A "Rojak" Cocktail Experience

Almost a Rojak cocktail literally, Pan-Asian Cosmo uses an important Rojak (a chinese salad dish in Singapore) ingredient, the Torch Ginger flower bud. Not only are most unaware of it’s use, but it actually dominates the taste of the Rojak dish.

Used in various styles of cuisines, it also reflects the cultural blend of Singapore.

Most likely the first time this ingredient is being used in creating a cocktail, it is also unique being one of few beverages that reflect the philosophical system of the Taoist Five Elements; and takes into consideration the enigmatic taste of Umami.

On top of this, it also reflects the wisdoms of food, scent & colour psychologies. The unusual foam, semi-sparkling and creamy combination texture challenges the palate, and our perceptions.

The intriguing cocktail is served in a nostalgic enamel mug, representing the contrasts & mix of traditions & innovations, local & global. The Pan-Asian Cosmo, reflecting the Past, Present & Future of Singapore, potentially a city with the world as its oyster.

The Pan-Asian Cosmo, the first of a series of cocktails designed as part of the Rojak show experience, a multi-sensory & multi-discipline open source brand.

THE STORY BEHIND THE "PAN-ASIAN COSMO"
The main concepts began with Rojak, the project title; it’s representation of the cultural blend of Singapore; and the Taoist Five Elements system.

A local salad, the project title reflected the local cultural mix, and the significant gastronomic interests of its people. The first experiment was a literal investigation of the dish itself, which yielded a most intriguing discovery. Apparently, a low profile ingredient significantly influences the flavour of the dish ~ the Torch Ginger flower bud (a.k.a. bunga kantan). It is also used in Chinese, Malay & Peranakan cuisines.

With this as the anchor ingredient, Provocachic(sm) then proceeded to explore the Taoist Five Elements. The latter is a metaphysical system of various energies, represented by the five elements: Wood, Fire, Earth, Metal & Water. The various combinations of these elements ideally aim towards a balance. Each element has one other that promotes it, and another that counters it.

Various foods are represented predominantly under each of the elements. The main tastes are also represented as follows: Sour (Wood), Bitter (Fire), Sweet (Earth), Pungent (Metal) & Salty (Water). Apart from “Pungent”, the rest are the commonly known ones. Some examples of “Pungent” foods are spices like garlic, anise, mint, etc.

Extending on the taste elements, Provocachic(sm) also considered Umami, a taste contributed by glutamate from high protein foods (eg, parmesan, seafood, meat, etc.). It contributes towards a “meatier”, savory mouth-feel. The other taste in the design is Kokumi, a certain "fullness and roundness" derived from fat. And in Mixology, the three elements are a balance of Sweet, Sour and Strong (alcoholic-strength).

On top of this, the study of “comfort” foods has yielded some relatively universal ingredients, namely Sugar, Fat, Salt, Vanilla & Cinnamon. Evocative aromas, sometimes of childhood, include suntan lotion, Vick’s vapour rub, baby powder, crayons, etc.

As a result, the recipe created takes into consideration seven (7) taste sensations, several evocative ingredients & aromas, and the various elements of the theme. The final balance was achieved through the following ingredients:

1. Torch Ginger Bud: (METAL-Pungent/ROJAK-Ingredient & Theme)
2. Bourbon/Planiflora Vanilla: (METAL-Pungent/COMFORT)
3. Konbu/Japanese Kelp: (WATER-Salty/UMAMI)
4. Yogurt: (WOOD-Sour/COMFORT-fat)
5. Malibu Coconut Rum liqueur: (EARTH-Sweet/FIRE-Bitter/SUNTAN LOTION)
6. Advocaat Dutch Egg Yolk Brandy: (FIRE-Bitter/COMFORT-fat/UMAMI)
7. Fleur de Sel/Flower of Salt: (WATER-Salty/COMFORT-salt)
8. Sparkling Apple Juice: (EARTH-Sweet/COMFORT-sugar)
9. Zest of Grapefruit: (WOOD-Sour)

The cocktail shall be delivered in the form of a sort of foam, while topped up with a sparkling juice, with the aim of creating a more intriguing mouth-feel. It also extends the finish (flavour sensations after swallowing), which helps make a culinary experience more “delicious”.

An enamel-coated metal mug was chosen to deliver the cocktail, in part as a contrast to the trendy & luxurious image of cocktails as compared to its nostalgic & prudent feel. Also, it gives the feeling of being something local, when in fact it is used the world over, something akin to a global city concept such as Singapore.

