It took a while in coming, but you know summer has arrived when the urge to consume prettily coloured drinks in scarcely used glasses overtakes cravings for the staid go-to’s of less sunny months. But what to indulge in when the cupboard’s shelves only offer a bottle of Absolut? For inspiration, look to the Drinks Show, now its in fifth year of celebrating all things shaken and stirred, at the Exhibition Place’s Queen Elizabeth Building tonight and tomorrow. Put on by the Martini Club, Toronto’s cocktail institution, the Show is a lesson in drinking by the numbers—50 booths with 65 brands offering samples of 100 handcrafted cocktails at $2 a pop, plus $20 admission. From my experience the past two years, this results in a three-hour trip down alcohol memory lane, where the flavours and styles from my own personal drinking history mix with the next big thing, and introduce people to about 8,000 of their new best friends doing the exact same thing.
“Cocktails are all about sophistication, style, fashion and sex,” says Michelle Hunt, co-founder of the Martini Club. “On the entertainment side, cocktails step up to the plate. And it’s no longer about quantity versus quality—people really want to know what’s inside their drinks.”
Having once had the experience of being handed a ten-page cocktail list with only the obscurely trendy names of the libations as a clue to their contents, I certainly appreciate the Martini Club’s transparency in its recipes. Cards are available at each vendor, bearing a cocktail-porn image of the drink, a description and the PMI (precise mixing instructions). Conceived by Michelle and partner Laura Panter, once companies sign on, the pair put their 12-year knowledge of the best combinations to work, along with an eye toward the latest culinary fad (surprise, surprise: organic, green and health all play a major role in this year’s show). Another big focus this year is on whisky, specifically in female-oriented beverages, like the Summer Sun that blends Grant’s whisky with vanilla liqueur and apricot juice for a light and sweet refreshment.
“Flavoured alcohols are still really hot,” Michelle explains, “and everyone’s also concentrated on herbs, spices, teas and exotic fruits.” In a series of video podcasts for the LCBO, Michelle mentioned the Sauza Açai Tequila, and was shocked at the influx of interest it generated.
And speaking of the inebriation factor, the Drinks Show doesn’t shy away from encouraging patrons to indulge, but stresses the convenience of the TTC and has always discouraged drivers, even going so far as to ban them altogether when the event was held at the difficult-to-access Brickworks last year.
“We love for people to come and get a good buzz on and not worry that anyone has car keys in their pocket,” Michelle says. “And, touch wood, we’ve never had an incident.”
So drink and be merry, and don’t forget to take away from the evening the lesson of how to create the perfect drink. The secret, according to Michelle? “The right measurements, and serving the drink chilled to the perfect temperature.”
The Drinks Show runs from 5pm to 11pm, July 18th to 19th at the Queen Elizabeth Building at the CNE Grounds.
Cocktail photos from the Drinks Show website.
