most common beverages in the world as another element – (earl grey) tea. Though very recognizable, it is rarely used for cocktails – a most attractive challenge. Named after the British PM (1830s) Charles Grey, it is basically a black tea flavoured with the essential oils of the bergamot orange. Have selected Dilmah single-origin Ceylon earl grey tea for its wonderful ‘furioso’ of flavours that seem to tango through our senses.

Pure fructose, the sweetest naturally occurring sugar, is used. Described as the most delicious sugar by Hervé This (one of the pioneers of molecular gastronomy), fructose has a fruity aroma and tastes somewhat like cane sugar. It is found in items such as fruits and honey, and I must agree that it is truly delectable.

Atop this symphony of flavours, the water chestnut presents a clarity and crunchiness as the garnish. Carved into a tear shape, it is stained magenta with a mix of organic beetroot juice and Monin caramel syrup.

A soda siphon is used to carbonate the libation, designed to enhance the experience of the cocktail’s complex flavours. A highly aromatic frizzante (lightly sparkling), perfectly paired with the elegant LSA (crafted in the same motherland as Belvedere – Poland) “Gabriella” champagne flute, shall be presented in a golden-orange hue. With this delicious colour, the flamboyant magenta of the garnish combines to evoke a dazzling energy (Information from ‘Color Image Scale,’ authored by colour psychologist Shigenobu Kobayashi of the Nippon Colour & Design Research Institue). Stirring your soul…