This Week’s Episode: Paladar, Frontier, and Chef Amaury at 33 WEST
Hello!
Tonight we are featuring Frontier and its whole animal dining experience, Chef Amaury’s French-inspired restaurant at 33 WEST, and Cuban restaurant Paladar.
Aside from the cuisine, at Paladar, it’s known for its rum selection and extensive mojito list (don’t miss the coconut one!). Although I usually prefer whiskey based drinks like a well-made Manhattan or a cocoa nib-infused Templeton Rye Old-fashioned (my friend, and partner at Templeton Rye, Michael Kilmer’s addiction-creating concoction), I have to admit that nothing beats a mojito when you want something refreshing. It’s the perfect blend of sweet, sour, and effervescence. Even my mother who rarely touches a cocktail will usually partake in a mojito with the rest of us. Whether bartenders love them, hate them or secretly love to hate them, the Havana-born cocktail is a crowd-pleaser for sure – in fact, it’s one of the most frequently ordered cocktails. It first appeared in the Cuban guide, The Cocktail Book (Libro de Cocktail) as Mojo de Ron in the late 1920s and is still going strong today. Here’s my recipe for the classic Cuban cocktail to get you in the mood for this week’s episode:
Classic Mojito
Ingredients:
1 1/2 oz. white Rum (El Dorado works well)
3/4 oz. simple syrup*
3/4 oz. fresh lime juice
7 fresh mint leaves, plus one mint sprig for garnish
1 1/2 oz. club soda
Special Equipment: muddler, cocktail shaker
Directions:
Place mint leaves in a shaker and lightly muddle the leaves to release their oils. Add rum, simple syrup, lime juice and fill with ice. Shake well and pour into highball or collins glass – no straining necessary (strain into a cocktail coupe for a more refined presentation). Stir in club soda. Garnish with a fresh sprig of mint
*Simple syrup: In a saucepan over medium heat combine equal parts water and sugar. Simmer until sugar is completely dissolved. Remove from heat and cool. Transfer to glass jar and refrigerate. ** Keeps refrigerated for one month.
Tips:
For flavored mojitos, muddle fresh fruit with the mint leaves. Some of my favorites are blackberry, strawberry and pineapple mojitos.
If you do not own a muddler, use the handle of a wooden spoon.
This is a fun episode, so be sure to tune in as we check out Paladar, Frontier, and Chef Amaury at 33 WEST. See you then!
Cheers,
Catherine
PS: If the whole animal dining experience has piqued your interest, you can learn more about it and chef Brian Jupiter from Frontier in a piece I wrote for Eater.com
