“The Martini is a sophisticated and refined cocktail, whereas chicken salt and chips is quite the opposite,” says Jai Lyons, Smoke’s Bar Manager who is responsible for the new Memories cocktail menu, an immersive cocktail experience designed to evoke feelings of childhood nostalgia.
“To be able to package them together and get the right balance is quite rewarding. The potato tuile chip on top makes the Chicken Salt Martini very similar to a Dirty Martini, but in a way it’s a lot more expressive and fun.”
The cocktail features a chicken salt-infused Lustau Amontillado Sherry, rice syrup and potato tuile, all made in house. Jai shares his recipe below for the cocktail and its components.
Chicken Salt Martini
Ingredients:
- 40ml Four Pillars Olive Leaf Gin
- 20ml chicken salt-infused Lustau Amontillado Sherry
- 5ml rice syrup
Directions:
- Pour all of the ingredients into a mixing glass and stir
- Strain into a Nick and Nora glass
- Garnish with a potato tuile
Chicken salt Lutsau Amontillado Sherry
Ingredients:
- 100ml water
- Three grams of chicken salt
- A bottle of sherry
Directions:
- Create a chicken salt solution using the water and chicken salt
- Cut the solution with a bottle of sherry
- Scale as needed
Rice syrup
Ingredients:
- Sugar syrup
- Jasmine rice
Directions:
- Sous vide 80 per cent sugar syrup with 20 per cent jasmine rice for one hour
- Let it cool and strain through chinois and filter paper
Potato tuile
Ingredients:
- 660g cooked potato
- 20g salt
- 150ml water
- 200ml olive oil
- 250g corn flour
Directions:
- Peel, cut and cook potatoes until tender
- Strain and blend with salt, water, olive oil and corn flour
- Spread on baking paper and fry