The first Hyatt hotel in Gurgaon , The Hyatt Regency is located conveniently on the National Highway 8, just 30 minutes drive from Indira Gandhi International Airport making it not only perfect for weekend getaways of the crowd of NCR, but also attracts a lot of tourists who visit the Golden Triangle of Delhi, Jaipur and Agra. The property offers a comfortable stay with well appointed and spacious guestrooms with multiple dining options. The stylish Long Bar is a bar cum lounge located on the level 2 overlooking the all day dining restaurant, Kitchen District which has 5 live kitchens. Lavana, the speciality Awadhi cuisine restaurant is also a part of the expansive food and beverage offerings.
The highlight of the hotel is the state of the art convention centre which is the largest in this region and can accommodate up to 3000 guests in a go. The sprawling 40000 square feet event space is located at the ground level and comprises of 8 meeting rooms, a boardroom and multiple function areas which provide a great setting for events such as meetings, conferences, exhibitions and weddings. Also there are a number of recreational activities like fully equipped fitness centre, relaxing outdoor swimming pool and luxurious Shvasa spa.
Team Salt and Sandals organised a cocktail making and appreciation session at The Long Bar. The bar cum lounge is spread across 123 square feet with a 60 feet long bar with a tasteful design and a relaxing yet vibrant ambiance. It houses a premium range of spirits and a selection of creative cocktails with some lip smacking array of appetizers. The bar is also equipped with a unique Japanese ice ball maker which prepares 65 mm spherical balls which gives an excellent presentation to the drinks. The head mixologist Prasoon starts with some traditional/ classical cocktails, and also explains the origin of the particular cocktail he is preparing.
The first one up is THE MANHATTAN, a classic whiskey based cocktail originated in New York during prohibition (1920-1933), when alcohol was banned across the United States. Primarily the base of the cocktail used to be Canadian whiskey as it was the only one available, nowadays Tennessee , Bourbon or blended whiskey are used as a base of the cocktail. Here Jim Beam, a bourbon whiskey is used.
The Recipe: 1) Bourbon whiskey: 45ml
2) Sweet Vermouth : 10ml
3) Angoustra Bitter : A dash
4) Maraschino Cherry (with stem): for garnish
Add the whiskey, sweet vermouth and the bitters in a cocktail strainer. Traditionally in this cocktail the ingredients are stirred but here it is shaken, then strained in a cocktail glass and garnished in sugar syrup soaked cherry with a stem.
The drink was a feast to the palate and looked great as well. There is also a variation to this cocktail called THE ROB ROY; the only difference between the two is that Scotch whiskey is added as a base.
Next was THE LEGACY, again originated in the United States in the prohibition period and which is a strong cocktail.
The Recipe: 1) Bacardi Superior: 60 ml
2) Lime Juice : 15 ml
3) Pineapple chunks
4) Coriander
5) Passion Fruit puree
Muddle the pineapple and coriander in a mixing glass. Add Bacardi and passion fruit puree, Shake it well and single strain it in a cocktail glass with a slice of pineapple as a garnish.
As expected the drink was a bit strong and enough to give us a good kick.
The third cocktail was THE MARGARITA, which most of us know is a tequila based drink. The roots of Margarita goes back to Mexico where it was invented in 1941 by a bartender named Don Carlos while experimenting with the drinks to serve the preferences of the daughter of the German ambassador who visited his bar. Hence it is preferred by the ladies as it is not very strong.
The Recipe: 1) Tequila: 40 ml
2) Triple sec or cointreau: 25 ml
3) Fresh lime juice or sugar syrup: 20 ml
Fill the mixing glass with crushed ice, and then add 10 ml each of lime juice and sugar syrup. Then add the tequila, cointreau and shake vigorously before straining in a tequila glass. To cut the sharp taste of tequila the glasses are rimmed with lime juice and salt. The measure of the liqueur depends on whether the drink is served frozen or not.
THE NEGRONI is a cocktail which is considered as an aperitif, and the origins are claimed to be in Florence, Italy in a bar called Caffe Casoni, Now known as Caffe cavalla. Due to its strong yet soothing taste it is a greatly suited for people who are ill.
Recipe: 1) Dry Gin : 20 ml
2) Campari : 20 ml
3) Sweet Vermouth: 20 ml
Fill the mixing glass with ice, add the ingredients and gently stir. Pour into an old fashioned glass and garnish with a slice of orange. This cocktail was the favorite of most of the crowd who attended the cocktail session.
The last one was a simple, easy yet delightful cocktail named THE FIRE FLY, which is said to be Vodka’s answer to the Tequila Sunrise.
Recipe: 1) Sky Vodka: 50 ml
2) Grenadine: 15 ml
3) Orange juice / Grape juice
Fill a Tom Collins glass with ice, add grenadine syrup and top it up with orange or grape juice. Add vodka in the end and stir nicely. Add a wedge of orange to garnish. For best results, use freshly squeezed juice. The grenadine syrup neutralizes the tartness of the fruit juice and also gives it a beautiful pink color.
What followed was even better as the roles were reversed and bloggers were asked to make the cocktails while the mixologists sat back. A fun session which saw many cocktails being skewered while a few were spot on. The gang next moved onto for a lunch session at Kitchen District. Hyatt Regency’s long bar with its impressive stock of alcohol and an impressive bartending team makes for a mind blowing experience.
