Baudtender
04-18-2003, 01:17 AM
I wrote in the my last post about using concentrated flavor
extracts available at most drugstores, but I should also mention
that these are a really cool tool for doing something that's
real easy and very much appreciated.
Flavored/colored sugars and salts ought to be a staple in
every bar, restaurant, and nightclub.
Here's how easy it is:
Take some coarse kosher salt or granulated white sugar and
fill the bottom of a flat pan or tupperware container to about
3/8's inch deep.
Add half of a tiny bottle (they usually are 1/2 or 1/4 ounce, I think)
of flavoring extract a little bit at a time, while tasting it. For salt,
you just cant beat lime or lemon-lime extract. For sugar, pick
a flavor that melds with your product, yet keeps them guessing
- strawberry or cherry or watermelon for frozen fruit dacquiris,
pineapple for pina coladas.
Add some food coloring - green for salt, red for sugar, a few drops
at at a time while vigorously tossing the mixture. If it clumps or
looks sticky, simply add more of the base ingredient (salt or
sugar) and keep tossing until you've got a unformly mixed
color/flavor. Taste and adjust and shake some more. If it gets
too wet, add more salt and shake. You want just enough
flavor and color to get the job done, so add just in drops.
Green/lime flavored salt on a Marguerita is just proper and can
really set you apart from the competition. You might get a raised
eyebrow for a flavored sugar rim on a frozen or mixed fruity drink -
don't bat an eyelash - just tell them to try it. The best strawberry
dacquiri I ever tasted was only that because of the sour cherry
sugar on half the rim and the watermelon sugar on the other half
That's it - you've just created the world's best Marguerita salt
and/or frozen drink rim sugar. It takes just a couple of minutes,
costs next to nothing, and has a virtually (as far as I know,
literally) unlimited shelf life.
Hint: don't be afraid to get creative with flavorings/colorings.
Heinz has made a fortune with blue catsup. Buy a bunch of
small plastic containers and make a whole batch of different
types and market those high profit house-special mixed and
frozen drinks. Think also in terms of half-and-half flavorings
around the rims to keep them tasting and reordering. But,
you need to stop the practice of using lime wedges or lime
juice in a sponge to wet the rims - just use soda water.
Mail-order houses charge a fortune for this stuff.
Dare I mention that the lime-salt is just perfect before a shot
of Tequila, or rimmed lightly and only halfway on a glass
served with a bottle of Corona or Dos Equis.
Baudtender
extracts available at most drugstores, but I should also mention
that these are a really cool tool for doing something that's
real easy and very much appreciated.
Flavored/colored sugars and salts ought to be a staple in
every bar, restaurant, and nightclub.
Here's how easy it is:
Take some coarse kosher salt or granulated white sugar and
fill the bottom of a flat pan or tupperware container to about
3/8's inch deep.
Add half of a tiny bottle (they usually are 1/2 or 1/4 ounce, I think)
of flavoring extract a little bit at a time, while tasting it. For salt,
you just cant beat lime or lemon-lime extract. For sugar, pick
a flavor that melds with your product, yet keeps them guessing
- strawberry or cherry or watermelon for frozen fruit dacquiris,
pineapple for pina coladas.
Add some food coloring - green for salt, red for sugar, a few drops
at at a time while vigorously tossing the mixture. If it clumps or
looks sticky, simply add more of the base ingredient (salt or
sugar) and keep tossing until you've got a unformly mixed
color/flavor. Taste and adjust and shake some more. If it gets
too wet, add more salt and shake. You want just enough
flavor and color to get the job done, so add just in drops.
Green/lime flavored salt on a Marguerita is just proper and can
really set you apart from the competition. You might get a raised
eyebrow for a flavored sugar rim on a frozen or mixed fruity drink -
don't bat an eyelash - just tell them to try it. The best strawberry
dacquiri I ever tasted was only that because of the sour cherry
sugar on half the rim and the watermelon sugar on the other half
That's it - you've just created the world's best Marguerita salt
and/or frozen drink rim sugar. It takes just a couple of minutes,
costs next to nothing, and has a virtually (as far as I know,
literally) unlimited shelf life.
Hint: don't be afraid to get creative with flavorings/colorings.
Heinz has made a fortune with blue catsup. Buy a bunch of
small plastic containers and make a whole batch of different
types and market those high profit house-special mixed and
frozen drinks. Think also in terms of half-and-half flavorings
around the rims to keep them tasting and reordering. But,
you need to stop the practice of using lime wedges or lime
juice in a sponge to wet the rims - just use soda water.
Mail-order houses charge a fortune for this stuff.
Dare I mention that the lime-salt is just perfect before a shot
of Tequila, or rimmed lightly and only halfway on a glass
served with a bottle of Corona or Dos Equis.
Baudtender