The versatility of rum: Vancouver bartender weighs in
Rum is typically associated with summer drinks, like daquiris, mojitos and pina coladas. But a Vancouver bartender wants to change that perception.
"I still think rum's heyday is still ahead of it, because there's such a variety of rum," Cooper Tardivel told North By Northwest's Sheryl MacKay.
"They offer such diverse flavour profiles, which will link up with equally … diverse complementary ingredients."
Tardivel bartends at the prohibition-themed cocktail bar at Hawksworth Restaurant in Vancouver's historic Rosewood Hotel Georgia.
To him, bartending will always be more than just fixing people drinks.
"People ask me all the time, 'Do you go to school for this?'" he said.
"It's a school of working behind a bar — you really need to start small, and hopefully have great teachers that nurture you and bring you up, and constantly challenge yourself, and move to the next spot, and travel around the world, and try different techniques and flavours and style."
As a result of trying different flavours, Tardivel came up with a winter cocktail that he hopes will show off rum's diverse flavour profile.
Night Moves
Ingredients
- Ron Zacapa 23-year rum 1.5 oz
- Taylor Fladgate white port .75 oz
- Averna amaro .5 oz
- 3 dashes angostura bitters
Directions
- Stir/serve with a guinette cherry in a chilled cocktail coupe
To hear the full interview with Cooper Tardivel, listen to the audio labelled: Vancouver bartender weighs in on rum
