Flavour of the Week

Chamomile, Roman

Roman chamomile is an herbaceous perennial native to western Europe and North Africa. Chamomile flowers contain anti-inflammatory and sedative ingredients and have been used in medicinally for centuries. The word derives, via French and Latin, from Greek χαμαίμηλον (chamaimilon) ("earth apple"), which is evocative of one of the aromas of the plant.

Interestingly, even though chamomile flowers are white and yellow, when distilled the chamomile oil turns a dark blue. This is due to a naturally occurring chemical, named sesquiterpenoid chamazulene (C14H16) [6] [86].

In aromatherapy the essential oil is considered in general to be calming, rejuvenating, and relaxing.  The scent is hard to pin down and has been described as woody, peachy, prune-like, soapy and sweet. The flavour can be described as sweet and somewhat heady. It is most commonly used in a tisane, or tea, but it can also be found in powdered form. Chamomile in cocktails lends a delicate sweetness and floral note.

Tony C on ABC Nightline

Check out Drink Factory's Tony C on the American news program ABC Nightline talking about the resurgence of gin in cocktails. Gee makes a Beefeater martini for the intrepid reporter and London micro-distillery SipSmith is also visited. A great little piece showing that gin in cocktails is here to stay!

http://abcnews.go.com/Nightline/video/gin-martini-making-comeback-16333211

Stages Program Returns at Drink Factory / 69 Colebrooke Row

Drink Factory and The Bar with no Name at 69 Colebrooke Row are very pleased to announce our 2012 Stages program is now open for applications.  

Positions will be open to all, though an interest in cocktails, food science, flavour and perfume are inherent.  

The Stages program offers a unique period of time to work alongside Tony C and the award winning team of 69 Colebrooke Row and the Drink Factory. You will be aiding the everyday running of the Drink Factory, as well as shadowing ongoing research and development, gaining an exclusive insight into this unique setting.

Apprentices will not only be trained on the happenings and equipment within the lab, they will also get the opportunity to see these realized within the bar environment. This will provide a rare view of the unique process of concept formation, development and implication of ideas.

The position will provide a rare opportunity to learn from leaders in the field of cocktail science, be involved in pioneering projects, and will help the understudies develop a unique set of skills and gain invaluable experience.

Apprenticeship duration will last one week and will run on set dates outlined within the attached application form.  Applicants must complete the application form, provide two references, and be prepared to be called for interview.  Unfortunately we are unable to provide accommodation for successful apprentices.

Completed forms should be returned via email to zoe@69colebrookerow.com Please note that only successful applicants will be contacted. 

The deadline for completed and returned forms is Thursday 31^st May.    

You can download the application by clicking HERE 

69 Colerooke Row 3rd Birthday

We are very pleased to announce our third birthday celebrations are now planned and ready to go. The event will take place on Sunday June 3rd. It will be a very special affair with the promise of surprises throughout the night.

Societe Perrier Interview Tony C

The newest Luminary of Societe Perrier, Tony C, took the time to sit down and have a chat with Karen Loftus to answer questions that include what he thinks will be the next big trend, how aromatics will grow in use throughout the cocktail world and what is Tony's greatest creation to date. 

I love your sensorial approach to creating cocktails, which is often affiliated with molecular mixology. Why is it that you don't want to be affiliated with that term?

Tony Conigliaro: It’s a term that has limiting implications. We work with a far wider inter-disciplinary outlook as we take on projects with designers, perfumers, chocolatiers, and architects to name but a few. To use that term implies we look at things purely through the lens of science, which is simply not always the case.

The minute you start defining things as this style or that style they become dead museum pieces. We are far more creatively dynamic than that. We are always moving, discovering beyond what we have already done and what is already out there by not following trends or styles - unless we are subverting them!

What is your greatest cocktail creation? 

The Prairie Oyster is one of my all-time favorites. It was when the worlds of science, bartending and culinary skill collided for a moment. It’s a concept drink on many levels, from .......

You can read the full interview HERE

Perfume and Poetry

As scent and perfume continues to make long and swift bounds firmly into  the world of art and sensory experience, we now start to wonder how the idea of scent and poetry can inspire one another. 

The event comes from the minds of Claire Trevien and Odette Toilette who has been running the Scratch & Sniff events in East London for a while to broadly critical acclaim. The evening is called Penning Perfume and takes the shape of an ongoing project between poets and perfumers who endeavour to explore each others worlds and find inspirations through each others craft. The process will culminate June 12th at The Book Club in a Read & Sniff event. 

Trevien had this to say on the idea…

"I feel like smell is neglected in poetry – it's used quite lazily and people feel illiterate when it comes to smell. It's a challenge for poets to learn to smell," 

A dozen poets were given anonymous scents which they were asked to smell and create a poem based on the scent. At the same time six perfumers were asked to create a scent inspired by an anonymous poem they were given. 

