I am Vineet, Varun’s younger brother presently pursuing Hotel Management at M.S. Ramaiah College in Bangalore.
I love bartending, it is one of my hobbies. I sometimes bartend for Tulleeho (in India they market all the brands owned by Diageo) and also at private parties. Since my 2nd year I have been participating in inter-college competitions and usually take part in the Bartending competition. Have won 3 of them in the last 2 years.
All the bartending competitions usually have the same judging criteria – innovativeness, flair, concept, grooming of the bartender and also his style in presenting them. One has to make an innovative cocktail. Last year there was another inter-college competition at KLE College in Bangalore. I had won the same competition there the previous year and wanted to win this time also.
Considering I am a big lazy bum I usually have to be pushed and pushed and pushed (until I fall over) to come up with something innovative.
We had 2 days left for the competition and I still had no idea what to make. It usually takes more than one brain in the Service team to come up with something innovative. So I, my Food and Beverage Service lecturer, Mr. Bobby George and another friend of mine, Asif Khan were sitting and wondering what to make. Asif had this wonderful cocktail which included Bacardi (white rum), dark rum, lime juice, sprite and crushed ice.
Around the same time Tata Steel took over Corus, the 2nd or 3rd largest Indian takeover of a foreign company, increasing its steel production so much so that from 56th it became the 5th largest steel group (wowwwwwwwww). Another company Companhia Siderúrgica Nacional (CSN) lost the bid for Corus. It became clear to us that this would be news for at least a week.
So we decided to build a concept for our cocktail around this news. I like experimenting with alcohol, like using chilies, mushrooms and dates for infusion in Vodka, chocolate and cherries in Bacardi, various spices in old monk(dark rum) etc.
The name of this cocktail is Footprint. This is how the idea goes…
- We used the chocolate flavored Bacardi which represented the “fair-skinned” Anglo-Dutch Company Corus.
- My home made spices flavored rum representing apna Indi Company Tata Steel (considering we are dark skinned)
- Sprite to represent the fizz this news created in the market.
- Crushed ice which would tell the world “chill people there are going to be more Indian takeovers in the future” (and indeed within a month, I think Aditya Birla Group takeover of Novelis took place).
- A dash of lime juice depicting the bitter feeling that this takeover left behind on CSN.
- The garnish we used was the best part of the concept. Half Lime scooped off everything inside and turned inside out. It would have a little bit of rum inside which would be flamed and placed on top of the cocktail with soft hands so that it floats (u should use a considerable amount of crushed ice probably fill the glass with crushed ice). While presenting u push the lime in so that the rum floats on top and give the cocktail a very good color. This would represent that previously Indian companies were in a shell, were only ‘Indian’ in nature, now they are spreading and becoming more global through JVs and takeovers.
The most important rule that we follow is use the cheapest ingredient while first making a cocktail. This is because in case you realize you have made a mistake midway you do not have much loss (considering each cocktail would be priced around 300 to 400 rs in a good hotel in Bangalore). The judges were big shots in the hotel industry).
Method of preparation:
- Make the garnish prior to making the cocktail. Saves you time.
- SO fill a glass with crushed ice.
- In another mixing glass or shaker pour 45 ml of Bacardi (infused with Cadbury chocolate) and a dash of lime juice and stir it.
- Pour it in the glass with crushed ice.
- Pour the sprite till 3/4th of the glass.
- Heat the base of the lime (scooped out). Pour approx 15 ml of dark rum and flame it (put it on fire).
- Put it delicately on top the crushed ice so that it balances properly.
- Take it to the judges (in my case) and push the lime with a toothpick inside the glass.
That’s it! And now a huge round of applause!
I kept talking while making the cocktail. Considering I have a loud voice I had everybody’s attention (including the judges) and nobody realized (except Mr. Bobby George who was sitting right up front in the 1st row. I think that’s what caused it…he he he) I made a mistake of not using the sprite at all though I had mentioned it while making the cocktail. As a result the cocktail was a little strong but fortunately to everybody liking.
By the way we chose the name Footprint because of what Ratan Tata said at a press conference:
” Tata Steel, an Indian steel company, now has global scale and a footprint in Europe. “
Looks like we have finally arrived. I hope you liked the idea.
P.S. I won the competition.
So Cheers to Tata Steel, to India and to the best bartender you have met so far! 
