Whether devising an original cocktail or recreating a classic, it's best to be a perfectionist. Danny Fierstone, the creative talent behind the 90-strong cocktail menu at the ultra-stylish Armani/Bar in Central, fits that mould.
'If you are going to make any great cocktail, whether it be one of your own creations or a classic, the most important 'ingredient' is for the drink to be well balanced and thus made to absolute perfection,' says Fierstone, a veteran of several of London's top bars who has created a menu of innovative new cocktails and classics.
Take the Bellini. Not to be confused with a Buck's Fizz or a Mimosa made with orange juice, the champagne cocktail features a fresh peach puree, best made when the fruit is in season, to create a smooth pulpy base. The Bellini was created in 1934 by Giuseppe Cipriani at Harry's Bar, Venice, in memory of painter Giovanni Bellini, and Fierstone stays faithful to the original. 'Chinese white peaches are in season at the moment so we use fresh peach puree. A Bellini is not a Bellini if it's not made with fresh peach puree.'
Fierstone uses classic recipes to make modern cocktails such as the Shape Shifter, created in London, which uses vodka infused with chilli and rosemary for an aromatic kick, and the Orange Cheese Cake Martini, made with gingerbread syrup and condensed milk.
'The new cocktails appeal to the bar's customers' palates as well as the classics. They want to try new innovative drinks since they tend to be cosmopolitan and well travelled,' says Fierstone.
Whatever the recipe, Fierstone says, it's all about dedication and experimentation to see what works well. 'I do research, read cocktail books and magazines, check out new bars and try their drinks, and play around with ingredients such as fruits and herbs.'