Flavor Trends, Strategies and Solutions for Menu Development

 

 

 

By Flavor & The Menu
May 6, 2021

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Dan MarlowePhoto credit: Joy Asico

Dan Marlowe

Modena offers modern Italian cuisine using regionally sourced ingredients, and the cocktail menu supports the theme. “The Enzo Ferrari cocktail is an homage to local-made, classic tradition and modern innovation,” says Dan Marlowe, Lead Bartender.

The drink is inspired, in part, by Executive Chef John Melfi’s commitment to hand-grinding grain for pasta flour, on premise, every day. Distillers at McClintock Distilling Company in Frederick, Md., also stone-grind their grain onsite for their whiskey mash bills. “This allows for a lower temperature and a more nuanced grind, resulting in more character and flavor in the finished product,” says Marlowe.

A Sazerac is traditionally made with Cognac or rye whiskey, but the Enzo Ferrari stars white whiskey, allowing the unaged spirit to serve as a neutral canvas for flavor building. Marlowe does this subtly: a lemon verbena-hibiscus is balanced with signature Peychaud’s bitters and a locally produced absinthe. “We complement the aromatic creation by employing both a traditional unflared absinthe rinse and a modern flare of ignited absinthe on top of the drink,” says Marlowe. It’s sexy and eye-catching, just like the race cars Ferrari once built in Modena, Italy. “Guests appreciate the drink’s framework and backstory, as well as its aromas and taste.”

About The Author

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Nicole Duncan is the digital managing editor of Flavor & the Menu. She's reported on the restaurant industry for a decade, most recently as the editor of FSR magazine. In 2021, she won a Folio award for her feature on restaurant tycoon Tilman Ferttita. The following year, FSR was awarded Best Overall Issue for its May 2022 issue featuring Andrew Zimmern. She has profiled well-known chefs including Paola Velez, Fabio Viviani and Daniel Boulud, but also relishes the opportunity to spotlight under-the-radar trends and innovators.