Chau wowed audiences with her Mediterranean inspired cocktail “Colombus Fizz” and will represent Australia in the international finals.
Gin Mare brought together eight of the best bartenders of the country on the 29th July to celebrate the regional finals of the cocktail competition Mediterranean Inspirations. On a lovely afternoon, the finalists were challenged with creating a signature aperitif cocktail inspired by the core values of the “Mare Nostrum” and crafting their own version of a Mediterranean Gin & Tonic.
Being creative to reflect the Mediterranean character into a liquid offering is not an easy task. However, the standard was really high, and the finalists did incredibly well. After a close competition, it was Chau Tran from Burrow Bar who nailed it and won over the judging panel. She produced a fantastic aperitif for her “Mare Nostrum” cocktail with the inspiration of Cristopher Columbus. “A nod to the adventurer in us, an ode to us all to push the boundaries of taste and traveling,” she said.
Her cocktail Columbus Fizz, a combination of Gin Mare, citrus shrub, egg white, lemon myrtle soda and fresh crack pepper and coriander powder was a standout. The ingredients balanced perfectly and still allowed Gin Mare to come through. “As I couldn’t get my hands on the custom blend of sweet oranges from Seville, bitter oranges from Valencia and lemons from Lleida that go into the gin – I used a mix of tangelos and navel oranges in my shrub and in the ageing process included the skins and pith to up the bitterness.”
Chau will head to Ibiza in September to represent Australia in Mediterranean Inspirations global finals, where she will compete against six other finalists from Hong Kong, Singapore, China and North America. “I am utterly overwhelmed and excited about the opportunity to go to Ibiza and have the task to bring and share all of my favourite things. Spreading Australian hospitality, creating delicious food and drink experiences, slinging the good juice and traveling to a place I’ve never been to is the cherry on top of it all”. Best of luck!
Take a look at her recipe below. Gin Mare is available in Australia through Think Spirits.
Columbus Fizz
- 35 ml Gin Mare
- 30 ml 3 citrus shrub ((coriander, tangelo, navel and lemon))
- 15 ml egg white
- 40 – 50 ml PS40 lemon myrtle soda
- Shake ingredients except the soda.
- Strain into a Fizz glass.
- Top with the soda, garnish with fresh cracked pepper and coriander powder.
- Rim with fresh orange zest and discard.
“This drink was made to make you salivate and stimulate an appetite for food,” says Tran. “I tried to accomplish this by using a blend of bitter and savouriness from the citrus, utilising their skins in the aging process of the shrub and finishing it pepper and dehydrated coriander dust.
“The fresh scent of orange on the nose and on your hands long after you’ve put down the drink is made to ensure the memory of the drink lingers long after you’ve finished it.
“In Seville there is a Cathedral that houses Christopher Columbus’ tomb – so a nod to the adventurer in us, an ode to us all to push the boundaries of taste and traveling – may it lingers long after we have made these experiences – I’ve called it the Columbus Fizz.
“As I couldn’t get my hands on the custom blend of sweet oranges from Seville, bitter oranges from Valencia and lemons from Lleida that go into the gin – I used a mix of tangelos and navel oranges in my shrub and in the ageing process included the skins and pith to up the bitterness. I also used sherry vinegar in my shrub a nod to the Giro family that started as sherry and wine merchants before they started to make Gin and went on to create Gin Mare.”