Easter cocktails with Kester Blake

BAVINA SOOKDEO

Kester Blake is an award-winning mixologist, consultant and trainer. His idea of Easter is sitting with family and friends, talking about the good old days and enjoying simple and creative cocktails that give an excellent, refreshing, tropical feeling.

Blake has over 20 years’ experience in bartending, mixology and event management consultancy. He managed Club Zen for four years, worked as a bar manager for seven years in central London and has visited 15 countries with his craft. He is the winner of Angostura's competition, AS Bryden's World Class Competition and Hadco's Stoli Vodka competition, all in 2014.

Owner of Evolve Bar Logistic Services, Blake says he loves making cocktails because it brings people together and creates an atmosphere of wonder about how the cocktail was made.

“I enjoy enlightening people about the creation and telling them the story of my inspiration in which the cocktail was created,” he said.

He said making a cocktail, for him, is synonymous with memories of his grandparents telling him folklore stories and their origins.

“It just brings me back to cocktails, from why the ingredients were chosen to the method in which they were used, the glass it’s being placed into, the finishing touches of the garnish, until the drinks reach the lips and taste palate of the customer. Only then does the story end.”

Asked about the motto by which he lives, Blake said, “From my years of experience in the industry worldwide, I have conceptualised my 5Ps concept, which helped me and fellow bartenders deliver an excellent service with speed and efficiency. The 5Ps is a motto to start every bar service and life’s encounters with the words: proper prior planning produces predictable results.”

Blake shared some cocktail recipes with Newsday.

Kids smoothie drinks

Peanut cookie crush

Ingredients

2 scoops vanilla ice cream

1 tbsp peanut butter

2 chocolate chip cookies

3 ozs full cream milk

Glass: hurricane glass

Garnish: chocolate syrup, whipped cream and crushed chocolate chip cookies

Directions

Blend all ingredients with a 6-oz scoop of crushed ice.

Easter tropical smoothie

Ingredients

3 ozs strawberry puree

3 ozs mango puree

4 ozs orange juice

1 oz lemon juice

Glass: hurricane glass

Garnish: whipped cream, sprinkles

Directions

Blend all ingredients with a 6-oz scoop of crushed ice.

Non-alcoholic drinks

Easter passion

Ingredients

4 ozs passion fruit puree

2 ozs pineapple juice

1 oz lime juice

1 oz vanilla syrup

Top with a splash of soda

Glass: tall Collins

Garnish: mint sprigs and dehydrated pineapple

Directions

Shake all ingredients in a Boston shaker with ice and strain into glass filled with cracked ice. Top with a splash of soda.

Tropical fizz

Ingredients

2 ozs peach mix

2 ozs mango puree

1 oz lemon juice

1 oz simple syrup

Top with a splash of sprite

Glass: tall Collins

Garnish: mint sprigs and cherry

Directions

Shake all ingredients in a Boston shaker with ice and strain into glass filled with cracked ice. Top with a splash of Sprite.

Easter alcoholic cocktails

Easter Chill mule

Ingredients

2 ozs white rum

1 oz lime juice

1 oz simple syrup

2 dashes of orange bitters

Top with LLB ginger and bitters

Glass: rocks

Garnish: mint sprigs and ginger slices

Directions

Shake all ingredients in a Boston shaker with ice and strain into rocks glass with cubed ice and top with LLB ginger.

Easter lust

Ingredients

1 ½ ozs vodka

1 oz St Germain

1 oz lime juice

1 oz simple syrup

3 strawberries

4 red grapes

Glass: coupe

Garnish: sugar-coated grapes

Directions

Muddle strawberries and grapes in a mixing glass, then add all ingredients in. Shake with ice, double strain in chilled cocktail coupe glass.