The creeping re-proliferation of blue drinks across the global cocktail scene is a bit of a puzzler when first encountered. At first glance it seems to run in direct contrast to the bartender community's mandate to elevate and transform cocktails to something special and distinctly artisanal, not merely a sorority-ready, overly sweet candy-colored, Blue Curacao-enhanced confection. And in some senses this movement is contrary, but the micro-trend's absurdist underpinnings are predicated on restoring a bit of fun to what can get be a ponderous and serious--even grim--scene from time to time.
Last Saturday I stopped in to visit Jacob Briars of LeBlon Cachaças while he played Robin to Alex Kammerling's Batman during Alex's startender shift at Jub Jub, the tucked-away private room at Shoreditch's Callooh Callay, When Jacob placed the Duran Duran inspired--and quite, quite blue--Simon Le Blon (above) in front of me, I thought it was time to get this hyper-articulate man I've now seen pouring blue drinks on 3 continents to share his thoughts on the Blue Wave, and to reveal the depths of his involvement. In the second part of the post, Briar's own manifesto of sorts.
Oh, and this blue drink was quite nice, actually. The Noilly Pratt and the Cachaça seemed to bring tame the Curacao--even redeem it.
SIMON LEBLON
1 oz Leblon Cachaça
1 oz Blue Curacao
1 oz Lime juice
1/2 oz Noilly Prat
Shake, strain into your most elegant Cocktail glass, and garnish with an orange zest.
Alex Kammerling and Jacob Briar hamming it up for the camera at Jub Jub.
From Mr Briars: In regards to the thinking behind blue drinks, I am not alone in pushing the blue wagon, but possibly have done it more publicly than anyone else.
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