It's cocktail season! If you are looking for some hints to make your New Year's drinks even better, mixologists David Swaim of Villa Azur and Leonard Madison of SĒR Steak + Spirits are here to help.
Swaim cut his teeth, making cocktails in college and eventually starting working in Dallas, moving from basic drinks to craft cocktails. And Madison began bartending at 22 for Great Wolf Lodge and worked there for 14 years, before moving on to working for the Dallas Cowboys at the Cowboys Club, an exclusive members-only club inside their headquarters, and then to SĒR.
Local Profile interviewed both mixologists about their craft and asked for cocktail-making tips.
What was the first cocktail you felt you mastered?
Swaim: "Traditional old fashioned. It can be very simple or difficult to make, depending on if you know what you are doing.”
Madison: “I feel like I have mastered the gin cocktail, even though a lot of people are scared of it because it has so many flavor profiles to it. However, now I know how it works, and I feel like I cannot make a bad one.”
What is your favorite drink to make?
Swaim: "Egg-white Martinis or Cocktails, It places a certain unique richness in the cocktail that I enjoy and they always turn out looking beautiful."
Madison: “Whatever my guests like. I like freestyling off the top of my head.”
What spirit do you like working with?
Swaim: “Gin, because it pairs really well with juniper berries, citrus and sweeter flavors. Tequila would also be a staple for me.”
Madison: “Gin, because you have to understand the taste and flavor of a particular branded gin — and also tequila!”
What drinks at your bar do you recommend?
Swaim: “I would definitely recommend our golden espresso at Villa Azur. It is our twist on an espresso martini. We add a touch of Bailey’s, which gives it a nice, sweeter texture and flavor profile compared to our regular espresso martini.”
Madison: “Our new menu at SĒR is really cool. It has a lot of different flavors that you will not find on most menus. My favorite drink at the moment has dill in it! It’s all about pushing the limits but also making it approachable for every customer.”
Could you give us five tips on how to make good cocktails?
Swaim:
- "Think outside of the box (come up with new flavors and innovations).
- Use the proper bar tools.
- Make sure to use exact Measurements.
- Know the background and details of the products that you are using (Know what they represent, are about and their history).
- Always use fresh produce and garnishes when creating (Never use a brown lime).
- Smile when you make the drink! It makes the guest feel more comfortable with the experience."
Madison:
- "Always have some kind of sweetener or some type of acid.
- Make sure all flavors of the cocktail are balanced.
- Always try out new flavors and flavor combinations.
- Explore what other creatives are trying out and additionally what flavors they are testing out.
- If you learn the classic cocktails, from then on you have a template to explore new avenues within your mixology."
Got New Year's Eve plan? Check out the offerings from both Villa Azur and SĒR.