Specialty Food Magazine is the leading publication for retailers, manufacturers and foodservice professionals in the specialty food trade. It provides news, trends and business-building insights that help readers keep their businesses competitive.
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BEVERAGE BAR Classic Cocktails Make a Comeback T he "Mad Men" phenomenon seems to have helped bring back classic cocktails. According to new research from Mintel Menu Insights, cocktails that are described as "classic" on menus have increased by 76 percent since 2009. The Manhattan (whiskey, sweet vermouth and bitters), shown left, has seen a 35 percent jump, the gimlet (gin and lime juice) is up 63 percent, Sazerac (cognac or rye whiskey, absinthe or Herbsaint, and Peychaud's bitters) is up 57 percent and the Side Car (cognac, orange liqueur and lemon juice) has jumped 50 percent. "Bartenders and cocktail geeks are taking a very academic approach to mixing drinks, and many are learning the history and the evolution of iconic cocktails," says Kathy Hayden, senior foodservice analyst at Mintel. "This approach, com- bined with better ingredients, nostalgia for a time when people had time to enjoy cock- tails and widespread interest in the 'cocktail culture' has boosted interest in the classics." Specialty food companies are giving consumers and bartenders a hand in creating top- notch retro cocktails with products like Fever-Tree's Mediterranean Tonic, an award-winning artisanal mixer meant to match top-shelf liquors; Sonoma Syrup Company's Sonoma Olive Juice made with olive juice brine from aging barrels of premium California olives for dirty martinis; and Powell & Mahoney Ltd.'s Vintage Original Cocktail Mixers, a line of all-natural, micro-batch–produced cocktail mixers. M Matzo Beer for All atzo may have a solid shelf life as a cracker, but a Portland, Ore., brewery is giving it even longer staying power. Every spring, after Passover ends, Pacific Northwest brewer Tom Kramer of Hillsboro's Ambacht Brewery starts accepting donations of uneaten, leftover matzo for his seasonal brew called Matzobrau. Created by stirring matzo into the mash, this dark ale has become a seasonal favorite since its introduction three years ago. Currently available in the Portland area, a 22-ounce bottle costs about $5. Beer lovers can also visit the brewery to sample the matzo-loaded brew. Skinny Dipping L ower-calorie cocktails have had dramatic impact on the beverage market of late. The year 2009 saw zero reports of "skinny" claims on cocktails. Fast-forward to the second quarter of 2012: Mintel Menu Insights tracked 110 items boast- ing this descriptor. "Offering a few slimmed-down versions of popular drinks appeals to the weight-conscious crowd," says Kathy Hayden, foodservice analyst with Mintel Menu Insights. "The 'skinniest' drinks use low- or no-calorie sweeteners, mix- ers and flavored syrups. For the craft-minded mixologists who want to avoid bottled syrups or sugar substitutes, sweeteners like agave, honey and maple help add sweetness from more- natural sources," she adds. Manufacturers are offering lighter versions of popular fruity mixed drinks like margaritas and lemon drops, such as The Skinny Cocktail Company's zero- carb and -sugar cocktail mixers in Margarita, Sweet and Sour, Strawberry Daiquiri and low-sodium Bloody Mary Mix; Skinny Mixes' zero-calorie, low- or no-sugar Skinny Margarita, Skinny Appletini, Skinny Strawberry Daquiri; and Go Cocktails' sugar- free, low-calorie Margarita, Appletini, Cosmo and Lemon Drop Cocktail Mixes. Denise Shoukas is a contributing editor to Specialty Food Magazine. 16 ❘ SPECIALTY FOOD MAGAZINE ❘ specialtyfood.com