Perrier Cocktail Masterclass: The Roosevelt Fizz

Come on, admit it. You’ve always fancied yourself as a bottle-juggling stud of a cocktail maker, à la Tom Cruise in Cocktail, haven’t you? Well if you really want to impress at your next dinner party, or home rave, read on for a complete cocktail-making masterclass from The Roosevelt’s award-winning bartender Philip Gandevia.

As part of Concrete Playground’s series of DIY cocktail recipes, suggested by mixologist and Perrier brand innovator Tomas Vikario, Phil shows us how to recreate an ever-so-slightly simpler version of the bartender’s own creation, ‘The Roosevelt Fizz’. Thanks to the long-lasting bubbles in Perrier sparkling mineral water, the popular drink is a perfect light and refreshing cocktail for summer.

Once the location of infamous club the Roosevelt in the ‘40s, run by Abe Saffron – aka “the boss of the Cross” or “Mr Sin” – the Potts Point speakeasy is renowned for its theatrical cocktail-making. “It’s one of my favourite bars,” Tomas tells us, “It’s one of the only places in this part of the world with a Liquid Nitrogen trolley. It’s where I’d come if I want to showcase the cocktail culture and Sydney’s vibrant bar scene.”

Formerly a bartender at Eau de Vie, Phil has over 10 years experience of playing around with the art and science behind the world’s best drinks. And earlier this year, Phil won Best Gentleman’s Cocktail in the World Class Bartender of the Year 2012 semi-finals.

Our expert is used to showcasing fancy tricks and finesse, but he assures us the Roosevelt Fizz (also available on the bar menu) is pretty simple to make at home. But don’t worry, there’s still enough pizzazz to make you look as good as Cruise. Scratch that - better than Cruise.

TO MAKE THE ROOSEVELT FIZZ, YOU’LL NEED:

50ml of gin
15ml of freshly squeezed lemon juice
15ml of freshly squeezed lime juice
25ml of sugar syrup mix (one part sugar, one part water)
1 egg
A spoon of pastis
Chunky ice
330ml bottle of Perrier sparkling mineral water
1 marshmallow
A sprig of rosemary

STEP 1

Pour 50ml of good quality gin into a cocktail shaker. If you don’t have a cocktail shaker at home, Phil suggests using a sealable jar – like a jam jar with a sturdy lid (you’ll see why in a moment).

STEP 2

Add the freshly squeezed lemon juice, then the lime juice and sugar syrup mixture. “Sugar syrup is very easy to make at home,” says Phil, “just equal proportions of sugar and water, stirred. The important thing, for bar use, is one part sugar to one part water. Measuring everything is key, as is using fresh ingredients.”

STEP 3

Crack an egg into a glass or cup. Pour just half of the egg white into the shaker. Though it’s a bit tricky to pour, the egg white is an essential ingredient. “It’s a common ingredient in cocktails as it serves as an emulsifier. This drink is a fizz, so what we’re trying to create is a really soft, fluffy ‘cloud’ – light and refreshing.”

STEP 4

“The next stage is important, it’s the dry shake [without ice].” Hold or fasten the lid of the shaker (remember, without ice). Give it a little shake. Look: fluffy!

STEP 5

Now it’s time for ice. Add big chunks of ice and shake vigorously.

“I’m using big chunks of ice because it will allow me to whip this cocktail up better than small cubes of ice,” explains Phil. “If I use small cubes they’re going to break up and melt into my drink.” The bigger the ice, the longer you can shake – aerating without diluting it.

STEP 6

Prepare a drinking glass by spraying the inside of the glass with pastis (like Pernod). Phil uses an atomiser bottle, but the cocktail will be just as tasty if you add a teaspoon of pastis into the glass, swirl it around and discard the excess liquid.

STEP 7

Pour the mixture into the glass; a beautiful foam should start to rise. Then add ice and top with Perrier sparkling mineral water, until the foam rises a little above the top of the glass. “Perrier is used as opposed to soda water because of the much finer bead,” says Phil, “a bit like choosing champagne over a sparkling wine.”

STEP 8

Top with a marshmallow, skewered on a cocktail stick, and a sprig of rosemary. Now the really fun part: toast with a blowtorch. “People at home can use a match,” suggests Phil. “Chargrilling the marshmallow evokes a lot of innocent, childhood camping memories – people smell it and everybody wants a taste.”

Phil’s caveat: “This drink should never be drunk with a straw. You want to get that egg white fluff on your lips when you taste it. It’s all part of the experience... And that creamy, smoke-infused marshmallow just cleanses the palate before you taste.” Delicious!