One such pairing was Penny Williams (Orchadia) who was paired with poet Davib Morley. They had this to say on the process…

"When the poem was first read to me, in my 'mind's nose' my initial odour reflexes did not make a nice smell!" says Williams. "I've spent more time getting to know the poem and am developing a perfume that captures its essence."2

You can see more information on the evening HERE

The Post Imperial Shaker

It's been an interesting point of conversation for a while now, especially considering the incredible speed more and more innovative and accessible technologies are reaching the average bar, either pre or during service. So when will we see an end to a human bartender physically shaking a cocktail in favour of a automated mechanism…..if ever? 

There have been occurrences along the way, including paint mixers, and a bubble tea shaking machine that can be hacked for alcoholic use pretty easily. However, the most recent sightings embraces the idea but goes about it a very old fashioned way. 

It is called "The Post-Imperial Shaker" and is something you'd imagine to see equally at a steam fair and a vintage fashion show. It is based on a machine made at the turn-of-the-19th century called an "Imperial Shaker" and was originally built to be part of The Touring Pop-up Sideshow Saloon. 

The original "Imperial Shaker" appears amongst other illustrations in the book Recipes of American and Other Iced Drinks.

The technical side of things is explained below…

"Technically, this machine uses a flywheel driven by a hand-crank, which pushes a 'crank-slider,' or pivoting piston. At the end of the crank-slider is a carriage where two cocktail shakers live. The elliptical motion produced by the crank-slider lends itself to mixing cocktails, where a simple up/down motion would not stir the ingredients as much."

The argument really boils down to a time and a place. For many customers the "Shake" is as much part of the show and attraction as the actual drink itself. It also offers a chance for bartenders to show some of their personality and put their own spin on a time honoured tradition. 

The shaker machine, embraces a retrospective, and dare I say classier, side of bartending that is becoming more and more fashionable. One could easily make an argument that "The Post Imperial Shaker" is as much, if not more, of a spectacle as watching a man do the same job. I doubt many are expecting to see this in action behind many bars anytime soon, and the mechanical version even less so however the value and attraction for a specific event or place is obvious. 

WAAHH Quantum Sensations Alcohol Spray

Brought to us by the same mind who created Whif, which administered an instant shot of flavour, such as coffee or chocolate, with zero calories, and then followed by Whaf which was an ultrasonic system to mix different liquids to create a cloud of flavour. 

Mr David Edwards has now done something potentially event more brilliant an invented a spray which will get you drunk instantly but only for a few seconds. The impending hangover will never coming and apparently there are zero aftereffects. 

One dose is equivalent to 0.075ml of alcohol, and it is thanks to the way the liquid is administered into your mouth that you can be hangover free and sober in no time at all. Reports say that you will even get a thumbs up on a breathalyser. 

The obvious question is why wouldn't someone just administer the entire cartridge in quick succession and what would the effect be? Well, considered one drink hold between 40 and 60ml of alcohol it would take up to 1,000 sprays to reach the same effect of one drink. 

One cartridge is equivalent to 21 sprays and will run at the price of only  20 euros. 

Tony C named Luminary of Societe Perrier

Societe Perrier describes its Luminaries as being...


"Chosen from a select group of top influencers and culture tastemakers, our luminaries represent the Société Perrier lifestyle both in their work and everyday lives. Our luminaries work directly with our Société Perrier editors in helping shape the content we bring to you daily. Get to know them here on Société Perrier."


Tony joins the ranks that includes our friend The Cocktail Lovers, Joe McCanta and The Cultural Expose. Be sure to check the site for regular updates on whats coming up including Tony's first book "Drinks". 

Flavour of the Week - Liquorice

The liquorice (UK) or licorice (US) plant is a distant relative of beans and peas native to Southern Europe  and parts of Asia. Despite having similar chemical flavour compounds it has no relation to star anise or fennel. 

The distinct flavour is derived from the fruit that grows on the plant. They are oblong pods, growing a few centimetres in length. The similarity between anise and fennel is a compound called anethole which is found in all three plants as well as several other kinds of herb. 

As well as being a popular, albeit fairly old fashioned, candy, liquorice is also a versatile form of medicine. It is used to treat ailments ranging from hepatitis to melanoma. Interestingly it can also prove dangerous to liver function if taken in very high doses.

Easily available either as a hard boiled sweets, or in the classic form of pure liquorice tronchettini, which are completely organic and natural pellets you can either grate or grind. They have an extremely intense flavour despite their size. 

Flavour: Sweet, liqourice

Dominique Persoone - The Chemistry of Chocolate

Dominique Persoone of Choc-o-Latier collaborantes regularly with Bernard Lehousse, our good friend who heads up Food Pairing, several of the best chefs in the world and has a scheduled date every sixth months or so set aside to indulge his and Heston Blumenthals wild imaginations within the Fat Ducks lab.

The talk below is arguably one of the most interesting and accessible we have seen so far from Tedx.  Dominique is a self taught food "scientist" who works through his creativity and passion rather than from a typical stern scientific stand point. 

