🐼 x🍹Baijiu Cocktail 004：Fontaine de Baijiu 枫丹白酒

June 6, 2024, Bar Feijoa in Amsterdam, Netherlands, unveiled a new cocktail menu.

Upon receiving the invitation, I quickly headed over and engaged in conversations with three bartenders at Feijoa.

Chapter One: A Chance Encounter with Requel

萍水相逢 | píng shuǐ xiāng féng

I walked into Bar Feijoa and introduced myself to Requel and Melqui. Although my self-introductions are usually complex, with friends' advice, I condensed my 300,000-word autobiography into one sentence: "My name is Hans, from Chengdu, promoting Chinese Baijiu in the Netherlands." I then expressed my purpose: "I saw your new cocktail menu and came to experience it."

Requel asked what I wanted to drink. When she was about to fetch the menu, I said, "Surprise me, anything from the new menu will do." Requel began crafting the cocktail, moving gracefully around the bar. She finally placed a basil leaf on top and sprinkled pink glittering powder.

The cocktail comprised four spirits or liqueurs, diluted with ginger beer, and infused with lemongrass extract. The taste was sweet and refreshing, reminiscent of a summer day by the lake.

Melqui was busy making cocktails on the other side of the bar, surrounded by customers who were laughing heartily.

I analyze cocktails the same way I do spirits: first by looking, then smelling, and finally tasting, trying to identify the ingredients and flavors to create a mental scene. Requel's cocktail was a light pink color with foam and a basil leaf on top, making me marvel at the vibrancy of Amsterdam and the beauty of serendipitous encounters. Unable to understand the cocktail's English name, I decided to give it a new name: "A Chance Encounter."

In Chinese, 浮萍 is duckweed, and it is so humble. Even a small body of water can have a lot of duckweed. No piece of duckweed knows which others it will encounter, nor do any two pieces of duckweed expect to meet again. 萍水相逢 literally means that 2 pieces of duckweed meets and couldn’t expect to meet again. It's much like a person persevering on their own path; meeting anyone is a stroke of luck, but hoping to meet again is too much to ask. "A Chance Encounter" signifies a kind of fate, yet a reunion may be an unattainable wish. I hope people treat each other kindly because such encounters are so fortuitous.

Chapter Two: Requel's Floating Clouds and Flowing Water

Let's watch a video:

Requel's cocktail-making process was so smooth it reminded me of the Chinese idiom "行云流水" (xíng yún liú shuǐ), which means "floating clouds and flowing water," describing something elegant, seamless, and natural. In cocktail making, it signifies:

• Fluid Movements: The bartender's actions are graceful and fluid.
• Natural Transitions: Each ingredient is added in a natural progression.
• Elegance and Simplicity: Even complex cocktails appear simple due to the bartender's skill.
• Effortless Precision: Each step is performed perfectly without seeming forced.
• Harmonious Result: The final cocktail is a harmonious blend of flavors.

Chapter Three: White Negroni, Baijiu Meets Luca Delle Morte

Returning from the intoxication of Requel's "A Chance Encounter," I found the bar crowded. To my left was spirits salesman Max, and to my right was columnist Ingmar and photographer Laci. Inside the bar was Luca, who introduced himself as being from northern Italy, a region famous for Grappa. He curiously asked to try my Baijiu.

I said, "Go ahead." Luca tasted the Baijiu, praised its rich body and structure, and expressed his interest. I explained that Baijiu is a traditional Chinese spirit with a history possibly spanning over 7,000 years. Our strong aroma Baijiu uses five grains and undergoes a fermentation in the mud pit for over 45 days at least.

Luca said he liked Baijiu, and I asked if he could create a cocktail with it. He said, "I'll make you a White Negroni!" After some skillful mixing, the White Negroni was born.

This cocktail had no decorations and was simply chilled with ice, then strained. It had a clear, cool appearance, exuding pineapple and lemon aromas while maintaining Baijiu's structure. The flavor balanced acidity and sweetness, with Baijiu's characteristics becoming more pronounced as it warmed to room temperature. Inspired, I named it "Fontaine de Baijiu."

Basic Information

• Drink Name: Fontaine de Baijiu - PANDA Baijiu Cocktail 004
• Creator: Luca Delle Morte from Italy, @Bar Feijoa, Amsterdam, the Netherlands
• Drink Type: Alcoholic Cocktail
• Base Spirits: 1. Shuntun Baijiu; 2. Fortified White Wine
• Serving: Stirred and strained, ice removed
• Garnish: None
• Standard Drinkware: Coupe

Recipe

• Shuntun Baijiu 35ml
• Rhubarb Liquor 10ml
• Americano Cocchi Wine 20ml
• Calvados 12ml
• 25±3% ABV