Featured Mixologist Lendl Julian Maarman

By Chilled Magazine

Name: Lendl Julian Maarman

Hometown: George, South Africa

Nationality: South African

Birthday: March 20th, 1983

Sign: Pisces

Where You Bartend: Tod and Copper Port Elizabeth South Africa

How Many Years Bartending: 12 Years

Favorite Cocktail: Original Mojito

Favorite Beer: Castle Draught

Favorite Shot: Tequila (Aged)

Favorite Bar In The World To Have A Drink: Rust Cocktail Lounge Pretoria South Africa

Lendl’s Own Signature Cocktail: Blanco Picante (Spanish for White and Spicy)

125 ml Litchi Juice
12.5 ml White Chocolate Syrup
3 drops Fee Brothers Aztec Dark Chocolate Bitters
3 drops Red Tabasco (Moderate Spiciness)
Half Grapefruit Slice (cut off the zest and albedo)
Quarter Lime Squeeze
Glass: 250 ml Transparent Coffee Mug
Garnish: Half Grapefruit Slice

Mixing Instructions:

Pour all ingredients over ice into a shaker, remembering to give the grapefruit slice and lime wedge a good squeeze before tossing them in too. Play around with the tabasco amount to find the perfect “bite” for your drink.

After shaking vigorously strain with Hawthorne and not fine strainer as this will rob the drink of some of it visual appeal as the red grapefruit endocarp/particles floating in the white backdrop resembles a screensaver of sorts.

The tabasco floats to the top of the glass and produces a red layer but the process which follows is quite amazing: You smell the tabasco when pulling the glass closer to your mouth but the first taste on your tongue or palate is the sweetness of litchi juice followed by the chocolate syrup. Only then the bite of the lime and tabasco on your tongue surprises you.

As you may have noticed there is no alcohol in this drink as it was designed to be served at Tod & Copper in Port Elizabeth, South Africa, a non-alcoholic cocktail lounge based in Father´s House Church.

It is a versatile drink so add your favourite spirit to the mix and enjoy!