Photos by Matt Rose
Fancy a banana daiquiri? Pina Colada? If you’re of a certain age, likely you’ve had your fill. And by “of a certain age,” I mean not celebrating spring break with your sorority sisters. Searching for a replacement for the amateur drinks of youth, but still crave something fresh as a summer breeze? Infused liquors are one grown-up solution. A kafir lime-leaf-flavored vodka tonic? Fresh watermelon lemonade with cucumber-and-rose-infused gin? Yes, please!
That’s where the Flying Frog Cafe’s Frog Bar comes in. Vijay Shastri, executive chef and co-owner of the downtown Asheville institution, has recently added house-made infused liquors to his bar menu and to his own long list of talents. In his downstairs kitchen, Shastri deftly turns ingredients from vanilla beans to tangerines into feature players for his infusions. They rest behind the bar in large glass jars, tempting patrons with visions of bright limes bobbing in a gin infusion or the fiery habenero peppers that flavor a sinus-searing tequila.
That habenero infusion, says Shastri, incorporates a somewhat mind-boggling level of the scorching peppers to give it a heft that brings tears to shooters’ eyes—about one half of a pound goes into three magnums of tequila. Obviously, the floral flavor of the habenero is not so much the point of the infusion as is providing a muse for daredevils. “The habenero tequila we found sells dramatically better with the incredible level of heat that we have in it,’’ he says. “It has this cult following that finds (the level of heat) amusing. It’s a great endorphin rush!” Aside from that occasional thrill seeker, the tequila generally finds itself being mixed into a version of a Bloody that Shastri has dubbed the Bloody Maria.
The infusions are all based on premium produce—whatever is fresh and seasonal often finds its way into the spirits. Much of what Shastri uses, he says, is organic and local. The Frog Bar keeps a rotating selection of just over a dozen flavors, a task which Vijay says is a lot of work. They move through the spirits quickly, as the drinks are popular—and stiff.
Shastri is admittedly more of a wine guy—he is a trained sommelier, after all—but what he is first and foremost is a shrewd businessman. He noticed that infused liquors were becoming a trend to watch, but noticed that, for all their popularity, most of the infusions on the market were sub-par. “They tasted artificial, the balance was off, and the bottom line was that most of (what was available) didn’t taste like the fruits and vegetables that were supposed to be in them. If you’re going to have a big trend, it should at least be here for a reason.” So, he took matters into his own hands and developed craft-made infusions that spoke clearly of the ingredients within them. “What made me jump on the bandwagon,” he says, “was that I thought the bandwagon was broken.“
“If you taste real live infused liquors next to bottled infused liquors that are made with all of those extracts,” says Shastri, “you can pick out how not like any fruit (the artificial infusions) taste— they taste like extract, like the difference between vanilla beans and vanilla extract.” Shastri puts his money where his mouth is—his vanilla vodka indeed makes use of real Madagascar Bourbon Vanilla bean. “It has such a nice flavor,” he says, adding that the bar makes Creamsicles with it. Veering dangerously close to frou frou? Perhaps, but rest assured it is delicious. So is the Tangerine Dreamtini with its tangerine infused vodka, sherry and ginger syrup. Decidedly leaning toward a more savory direction is a pepper vodka made with anaheims, poblanos, serranos, jalapeños and bell peppers that is quite a bit tamer than its habenero cousin.
For summer drinks in general, Shastri is partial to lighter liquors like vodka and gin, summer fruits and citrus. The Frog Bar turns out a fresh strawberry mojito made with lime, mint and a touch of green chile that sounds divine. When it comes to the hottest time of the year, Shastri says that lemonade—an adult version, of course—is right up his alley. “Watermelon lemonade is the quintessential summer cocktail,” he says. “You’ve got something that’s really light, really refreshing, and if you have a good juicer, one watermelon is going to yield a lot of juice. You don’t really lose in the case of watermelon. They are not expensive, and lemons aren’t expensive, either.” Shastri notes that watermelon freezes well, and put into an ice cube tray with a spot of vodka, makes excellent ice cubes. If that doesn’t taste like summer, what does?
Vijay Shastri’s
Minted Lemonade with
Peach-Infused Bourbon
Minted Lemonade
1 part fresh squeezed lemon juice
4 parts cold water
Sugar to taste
3 large sprigs of mint per quart of lemonade.
Combine all ingredients & stir. Refrigerate for up to 10 days. Mint should be removed after two days.
Peach Bourbon
1 bottle of your favorite bourbon (750ml)
2 ripe peaches (peeled, pitted & sliced)
1-2 inch piece of cinnamon stick
1 whole clove
In a glass jar or decanter, pour the bourbon over the peaches & spices. Take care to make sure that the bourbon covers the sliced fruit. Store in the tightly sealed glass decanter or jar for 1 week in a cool, dry place, away from direct sunlight. Strain your infusion & re-pack it into a bottle with a tight fitting lid. Store in a refrigerator until ready to enjoy.
The Drink
2 ounces infused bourbon
3/4 cup minted lemonade
4 fresh raspberries (muddled w/ a slice of orange, 1 teaspoon of sugar and 2 mint leaves)
After muddling the raspberries & mint, add the infused bourbon, lemonade and shake with ice. Serve in a 14-ounce tulip stem with an orange slice.
