Local and seasonal ingredients are commonly used in cocktails by bartenders nowadays. Thank God for this healthy trend. Freshness and creativity can be infused even when using local ingredients. Bartenders believe that the palate can be treated with interesting twists given to classic cocktails.

Be innovative and serve some interesting cocktails to usher in the festive season. Use fresh fruits, herbs and Indian spices to add a zing to your drinks.

I discovered the regional diversity of Italian cuisine fairly recently. Locally grown produce and regional specialities are the real essence of Italian food. The Alpine meadows in Northern Italy are home to some of the best cattle, resulting in a lot of dairy products. Cheese is the soul of this region.

Nothing beats the taste of a fresh, crisp mojito during the summer. It is so refreshing and punchy. There’s something that makes it simply irresistible. In India, mojito can be had throughout the year, given our weather conditions.

This derivative of a Dutch word meaning burnt, is versatile, yet, underestimated. Brandy is consumed usually to keep oneself warm on a chilly evening or to cure common colds. But there’s more to brandy than just that.

You don’t have to be in Spain or Portugal to enjoy a sangria. Made with red or white wine, this summer drink is refreshing and easy to make even at home. It is nothing but a fruit punch made with a mix of fruits, wine, sugar, cognac liqueur and seltzer. It is generally made and kept in a pitcher or large jug.

I once wanted to serve exotic cocktails with a twist for a party and suddenly thought of adding cream. Normal dairy cream curdles in alcohol, so I experimented with the non-dairy whipping cream I use in desserts. The results were encouraging, with friends and family lapping up the cocktails. My Grasshopper with cream topping was the talk of the evening.

Foreign wines are great, but the ones made in India with foreign expertise and know-how are better.
Fratelli wines, an Indo-Italian venture, are a fine example. Their new range of the ruby-red Cabernet Franc Shiraz, which blends 50 per cent Cabernet Franc and 50 per cent Shiraz, offers a pleasing taste of ripe dark fruits and berries.

A garnish leads us to the cocktail. In fact, it tells the story of what the cocktail is all about. Harmukh Singh Sandhu, beverage manager at the ITC Grand Central, Mumbai, once told me, “Garnishes are a must. They literally complete the cocktail. They enhance the drink’s appeal in multiple ways.”

The traditionalists may scoff at it, but molecular mixology is no longer a gimmick, but a menu staple at most bars in India. It is here to stay.