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[caption id="attachment_1008720" align="alignnone" width="601"] Kester Blake -[/caption]
BAVINA SOOKDEO
Kester Blake is an award-winning mixologist, consultant and trainer. His idea of Easter is sitting with family and friends, talking about the good old days and enjoying simple and creative cocktails that give an excellent, refreshing, tropical feeling.
Blake has over 20 years’ experience in bartending, mixology and event management consultancy. He managed Club Zen for four years, worked as a bar manager for seven years in central London and has visited 15 countries with his craft. He is the winner of Angostura's competition, AS Bryden's World Class Competition and Hadco's Stoli Vodka competition, all in 2014.
Owner of Evolve Bar Logistic Services, Blake says he loves making cocktails because it brings people together and creates an atmosphere of wonder about how the cocktail was made.
“I enjoy enlightening people about the creation and telling them the story of my inspiration in which the cocktail was created,” he said.
He said making a cocktail, for him, is synonymous with memories of his grandparents telling him folklore stories and their origins.
“It just brings me back to cocktails, from why the ingredients were chosen to the method in which they were used, the glass it’s being placed into, the finishing touches of the garnish, until the drinks reach the lips and taste palate of the customer. Only then does the story end.”
Asked about the motto by which he lives, Blake said, “From my years of experience in the industry worldwide, I have conceptualised my 5Ps concept, which helped me and fellow bartenders deliver an excellent service with speed and efficiency. The 5Ps is a motto to start every bar service and life’s encounters with the words: proper prior planning produces predictable results.”
Blake shared some cocktail recipes with Newsday.
Kids smoothie drinks
Peanut cookie crush
Ingredients
2 scoops vanilla ice cream
1 tbsp peanut butter
2 chocolate chip cookies
3 ozs full cream milk
Glass: hurricane glass
Garnish: chocolate syrup, whipped cream and crushed chocolate chip cookies
Directions
Blend all ingredients with a 6-oz scoop of crushed ice.
Easter tropical smoothie
Ingredients
3 ozs strawberry puree
3 ozs mango puree
4 ozs orange juice
1 oz lemon juice
Glass: hurricane glass
Garnish: whipped cream, sprinkles
Directions
Blend all ingredients with a 6-oz scoop of crushed ice.
Non-alcoholic drinks
Easter passion
Ingredients
4 ozs passion fruit puree
2 ozs pineapple juice
1 oz lime juice
1 oz vanilla syrup
Top with a splash of soda
Glass: tall Collins
Garnish: mint sprigs and dehydrated pineapple
Directions
Shake all ingredients in a Boston shaker with ice and strain into glass filled with cracked ice. Top with a splash of soda.
Tropical fizz
Ingredients
2 ozs peach mix
2 ozs mango puree
1 oz lemon juice
1 oz simple syrup
Top with a splash of sprite
Glass: tall Collins
Garnish: mint sprigs and cherry
Directions
Shake all ingredients in a Boston shaker with ice and strain into glass filled with cracked ice. Top with a splash of Sprite.
Easter alcoholic cocktails
Easter Chill mule
Ingredients
2 ozs white rum
1 oz lime juice
1 oz simple syrup
2 dashes of orange bitters
Top with LLB ginger and bitters
Glass: rocks
Garnish: mint sprigs and ginger slices
Directions
Shake all ingredients in a Boston shaker with ice and strain into rocks glass with cubed ice and top with LLB ginger.
Easter lust
Ingredients
1 ½ ozs vodka
1 oz St Germain
1 oz lime juice
1 oz simple syrup
3 strawberries
4 red grapes
Glass: coupe
Garnish: sugar-coated grapes
Directions
Muddle strawberries and grapes in a mixing glass, then add all ingredients in. Shake with ice, double strain in chilled cocktail coupe glass.
 
[caption id="attachment_1008718" align="alignnone" width="1024"] Moscow Mule - Source: bbc.co.uk[/caption]
[caption id="attachment_1008717" align="alignnone" width="1024"] Cookie Dough Smoothie - Source: fitfoodiefinds.com[/caption]
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