He offers insights into several of his creations which are based on engaging all the senses to augment the enjoyment and flavour of the chocolate. In typically dutch fashion he also tells us about the chocolate lipstick,  'euphoric' state inducing chocolate and a special sniffing machine made for two of the Rolling Stones birthday party. 

Very very highly recommended watching. 

Tony C Named part of Mr Porter Style Council

Anyone familiar with Mr Tony C will know he is a stylish man, equally so in his work with cocktail and his appearance. This has now been recognised by renowned online luxury style specialists Mr Porter. He has joined the ranks as part of their Style Council, that includes Hugh Jackman, Pharrel Williams and Tom Aikens. 


Check out a short style based interview with Tony C HERE and check out the rest of the council HERE 

Whisky Barrel Sent to Age in Space

You'd be forgiven for immediately branding this as a marketing/pr stunt, designed for chatter purposes rather than to push the boundaries of ageing a whisky. Apparently that would be wrong though…. 

The project,  set in motion by famously peaked / smokey whisky Ardberg, is to send a barrel of whisky into space and compare how the ageing process differs depending on whether it is at zero gravity or not. On a chemical level we are still getting to grips with the exact process of how a barrel and whisky interact. There have been many ideas on how to speed up the process or reach the same results artificially however most have landed short behind the tried and tested natural process. 

The company responsible for hosting the whisky is NanoRacks, who provide space for experiments on the International Space Station. Ardberg have sent up a sample of unaged whisky in a charred oak barrel which will remain in space for 2 years and then be compared with a sample stored on earth. 

The experiment is slated to find out more about how terpenes and other molecules interact with charred oak, leading to wider applications across other spirits, food, alcohol and perfume. A few scientists have already expressed doubt, and wonder if gravity will have any measurable effect at all and one also pointed out how this would impact the cost of future barrels. Maybe a zero gravity super premium section on a drinks menu to be consumed within the zero gravity lounge by booking only……

Ty Tyler, liquor scientist had this to say…

"Without the interference that gravity provides, there could be chemical attraction factors that would make bad components, like acids and minor alcohols, combine to form the good-tasting esters more efficiently. Also, there is a good chance that bad-tasting congeners, not normally produced in amounts large enough to taste, could appear. My bet would be a wait-and-see, with chances of being better by being in space being less than 50/50."

Sheer curiosity and an open mind will certainly have us revisiting this project in a couple of years. Lets see what happens. 

Prairie Oyster Video

If you are a regular reader of the blog, or customer of 69 Colebrooke Row you are bound to have heard, seen, or tasted one of the most recent additions to the menu, the Prairie Oyster. Classicly the drink was served as a hangover remedy and would consist of a raw egg, worcestershire sauce, salt, ground black pepper, tobasco. The drink would traditionally be served with the egg yolk whole and the ingredients carefully placed on top or around it.

In creating this drink Tony C saw the collision of three concepts: the original Prairie Oyster whereby an egg yolk was downed with a shot of tomato juice and spices. The classic oyster, a thrilling but alien food, which has always fascinated due to the way it slides down the throat and tastes of the sea. Finally the Bloody Mary, (which would form the road map of ingredients), replacing the tomato juice with a clarified tomato juice, reformulated to resemble an egg yolk. horseradish vodka, Oloroso sherry, Worcester sauce, pepper sauce, shallots (a traditional garnish for oysters), red wine vinegar and finally an oyster leaf (actually has an intense taste of oyster).

The video gives a perfect account of how simple and practical the making of this cocktail can be, although perhaps not the amount of prep that went into it!

Cocktail Lovers #3 Out Now

It is safe to say that The Cocktail Lovers are the newest most talked about "cocktail magazine" around at the moment, and rightly so. Anybody who read the previous 2 volumes will be pleased to know issue 3 has just launched online. 


This time round The Cocktail Lovers look at why gin is the flavour of the month, chat with Gaz Reagan and Peter Dorelli, discover the Best of British and offer us 25 reasons why it's good to be a cocktail lover this season....if anybody needs them, that is. 


You can check out their website HERE and download the magazine for free from HERE

Flavour of the Week - Dekopon

Originating from Japan, dekopon is a seedless and very sweet hybrid fruit, created from kiyomi and ponkan in 1972. 

The name dekopon was initially a brand name but has since become a genericized trademark and refers to all brand of the fruit. The fruit is distinct and notable because of its size and the protruding bump at the top. 

Harvesting normally takes place between December to March, depending on whether they are grown within greenhouses or gardens. After harvesting the fruit are generally left for around 30 days so the citric acid can lower and the sweetness can increase. 

Over the past 10 years the fruit has been cultivated in in Brazil, Korea and the US where it has adapted to the differing climates and has been named Kinsei, hallabong, and Sumo respectively. 

People often describe the fruit as a big mandarin, easy to peel and seedless. It has a intense sweetness but a good, refreshing acidity and a lingering aroma. Many have named it the most delicious citrus fruit they have tasted. 

Flavour - Citric, sweet, tangy