The new menu is inspired by the world of photography, looking at how the ‘creative lens’ captures ordinary scenes and transforms them into works of art.
Commenting on how the Baccarat Bar team came up with the concept for the new menu, bar manager Michal Janusz Maziarz tells Drinks International: “We wanted raw creativity. There were many different approaches, but there was also a common thread, crystal, light, moments, joy, memories and a lot of visualisations.
“We also wanted to highlight the diversity of ideas we had when approaching the same subjects, so contrasting different techniques, effects and creative approaches was the answer,” Maziarz adds.
In terms of the Baccarat glassware influencing the cocktails, Maziarz adds that it “goes both ways, sometimes an idea calls for a glass, sometimes we have a glass that calls for a drink, and other times the glass decides on the garnish or suggests there should be none as it serves as the best garnish itself.
“The most photogenic pair is probably the colour inversion, where both the drinks are served in stemware, but one is a spacious Massena coupe with deep hand cut ridges, that allows the drinks to spill to the side of your tongue highlighting the acidity. The other is served in the Harcourt Flute, with slightly smaller capacity and a narrow opening, directing the drink to flow from the tip of your tongue to the back, making you focus more on sweetness and cooling sensation. It allowed us to have clear contrast, without putting too much sugar or acid in the cocktail,” Maziarz continues.
The Colour Inversion consists of the ‘Pepper-berry Club’ combining raspberry with a touch of beetroot and a hint of spice, and the ‘Cool Blues’, presenting a more aromatic raspberry experience with golden beetroot and a hint of menthol.
The ‘Long Exposure’ is served in the team’s “favourite glass at the moment” the “perfectly sized mini goblets, Harcourt no.5”, presenting their interpretation of the photography technique “focused on the age of whisky, and the exposure of the ingredients to high temperatures for an extended period of time”, says Maziarz.
“The flight of three small cocktails allows you to explore how time and temperature can change the flavour of otherwise identical cocktails. Each drink is based on The Macallan Harmony III Amer Meadow, The Macallan 12 years old double cask and The Macallan 18 years old double cask. The rest of the drink is a blend of clarified pineapple juice, Canadian ice wine and miso caramel.
The bar recently launched its ‘Metamorphosis’ menu, the first new menu since opening in July 2020, with the aim going forward to have one annual menu.
Maziarz adds how none of the drinks from the previous menus were carried over. “We are not scared of change, and we believe in stepping out of our comfort zone. We didn’t keep any bestsellers from the first menu, and even though a few regulars were a little nostalgic about them, they quickly found new favourites and many guests became more open to try new and different cocktails as well. It allows us to try more ideas within our menu, and our guests to be open to new experiences within the bar.”
