Let’s Talk about Mixology, Part 54

by Amer A. Vargas

Black Truffle Pear Martini

As the world’s speed seems to slow down due to almost indiscernible entities, butlers try to stay positive and focus their attention on ways of pleasing others. And one of those ways is, of course, concocting delicious mixes!

In this month’s journey into the world of cocktails, I propose to use some uncommon cocktail ingredients to make something really special. On this occasion, then, we will produce a cocktail using black truffles and truffle essence.

As with previous cocktails, one has to prepare well in advance (many days ahead, in this case) in order to prepare the Black Truffles Martini.

So, first of all, we need to infuse the vodka by adding black truffle slices to your spirit and let it mellow for a minimum of 7 days. The original recipe that we are using today is drawn from the Grey Goose premium vodka website, so we have used their product here; although you can of course use a different premium vodka when you make your own.

This is the amount of the different ingredients you will need:

• 50 ml./ 1.75 oz. of truffle-infused Grey Goose vodka,
• 25 ml./ 0.9 oz. of pear nectar,
• 10 ml./ 0.35 oz. of pear brandy,
• A spray or two of truffle essence.

And this is how easy it is to prepare: add all the ingredients except for the truffle essence in a shaker with ice cubes and shake firmly for a few seconds; then strain in a chilled Martini glass. Spray with truffle essence and you can even garnish it with a pear fan and dunk it as shown in the picture on this page.

To life that hopefully will soon get-back-to-normal, salud!

As a side note, and in case you wonder, there is record of at least two different venues that have come up  with their own Coronavirus Cocktail, always served with a dose of humor: the New York Post reports here on the case of one Connecticut soda company called Avery Beverages, that has temporarily released a Coronavirus Cocktail, which is nothing but an orange-lime soda and includes a public service announcement on the label that requires customers to “wash your hands”; and Reuters informs us here about the staff of Moscow’s Razvedka Bar who found “a remedy for the growing angst caused by the global Coronavirus outbreak: a colorful cocktail” nicknamed after the virus. The cocktail is served in a glass with two medical syringes containing bright red and bright green liquids. This Coronavirus Cocktail arrived “suddenly, just like the virus itself” and “should be consumed when a person is overtaken by the desire to stock up on toilet paper…”

Smile, and cheers!

Mr. Vargas is the Institute’s President—feel free to contact him via email, AmerVargas @ modernbutlers.com

The Institute is dedicated to raising service standards by broadly disseminating the mindset and superior service expertise of that time-honored, quintessential service provider, the British Butler, updated with modern people skills, and adapted to the needs of modern employers and guests in staffed homes, luxury hotels, resorts, spas, retirement communities, jets, yachts & cruise ships around the world.