Bar Moruno's Salmon Martini Takes Weeks To Prepare
If you think shaking up your own martini takes work, imagine planning weeks in advance to prepare your drink of choice. That's exactly what happens at Bar Moruno, a vibrant establishment on Los Angeles' Sunset Boulevard. Serving up Spanish recipes with unique twists, the upscale joint is a surge of energy, according to The Infatuation, and a complete gin-martini section keeps revelry going. While The Infatuation recommends the Tuxedo, a recipe with maraschino, absinthe, and orange bitters, there's another martini that has received quite a bit of press — and that's one made with salmon.
A salmon martini, you ask? Indeed, as Flavor & the Menu describes, "fat-washed cocktails" are a Bar Moruno specialty, a compelling drink category that mixes fats or oils with distilled liquors and chills the combination until the fat congeals. Before the alcohol is served, the layers of fat are removed, resulting in a buttery spirit. As Food & Wine notes, fish-inspired cocktails fit right in at Bar Moruno, with its Spanish conservas and preserved fish dishes. To make the cocktail for patrons, however, bartenders have to prepare ahead.
Fat-washed alcohol
Food & Wine estimates it takes nearly three weeks for gin to take on the flavor of smoked salmon, and while the concoction may sound fishy, it is actually a delicious savory addition to drinks. Bar Moruno blends the infused gin with a sweeter blanco vermouth to help balance out the richness of the drink, and a caperberry garnish is added to round out the martini. The Denver Post promises that fat washing any cocktail might sound like a greasy result, the technique — originally borrowed from perfumers — builds nuanced, elevated drinks that bartenders can serve in colder months.
Food & Wine instructs you can make salmon-infused gin at home by storing gin and salmon in an airtight container and keeping the mixture at room temperature for one week before moving it into the refrigerator for the next two weeks. To use the infused alcohol, pour the concoction through cheesecloth to remove the fat and start mixing drinks. Any leftover gin can be stored for up to one month in the freezer — or even used in our bold gin and tonic recipe.