Beverage Director at indo, the acclaimed St. Louis-based Japanese-Southeast Asian bar, Kira Webster is inspired by Japanese and Chinese poetry and history when creating her cocktails.
She recently placed second with her Himiko cocktail in the 2022 Shochu Cocktail Competition at Bar Goto Niban in Brooklyn, New York.
Kira’s Himkio cocktail is made with Genmaicha (brown rice green tea) lollipop, shochu, pistachio liqueur blanc vermouth, coffey gin, and melon bitters and is named after Himiko, an ancient Japanese Queen that was the supreme ruler of Japan during her reign.
We asked Kira to share her inspiration for her Himiko cocktail.
Tell us about your award-winning Himiko cocktail.
Fit for a Himiko is an ode to Queen Himiko, one of Japan’s first rulers in the Kyushu region. I wanted to create a cocktail that evoked her powerful feminine spirit, so I incorporated ingredients that honored her legacy. I built the cocktail around Chiyonosono 1896 8000 Generations Shochu because it’s distilled in the region where she ruled. Leading with a clean, aromatic shochu helped establish the base for the rest of the cocktail flavors. Himiko features Duamante pistachio liqueur, Dolin Blanc Vermouth, Melon Bitters, Nikka Coffey Gin, and Genmaicha lollipop garnish. It’s bright and clean with an unexpected twist. Creating this cocktail not only solidified my confidence but also humbled me to be in the company of such extraordinary, talented people who also want to celebrate Asian ingredients.
We hear this story has an interesting backstory/inspiration. Tell us more.
Growing up, I spent my summers visiting family outside of Tokyo, and I often heard stories about the legendary Queen Himiko. Strong and confident Japanese women raised me, so I feel a special connection to her story. As one of Japan’s first female rulers, she was a powerful but peaceful queen and shamaness. She led a court of a thousand women and one man (her younger brother) and brought peace to Japan during her diplomacy. In the late 1800s, women were banned from assuming a throne. Although, many female leaders like Himiko helped shape the foundation of Japan. So, I dedicate this cocktail to the generations of women that came before me and after me, whose strengths are measured by their patience, kindness, and femininity as a whole.
You pull a lot of Japanese and Chinese poetry and history into your cocktails. Talk to us about these elements in cocktails.
I always want my cocktails to tell a story, and I find that any element of cultural connection creates a dialogue and boosts the customer’s experience. I feel deeply inspired by cultural references because it’s a great way to connect with my own history in a thoughtful way. I recently created “Quiet Night Thought”(click here for photo), a sparkling sake cocktail with Trakal, the first original Patagonian spirit distilled with native herbs and fruits, inspired by the works of prolific Chinese poet Li Bao. I can find inspiration in just about anything if it speaks to me.
Tell us about the Genmaicha lollipop garnish- what inspired this. How do you make it?
I chose to incorporate a lollipop garnish to symbolize Japanese tea ceremony candies. Tea ceremonies are traditionally run by women, and the lollipop felt like a unique way to honor the generations of women who occupied such an important cultural position. The flower-shaped candy stems from one of the first memories of my own experience at a Japanese tea ceremony. The candies enhance the flavor of the tea, and the lollipop serves the same purpose in the cocktail. Slightly changing the flavor as the cocktail becomes more diluted.
I didn’t want anything too sweet, so I went with Genmaicha. Genmaicha tea is matcha mixed with roasted rice – it’s robust, slightly bitter, and savory. To create the lollipops, combine sugar, corn syrup, and water in a saucepan over medium heat and attach a candy thermometer; boil the water until the sugar dissolves. Next, carefully pour the syrup into lollipop molds and sprinkle Genmaicha tea on top. Let cool until completely hardened, then carefully pull lollipops from the molds, and use a bar knife to shape.
What else can you tell us about this cocktail?
The Nikka Coffey Gin is a crucial element of the drink. Distilled with traditional Japanese ingredients, it has a juniper base and uses four different types of Japanese citrus, that make the cocktail bright and fresh. Substituting for a London Gin won’t balance correctly.
Talk to us about using these ingredients in cocktails.
I enjoy working with ingredients that bring me back to my childhood, such as miso, chamomile, sesame, and yuzu. I think it’s important to bring Asian elements to the forefront in the St. Louis cocktail scene. Using Asian ingredients allows me to put a little bit of myself into the cocktails and give people a better sense of my identity.
Fit for Himiko
Ingredients:
- 1 1/2 oz. Chiyonosono “8000 Generations” Shochu
- 3/4 oz. Dumante Pistachio liqueur
- 3/4 oz. Dolin Blanc
- 1/4 oz. Nikka Coffey Gin
- 2 dashes Melon bitters
Preparation: Stir all ingredients with ice and strain up in coupe. Garnish with *Genmaicha lollipop (optional).
*GENMAICHA LOLLIPOP
Yield: about 36 lollipops
Ingredients:
- 2 cups Sugar
- 2/3 cup Light corn syrup
- 1 1/4 cups Water
- Genmaicha tea
Preparation: Fill lollipop molds with genmaicha tea and lollipop sticks (this can be done while waiting for the sugar to heat up). Combine sugar, corn syrup, and water in a saucepan over medium heat. Attach candy thermometer. Increase heat to bring to a boil, stir until sugar dissolves. Boil until temp reaches 310 degrees F (hard crack). Pour syrup into the molds and sprinkle genmaicha tea on top. Let cool until completely hardened then carefully pull lollipops from the molds. Use a bar knife to shape the lollipops after they’ve hardened – make sure there aren’t any sharp edges.
The post Behind the Cocktail: Beverage Director Kira Webster Shares Her Himiko Cocktail Story appeared first on Chilled Magazine.
Source: Mixology News
