uMhlanga barman mixes it up

WHEN people think of mixologists the first images that come to mind are of strapping young men skillfully shaking and twirling bottles of alcohol behind an edgy, neon-lit bar.

However, the art of creating those chic and sophisticated cocktails requires a bit more than some impressive hand and eye co-ordination.
uMhlanga barman, Trace van der Merwe, recently spent several weeks preparing for the second stage of a three-leg contest to represent KwaZulu-Natal in the World Class Cocktail Competition.

After perfecting his own unique recipe, the 23-year-old is currently sitting second in the South African finals. The talented mixologist will now have to compete for a top spot in the third workshop in Cape Town in July alongside fellow Durbanite, Jody Francis, who placed first.

For the second stage the contestants were asked to create the perfect Bloody Mary. “I wanted to create a twist to the classic recipe, so instead of using tomato juice I used a vegetable juice, comprising of blended red peppers, onions, garlic and carrots. I paired the juice with cajun spice, instead of the traditional Tabasco sauce, as well as a syrup made of worcester sauce, balsamic reduction, white wine and rosemary. Of course the recipe also included some vodka,” he explained.

As a final aesthetic appeal, a balsamic reduction along with some rosemary herbs were sprinkled onto the serving plate, while a lemon twirl was placed at the top of the drink. Van der Merwe calls his creation ‘The Bloody Alternative’.

In February Van der Merwe was crowned Heineken’s Best South African Bartender. At the end of April the talented and passionate bartender will be travelling to Amsterdam, where he will be competing in the Global Bartender Finals against 19 other national winners for the international title.

Van der Merwe has also studied hotel and hospitality management, and aspires to open his own bar, restaurant or hotel in the near future.