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Drink to victory with these Alpine-inspired cocktails.
The Torch 2010 cocktail
The 2010 Torch cocktail
With Lindsey Vonn’s victory in the Women’s Downhill no doubt a few Americans toasted Gold. The cocktail of choice at the Four Seasons Resort Whistler, not far from the downhill course, is a flamed affair called, fittingly, the 2010 Torch Cocktail.
Conceived by Michael Pacovsky and Uriah Conti, the restaurant director, and mixologist respectively at the resorts Fifty Two 80 Bistro & Bar; (That’s a mile high. Get it?) the concoction pairs vodka with healthy portions of fresh pear puree and the berry-of-the moment, Acai.
An absinthe laced sugar cube provides fuel for a flame that is doused with an international sparkler of the guests choosing—see options listed at the end of the article.
Pick your medal.
1 oz. Zubrowka Bison Grass Vodka
1 oz. Pear puree
1½ oz. Monavie Acai Berry Energy Drink
¼ oz. Hill’s Absinthe
1 ea. Sugar cube
Shake the vodka and pear puree over ice then pour into the copper glass. Top with Monavie energy drink. Place the martini shaker lid upside down over the top of the glass and set 1 sugar cube. Pour ¼ oz. Absinthe over the sugar cube and light the sugar cube on fire.
Guests can also "choose their Medal" based on the champagne they choose to extinguish the flame:
Bronze: Col de Salici Prosecco Brut, Veneto IT $28.
Silver: Blue Mountain ‘Gold Label’ Brut N/V, Okanagan Falls BC $30.
Gold: Pol Roger ‘Cuvée de Réserve’ Extra Brut N/V, Épernay FR $32.
Midnight Train
Scot Curry, the assistant bar manager at Araxi in Whistler, is obsessed with using
Canadian products and produce whenever possible when creating cocktails. While there are no fresh fruits above the 45th parallel in February,
Curry still wanted to stay true to his Canadian heritage when he
crafted his take on a Whisky Sour. His "Midnight Train," currently on
the menu for the Games, includes juices sourced from stone fruit, a
sweetening shot of Sortilege Maple Liqueur made from a blend of maple
syrup and Canadian Rye Whisky and, of course, Canadian Club.
Dark, and a touch frothy in the glass, this concoction has been a hit
with Olympic fans.
1 oz Sortilege Maple Liqueur, from Quebec
.5 oz Canadian Club
.75 oz Giffard Pear Liqueur
1 oz Unfiltered Apple Juice
1 oz Fresh Lemon Juice
1 Egg White
Shake all ingredients and strain into a chilled cocktail glass, garnish
with freshly shaved nutmeg.
The Five Stars
When I called David Wolowidnyk, bar manager and drink specialist at
Vancouver's West Restaurant, looking for a recipe for a distinctly
Canadian Cocktail that he would be pouring his Olympic visitors he
reminded me of why the world loves Canadians.
" We haven't been thinking like that," he said. "Instead, we have been
trying make cocktails that appeal to the tastes of our world visitors,
not just our own palates. For example, we've had lots of Norwegians in
the last couple of weeks so we have tried to be creative and put a
freestyle spin on some drinks with Aquavit. We just want our guests to
be comfortable and happy."
Walking distance to a variety of
Olympic venues, Wolowidnyk's (it's pronounced just like it's
spelled. Wallow-wid-nik) bar has been full with faces from around the globe
who have come to try his unique concoctions.
Below is his Five Stars Cocktail. Named for obvious reasons.
1 4 oz Ardbeg 10 year Single malt Whisky
1 oz Calvados
1 oz Pommeau de Normandie (cider-based aperitif)
14 oz Giffard Caramel Liqueur
1 dash Fee Brothers Old Fashion Bitters
1 slice apple (for garnish)
Glassware:
Coupe cocktail glass (pre-chilled)
Measure all the liquid ingredients into a mixing glass then add ice to
fill half way.
Stir gently to chill and gently dilute (30 seconds)
Strain into prepared cocktail glass.
Cut out some interesting shapes (like stars!) from the apple slice and
float on top.
Wolowidnyks Note: "The wisp of peat smoke gently surrounds both the
apple aperitif and apple liquor, accented by the aromatic spices of the
old fashion bitters. This drink reminds me of having a baked apple over
an open fire."
