FSR October 2022

a slime green,” Ramage says. Still, seasonal flavors do appear on the Black Lagoonmenu; they just differ from the usual baking spices. “There are definitely some fall flavors and harvest things that don’t necessarily get the love that pumpkin spice gets,” Hayes says. “We’ve got an amazing cocktail that utilizes a beautiful corn liqueur, which is such a different flavor but has a very fall vibe. It also utilizes green apples, and apple pick ing is definitely a fall activity. So pairing those two together really gives an essence of the season without dipping into pumpkin pie spice.” Obviously, most beverage directors won’t go as full tilt on a theme as Black Lagoon, but like Joly, its cofounders suggest bartenders explore close-to-home ingredients. “With fall flavors, it just brings in a new season of [ingredi ents] that are available locally, like apples, fall fruits, and root vegetables that come into season. I think looking there first for inspiration is where you start,” Ramage says. Pumpkin spice is still nice The harvest months bring a wealth of ingredients and fresh ideas for mixologists, but even with new cocktails finding their way onto menus, the classics will endure. And after all, there’s a reason pumpkin spice, mocked as it may be, receives so much fanfare. “Bartenders in particular cringe a little bit when people come out with the array of pumpkin spice everything,” Daly says. “There’s a reason pumpkin spice coffee drinks go nuts every year. They have haters because they’re that popular. There are plenty of people who are excited about it, and those spices do go really well together.” These spices also appeal to other senses, which can go a long way in capturing the season’s cozy—or in the case of Black Lagoon, spooky—ambiance. The pop-up relies heavily on visual cues to cultivate the right atmosphere, while oth ers, including Minaya, gravitate toward scent. To evoke autumn, he recommends tapping into cinnamon, clove, allspice, anise, allspice, rosemary, and even orange. “Fall is all about aroma. In the air, you can smell the leaves changing and the pinecones falling,” he says. “Amore sophis ticated way to appease your customers’ demand for pumpkin spice and cider is to invoke their other senses. … You could make a mulled water or utilize a pear brandy and place them into an atomizer.” Ultimately, it’s not pumpkin spice that’s the problem so much as its pervasiveness. Joly thinks that where F&B profes sionals—and even consumers—lose their patience is when a single flavor is overdone. LikeMinaya, he says there are many overlooked spices in the pantry. “Dig a layer deeper on some of those fall spices. Instead of just nutmeg, clove, and cinnamon, maybe reach for some thing a little more unexpected. Reach for the mace. Go to a nice spice shop and see what they have,” Joly says. “There are plenty of other warming spices or baking spices.”

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