28 March 2026

From the bartender’s corner – Aztec Gold

I don’t think I had ever tried passion fruit juice before. Sharmila picked some up from a local Indian store, and after tasting just a few drops, I loved it. Not sure why I hadn’t tried it earlier.

Since the juice is quite sweet, I thought adding a bit of spice and a touch of salt would balance it nicely.

I used Sharmila’s Indian dry chili powder, Tajin salt, “S” vodka from Punjab, and passion fruit juice to create the drink.

I named it “Aztec Gold” in a nod to the origins of chili peppers and Tajin seasoning, with “Gold” reflecting the rich color of the passion fruit.

7 February 2026

From the bartender’s corner: Khatta Meetha

I am trying to make some cocktails with distinctly Indian theme. We will see how many I can come up with. Today’s was Khatta Meetha. This literally means “Sweet and Sour”.

Tamarind juice with Old Monk rum from India and sugar syrup. Garnished with a cinnamon stick.

By the way, did you know India has the highest per capita consumption of rum in the whole world?

1 February 2026

From the bartender’s corner – Tamarindo Margarita

This is a twist on the original Margarita recipe. First, I have used Tamarind juice. Growing up in a village in India, tamarind was one of those much sought-after things in the tree. It was always about who could throw a stone or stick to fell a bunch of them, and then the incredible squint in the eyes once the sharp, sweet, tangy, and sour taste exploded in the mouth.

In any case, I used a bit of lime juice with it, then, instead of the traditional tequila, went with mezcal to add earthy tones. Finally, topped up with Grand Marnier and Tajin salt for garnishing.