Its somewhat intimate (“local”) appeal to people from around the world also adds to the comfort of the beverage (cocktail) experience. The blend of traditions & innovations, though seem an unlikely pair, reflects some of the modern experiences & contradictions that many might relate to.

The egg colour of the cocktail, or canary yellow hue, is associated with soft-tasting foods such as eggs or cream. With a particularly “youthful” note, green or blue have been shown to further accentuate this characteristic (Nippon Colour & Design Research Institute).

Based on this colour psychology finding, Provocachic(sm) thus designed the cocktail to be served with a blue & green vessel. The strong “youthfulness”, in synergy with the nostalgic choice of the mug, also adds to the comfort of the whole experience. Mineral water rock-shaped ice was specially prepared for this concoction, with the mouth-feel/brand of water that pairs well with the recipe. The shape and size of the ice also offers optimum chilling with minimum dilution.

The Pan-Asian look is in high demand, where the multiple mix had resulted in a face that could simultaneously be from diverse parts of the world. The term Cosmopolitan expresses both diverse cultural & national heritage, and tolerance.

The Cosmopolitan (a cranberry-based creation from the late 1980s) cocktail exudes chic; and like the tart Cape Codder, was a shift away from the common cloying sweet cocktails of those days, an innovation. Thus, we arrive at the Pan-Asian Cosmo, the latest innovation by Provocachic(sm).

A very brief video is also featured in The Gilded Fork. Further info on the Rojak project members can be found here.

Mixology - Beverage Recipe Guides

SWEET-SOUR-STRONG
In the world of cocktail mixology, the basic guidelines for a good recipe are a balance of three (3) elements - "Sweet", "Sour" and "Strong". "Strong" refers to the alcoholic strength and taste, while sweetness could also be derived from liqueurs in addition to the usual suspects.

The American ratio is approximately 1 (Sweet): 0.75 (Sour): 2 (Strong); while the difference in Singapore is basically a ratio of 1.5 (Strong) instead of 2. Of course, these are only rough guidelines, and we must remember that taste is highly personal.

XE-XIANG-WEI
However, Provocachic™ also looks into the wisdom from other areas, such as Chinese cuisine. A popular guide on the important areas of cuisines, "xe, xiang, wei", translates roughly into "aesthetics, aroma, and taste".

UMAMI
The more common knowledge of flavours is that it is mainly made up of "sweet, sour, salty, and bitter". However, we should also recognise another flavour called "umami". This flavour adds to a certain "fuller, meatier" mouth feel, and is derived mainly from the glutamate in high-protein foods. Notice that the flavour is used instead of taste, as the former takes into considerations the fuller spectrum of gastronomic perceptions influenced by aromas. See umami in "Pan-Asian Cosmo" recipe design.

MOLECULAR GASTRONOMY
Actually, molecular gastronomy research have found that the main flavours are not really "assigned" to specific regions on the tongue as popularly believed, but are in fact perceived independent of regions. And there are apparently a few types of "bitter" flavours, and other that do not fall under any specific categories.

Researches have also yielded certain categories of foods that contribute to the gastronomic experience being "comfortable". These "comfort" categories include "fat, salt, sweet, vanilla, cinnamon".

TAOIST FIVE ELEMENTS
An unusual area to look into is the Taoist Five Elements and this philosophical/metaphysical system's representations in foods. Four of the elements are represented by the expected "sweet, sour, salty and bitter". The fifth element, however, is described as "pungent". Some items that fall into this grouping include herbs and spices. See umami in "Pan-Asian Cosmo" recipe design.

PROVOCACHIC(sm): The Art
The above, and some other sources of wisdoms, helps us arrive at a gastronomic direction. Provocachic(sm) also studies food and scent psychology. And apart from the cultural settings and ambience in which the cocktail is presented, very important is to recognise the unique culinary preferences of that individual, and a certain story of their lives & personalities.

Another area of considerations is the wisdoms of colour psychology. In addition, ingredients that are disliked, but where there is no allergy towards, are also used as a surprise in the recipes. It helps to throw people off guard, and also sensitize their perceptions, which can be quite numbed by the "noise" of modern society.

The core - Flavor Branding - is the concept of connecting emotionally through the flavors, stories and concepts, which works when recipes are created for either individuals, brands or companies.

Of course, after all the "science" through the thorough research done, and from the various wisdoms, the "art" comes in. Here, one aims to forget all that has being learnt, and based on instincts, "feel" a concept/recipe. This is the “Art” of Provocachic(sm).