Blogposts
Some respite to a DRY me!!! Never got a chance to taste all these wonderful sounding drinks….. And yet when Vineet writes about them, you wish you hadn’t wasted so many years of your life away from them!! I guess I’ll break my SANYAAS with Vineet’s FOOTPRINT!! Good work boy!!!:)And all the very best!!!
Hi Vineet/ Varun.
Just kidding..
This is Hi Vineet/ Varun.
This is the first ever blog that i have read completely..
Wonderfull Vinnet, that is really good.
Varun keep posting such innovative blogs…
It’s a footprint which is gonna stay! Hey Vineet,
great going man and congrats for winning the award.
what i liked about this post was the whole idea which blended very well with your drink, and moreover the way you wrote it. your post makes me wish to taste the ‘footprint’ ..
hope too see your posts more often!
Hi Vineet
Sounds good Hi Vineet
Sounds good becuase of lots of flames here and there …:) … vaise when can you come to Bombay so we can taste “footprint”.
OR
Varun can you try to make this coming Sunday … (DONT)
Cheers
Saurabh
me likes footprint
this was one of the most interestin blogs i’ve eva read..well interestin to me cuz of my fond likeness 4 alcohol 
jks apart..luved the sound of the cocktail n im guessin it tastes even betta! 
xoxox
finally after 4 yrs! hmm… read something from u after 4 yrs.. was good…
looking forward to more blogs and some alchohol (especially wen i’m in india!)
cheers vini!!
so now that cheers vini!!
so now that ive heard and read this story.. over 3 times!!! maybe oneday u can make the damn drink for me!!
nice derivation for a concept.. if only the rest of the world would look to real life stories that inspire us to devise concepts for artistic developments.. ah well
anything that lends to the creativity of the perfect cocktail get two very enthusiastic thumbs up from me!!!
I think I should START !! Hi Vins,
I dont drink.. nor do I have much idea about this magical drink.. but the way u’ve put it up.. it sounds sooo interesting n exciting.. i can see the glass in front of me and I THINK I SHOULD START NOW !!
Cheers Vineet… Hi Vineet,
I think this is the first ever blog I have read….and it sounds interesting.
A very well written blog and blends with your excelent idea “footprint”….
Congrats for award..
Cheerzz dude… Keep it up..
Hey Varun dont listen to Saurabh ,please dont try that … we will ask Vineet to make one for us….
Hi Hey Vini
Thats ABso grt. I have seen some bartending and i m sure it can be grt fun. Congrats on winning the competition.
U shud post more recipies
Cheers
Ushma
Hi Vineet,
nice one – the Hi Vineet,
nice one – the drink and the blog!!! Congrats on winning the competition….
put some more cocktail recipes for us to try
keep winning future competitions (and continue blogging)!!
Vineet will be in Mumbai in June Vineet will be in Mumbai in June. Let’s try and get him to actually make the cocktail then.
~~
Miles to go before I sleep.
What are you doing this weekend?
Hi Damania,
What are you doing this weekend? How about coming over to my room and we will break open that nice bottle of wine sitting all alone and feeling unwanted in my cupboard
~~
Miles to go before I sleep.
Thanks Hi Nidhi
Thanks there r a number of excellent cocktails which I rememer and most of them were best sellers at the Pub I used to work.
Will post them soon..
Hey Kat..
Thanks a lot so Hey Kat..
Thanks a lot so and dont bluff about this being the first blog u ever..Come on Bhaiya’s blog if not more 100% equally intresting and entertaining to read.
Will make the cocktail as soon as I land in Mumbai..probably the 1st weekend I m there.
C ya soon.
Yes boss Yes boss. Am waiting for you to land up in Mumbai. Will hold on to the bottle till then
~~
Miles to go before I sleep.
Hi Amit,
Its never difficult Hi Amit,
Its never difficult to come up with ideas for cocktails..Have a cocktail in mind..try and blend some piece of news or anything for that matter with the various ingredients..If necessary do a little bit of tweaking with the ingreadients and voila you have a nice concept and a tasty cocktail(strong in our case)
Will post a few more recipes soon.
Thanks
Bro!!! Bro!!!
Dare u open that wine bottle..Keep it corked till I come..I want a sip(glass would be better) or two of it also…
nice one Congrats on winning the competition and also making your blogging debut
by the way.. what is it that you like about bar-tending? other than being creative and make new kinds of drinks?
hey! No cocktail for june month!
Long time no blogging by V brothers
Hi…Thanks for the nice read, keep up the interesting posts..what a nice Tuesday
What an idea sirrji….!!!!!!!!!!!