Title: Bitter Melon Takes Center Stage in Trendy Cocktails Around the World
In a culinary twist, bitter melon is making a splash in the cocktail scene, adding a unique and bold flavor profile to drinks in bars and restaurants worldwide. From Los Angeles to Hong Kong, mixologists are embracing the bitter fruit and incorporating it into their creations.
Austin Hennelly, the bar director at Kato in Los Angeles, describes the experience of tasting bitter melon as akin to a thrilling roller coaster ride. The fruit, a staple in Asian, African, and Caribbean cuisines, offers a grassy taste that transitions into a bitter, medicinal tang, providing a complex and intense flavor profile for cocktails.
In Manhattan’s Chinatown, Jade & Clover offers the Bitter Sweet cocktail, a refreshing take on the classic Jungle Bird, with bitter melon taking the place of Campari. Bartender Gelo Honrade blends the fruit with pineapple and orange juices and Mekhong rum, creating a drink that starts sweet and finishes with a kale-like bitterness.
In Hong Kong, COA founder Jay Khan opts for white bitter melon in his Bitter Melon Collins, aiming for a balance of interesting and approachable flavors. Meanwhile, at Rangoon in Manhattan and Watson in Vancouver, chefs and bar managers are experimenting with bitter melon in their cocktails, creating unique and innovative drinks that are gaining popularity among patrons.
The fascination with bitter melon extends to Okinawa, where the fruit, known as goya, is celebrated for its potential health benefits. Italian spirit makers Benedetta Santinelli and Simone Rachetta were inspired by the island to create Amaro Yuntaku, infused with bitter melon instead of traditional herbs and roots. The drink, currently available in Europe, is set to expand to the United States, offering a taste of Okinawa’s culture and flavors to a global audience.
As bitter melon continues to captivate taste buds and inspire creativity in the cocktail world, it’s clear that this once overlooked fruit is now taking center stage in the mixology scene, offering a new and exciting twist to traditional drinks.
