MIXING MAGIC WITH LIQUID CHEF ROB FLOYD

 

During an evening full of exciting moments, liquid chef and Bar Rescue mixologist Rob Floyd was undoubtedly a highlight. Rob stepped behind the bar during our recent Women of Today x The Vintage Round Top media dinner to create a sampling of his fresh, innovative cocktails for our guests.


Rob’s novel approach to mixology views a cocktail as an “edible sensory adventure” and relies on taste, technique, and tale to create a fully realized experience around each drink. That means relying on fresh, simple ingredients in lieu of added sugars, focusing on molecular techniques, and providing historical and narrative contexts for his creations. Accessibility is also important to Rob, and he encourages guests to join him behind the bar for a hands-on experience.

Left: Rob Floyd mixes a drink behind the bar in the No. 1450 kitchen. Right: Rob creates a layered cocktail by floating C.L. Butaud Tempranillo atop a 16th-century-inspired verjus.

At the Women of Today x The Vintage Round Top media dinner, guests were treated to a variety of cocktails, including a minty, gin-based twist on a Moscow Mule, a smoky take on a classic Old Fashioned made with burning rosemary (dubbed “The Smoking Gun”), and a spicy-sweet margarita called the Piña en Fuego. 

Read on to learn how to make Rob’s Piña en Fuego at home, and visit his website for more cocktail recipes and inspiration.

For more on the food, drink, and special guests at the dinner and workshop, stay tuned. We’ll be revealing more behind-the-scenes details in upcoming blog posts!

And if you haven’t read our overview of the dinner, check out our last blog post!

Clockwise from top left: Rob demonstrates how to prepare a “Smoking Gun” using a burnt rosemary sprig and Wild Turkey Longbranch Bourbon; a lineup of drinks prepared by Rob for the WOTxRVT media dinner; Rob Floyd and Camila Alves McConaughey watch Fixer Upper’s Clint Harp mix a drink; Camila muddles herbs behind the bar while Rob and Clint look on.

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Rob Floyd’s Piña en Fuego
Adapted from sipboldly.com

Ingredients:

1 slice of jalapeño (or to taste)
2 chunks fresh pineapple
3/4 oz. lime juice
1/2 oz. agave nectar
2 oz. tequila or mezcal (Rob used Espolòn Blanco)
ground pepper
Hawaiian black lava sea salt (optional)

Directions:

1. In a shaker, gently press jalapeño to express oil.
2. Add pineapple and muddle.
3. Add remaining ingredients except black pepper and shake with ice.
4. Strain into a rocks glass (salt the rim according to your preference) with 3 ice cubes and garnish with a sprinkling of fresh ground black pepper.
5. Enjoy!






Bartending Tip: Over muddling the jalapeño releases its tannins and turns the drink bitter and unbalanced. Simply press it gently until you hear it crunch. The finish of black pepper acts as an irritant, opening all your taste buds and making room for the full experience of both sweet and savory at the same time.

Special thanks to beverage sponsors Campari , C.L. Butaud, and Infinite Monkey Theorem.

Videography by Alex Penrose

All photographs by Haylei Smith