With all the enthusiasm created by Plantation Pineapple stinggin’s fancy, we had a lot of fun asking a group of french bartenders what they thought about the star product of 2016. We continue with the modest Nico de Soto, the founder of two renowned bars, in Paris and New York.
Can you briefly tell us about the concept for your two bars, Mace and Danico?
Mace is a cocktail bar dedicated to spices, in the same vein as a spice shop in New York’s East Village. Danico is a chic yet relaxed cocktail bar attached to a luxury trattoria in the Galerie Vivienne in Paris. For Danico, I take 6 cocktails from Mace’s menu each season.
When did you discover Maison Ferrand’s Pineapple rum?
Directly from the source in Cognac two years ago. I was visiting Maison Ferrand’s cellars with a group of American barmen. Alexandre Gabriel, the owner, made us try the first batch. I rediscovered it a month later at the official presentation at Tales of the Cocktail.
In your opinion, what are its main characteristics?
Its flavours are very balanced without being too sugary… strangely enough, it tastes of pineapple.
Why is it interesting to use in a cocktail?
Pineapple is very fashionable at the moment; you even find cocktail glasses in the shape of the fruit. And the pineapple taste in Plantation Pineapple is exceptional. As a barman, it’s impossible to obtain this kind of product by simply infusing rum with pineapple. This spirit works just as well in a tiki cocktail as a dry one. In terms of spices, it goes well with all sorts: cardamom, chillies…
What is the difference compared to a spiced rum cocktail?
The flavours are different; crisper and not very sweet. Plantation Pineapple is nothing like a spiced rum.
What types of cocktails do you make with Plantation Pineapple in Mace and your new bar Danico?
Plantation Pineapple has the advantage of going well with everything. I’m not the sort to work with classic cocktails, I run too much on creativity. With Pineapple, I’ve made some quirky and highly sought after drinks such as “Fennel Seeds”; a cocktail based on Plantation Pineapple infused with fennel seeds, Roquefort flavoured liqueur, Granny Smith apple juice, malic acid and soda. I try to get my clientele to discover unexpected pairings.
Pandapple Daiquiri Recipe:
- 6cl Plantation Pineapple
- 2cl lime
- 1.5 cl homemade coconut syrup
- 1/2 tsp pandan dye
- 2 dashes Thai Chili dye
Pour all of the ingredients into a shaker. Filter and pour into a stemmed glass. Decorate on one side with a slice of dried pineapple. To make the Thai Chili dye, infuse Thai chili in a 70% alcohol and leave to soak for three weeks before filtering. To make the coconut syrup, remove the water from a Thai coconut. On a low flame, heat the coconut water in a pan with an equal part of sugar until the sugar dissolves.
Practical info:
Mace : 649 East 9th Street – New York, NY 10009.
Danico : 6, rue Vivienne 75002 Paris.