The bar staff at Wit & Wisdom is always busy cooking up something. I mean that literally. Encouraged by lead bartender Aaron Joseph, the bartenders are constantly experimenting with new syrups, cordials and liqueurs.
Inspiration for seasonal cocktails often comes directly from the restaurant's changing menu, which right now is featuring the sharp, earthy flavors of winter.
On a recent wintry afternoon, Joseph was singing the praises of a new seasonal cocktail created by bartender Jonathan Levy. Inspired by a salad with roasted Tuscarora heirloom beets, Levy's cocktail is called the Beet Root Fizz.
"If you like beets, this is the cocktail for you," Joseph said. "If you don't like beets, this is the cocktail for you."
I like beets just fine, but I wasn't sure I wanted beets in a cocktail. It turns out I was wrong. I love beet cocktails. More beets, I say. All the time, beets.
The Beet Root Fizz was a delicate and frothy delight, with just enough sweetness to enjoy on its own on a cold evening in the festive lounge at Wit & Wisdom, but interesting enough to work as an accompaniment to an appetizer or salad course in the dining room. There were deep and complex flavors at work here — the snap of lemon, a hint of pepper.
When Levy decided to feature beets in a cocktail, his first thought was to feature the beets in a variation of a Silver Fizz, which is the name given to shaken cocktails made with liquor, citrus, syrup and egg white.
Levy's secret weapon in the Beet Root Fizz is a homemade beet cordial.
"I had a day off, and I decided to try making a cordial," Levy said. A cordial, or liqueur, is basically a combination of syrup and spirits. Using a cordial allowed Levy to introduce the beets into the cocktail indirectly, or subtly, so that its flavors don't end up standing out too much.
He makes his with tequila, beets, ginger, black peppercorns, clove, coriander, lemon zest, sugar, and malted barley syrup. It's a slow process, involving long simmering, extended sitting and much straining.
The result is a cocktail that has the distinctive beet flavor but none of its harshness. And it's a darn pretty cocktail, too, garnished with a delicate sprig of micro amaranth greens.
So far, it's the cocktail to beet this winter. Sorry (kind of) for that joke.
How To Make the Beet Root Fizz
1 oz. Herradura Reposado tequila
1 oz. beet cordial
1/2 oz. fresh lime juice
1/2 oz. maple syrup
1/2 oz. egg white
1 oz. club soda
Where to get the Beet Root Fizz
Wit & Wisdom
Four Seasons Hotel, 200 International Drive, Harbor East
410-576-5800
witandwisdombaltimore.com
$15