The Tasting Panel magazine

JUNE 2011

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Chapter One: A Savory Spin S anta Ana, CA’s recently-opened Chapter One: the modern local is making a run for Cocktail King of Orange County by utilizing cutting-edge techniques and products to bring the cocktail culture to the city. There, we met with Ryan Velilla, whose fondness for Cupcake Devil’s Food inspired him to create both the cocktail and the des- sert for our Cupcake Challenge. “I was shocked at how on-point it was with hitting the actual flavor of Devil’s Food Cake,” admits Velilla, who took an intentionally savory take on the classic chocolate treat with his cocktail, The Devil’s Advocate, which he paired with an equally-pungent Manjari chocolate ganache, topped with soy caramel, sesame powder and fried wontons. This choco-cocktail pairing is a savory marriage made in heaven and proves that, although cupcakes are cute and sweet, Cupcake Vodka has the chops to straddle the sweet/ savory line. “I wanted to stay as far from sweet as possible,” laughs Velilla. We’ll call that semi-sweet success. At Chapter One: the modern local, owners Jeff Hall and Tim O’Connor join mixologist Ryan Velilla for an impromptu Cupcake party. THE DEVIL’S ADVOCATE ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ 2 oz. Cupcake Devil’s Food Vodka ½ oz. Mitcher’s Small Batch Bourbon ½ oz. Combier ¼ oz. Antica Vermouth 1 egg white 6 dashes Angostura bitters 3 dashes Bitter Truth Mole bitters Ground chocolate and cayenne Café Del Rey: Cupcake Collaboration “W e all tasted the vodkas together,” says Aja Levi, Mixologist at L.A.-area Café Del Rey, where she and the bar staff joined forces with the restaurant’s pastry team to answer our Cupcake Challenge. “We were so inspired!” So when Pastry Chef Erica Ballard presented Levi with her lychee and rose parfaits, topped with Cupcake Frosting-infused strawberry salsa, Levi took her cues from the plate before putting together the Strawberry Sunset, a cocktail which highlights Frosting Cupcake’s clean mixability, and offers a suitable partner for Ballard’s subtly-sweet, cool treats. “I was very impressed with Cupcake,” Levi says. “I thought all of the flavors were nice and clean, and they were very mixable and infusible.” Where the kitchen and bar meet: Pastry Chef Erica Ballard and Mixologist Aja Levi dig in to their Cupcake- inspired pairing. STRAWBERRY SUNSET 2 oz. Cupcake Frosting Vodka 1 ¼ oz. lychee purée ½ oz. agave nectar 1 whole strawberry 3 mint leaves ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ june 201 1 / the tasting panel / 61

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