Bottega - Michael Chiarello [90]
You could use the microwave to melt chocolate, but in these cases the double-boiler method gives a slightly smoother consistency to the finished truffles.
At the restaurant, we use 3/4- to 1-ounce ice-cream scoops to shape the truffles. You can also use a melon baller or shape the balls with your hands. If you find the chocolate sticks to your palms, try dipping your hands in ice water, drying them well, and then rolling the truffles. You can use food-grade gloves, too, if you like.
Use great ingredients—fine fresh herbs, the best Parmesan you can find, great cocoa powder. There aren’t many ingredients in these truffles, so each one counts.
Chapter 10
Libations
libagioni
The cocktails you serve should be a sensation. Forget about having an open bar—you’ll spend half your paycheck stocking it and the whole evening bartending. At home, I serve just one well-considered cocktail and have ready two wines (one red, one white) and two beers (one pilsner, one ale). And don’t be afraid to allow your guests to supply some of these. If a friend calls to say, “What can I bring?” they’re asking because they don’t want to arrive at the party empty-handed. My response falls along the lines of “Thanks, a Pinot Noir from the Sonoma Coast would be fantastic,” or “A twelve-pack of ale would be great.”
The cocktail should begin to tell the story of your meal. A thoughtful, well-made cocktail offers you an opportunity to enhance a gathering. At Bottega, the same words that describe our food—seasonal, creative, classically inspired—apply to our drinks as well. The libations in this chapter aren’t about just starting with fresh ingredients, but how the flavors complement or anticipate the flavors of your meal. Drinks should show the same layering of flavors that happens in the kitchen. While a rim is a chance to add something to the drink, the garnish should be integral to the cocktail’s flavors and not an afterthought.
We’ve written each recipe in this chapter to make one cocktail (except for the limoncello and the limoncello spritzers). If you’re making these drinks for a party, multiply the recipe ingredients by the number of guests expected and then double that—making two cocktails for each guest is a good rule of thumb. If I’m expecting more than six people, I like to have the drinks made and waiting in pitchers in the refrigerator so that I can begin pouring as soon as guests arrive.
Negroni
St. Helena Dirty Martini
Spanked-Basil Gimlet
Heirloom-Tomato Bloody Maria
Manhattan
Strawberry Pazzo
Lavender Limoncello
Simple Syrup
Tips from the Bottega Bar
When I’m putting together a restaurant staff, the two hardest roles to fill are the sommelier/bar chef and the pastry chef, because I look for talented people who see their work as complementing my work. I always feel a disconnect when a bartender is out there mixing up drinks that have nothing to do with the food I’m serving.
I was lucky to find wine director Michael Iglesias. Because he is aware of what our diners are eating, his seasonal drinks and wine choices reflect and complement the flavors on Bottega’s plates.
Michael has his bar staff pay close attention to mise en place. Just as with cooking, having a few tools and house-made bar ingredients at hand makes your bartending faster, smoother, and more competent.
Bar Tools
Fine-mesh cocktail strainer or sieve
One-ounce and half-ounce measures
Cocktail shaker, preferably stainless steel
Long-handled spoon
Demitasse spoon for measuring (or ½ teaspoon)
Wooden muddler
Zest knife, preferably with a wooden handle
Chilling the Barware
I’m strict about plate temperature. This is a small thing that makes a big impact—serving hot foods on warmed plates, and cold foods on chilled plates. This holds even more true for cocktails. A drink tastes better from an icy-cold glass, end of story. Don’t forget to chill the glasses when making cocktails at home.
Spanking the Basil
After you’ve poured the cocktail into a chilled glass, spank the basil