Ever wondered what a wet Wednesday on Lake Tahoe is like? Then get down to Club 97, where manager Erik Dam will show you. The Dutch bartender used to hole up at Woody's bar in the scenic resort straddling the border of California and Nevada on summer evenings for 'wet Wednesdays' - named for the drinks, not the weather. Now in Hong Kong, Dam has recreated his favourite cocktail from Woody's.
'I didn't know how to make it so I played around and mine ended up better than theirs,' says Dam, who has called his frozen creation Wet Woody.
'This blended long drink has it all - sweet fruit, crispness and a bite.'
Dam's tip for frozen drinks is to not overdo the ice, which would make it akin to a Slush Puppie; about two parts ice to three parts liquid is a good balance. The grenadine in the drink not only adds a glorious dash of red, but its sweetness complements the rum.
When using fresh fruit, Dam recommends suctioning up a sample of the drink with a straw then dripping it onto the tongue to taste. Because the quality of fresh produce can vary, sugar or bitters can be added if the flavours aren't quite right.
Fresh apple, lychee and pineapple (although tinned fruit in natural juices can also work) are the basis for Dam's Thai Sapphire, a twist on a martini that uses a lot of gin but is not overpowering because the spirit is tempered by the sweet fruit. 'The freshness of the apple and acidity of the pineapple blend perfectly with the sweetness of the lychee, while the gin clearly shines through,' says Dam.
