Somewhere in the bustling neighbourhood of La Juárez in Mexico City lies speakeasy, Hanky Panky. Bar manager, Gina Barbachano, prides herself on being part of an establishment which has an out-of-the-box and super creative menu. It’s no surprise that it holds the 12th spot on the list of the World’s 50 Best Bars 2021. Last weekend, Gina made her maiden trip to India for a bar takeover at Four Seasons Hotel Bengaluru’s award-winning bar, Copitas. We talk all things cocktails and more:
How do your travels inspire your cocktails?
The best part of travelling is picking up new ideas and ingredients. For example, at Copitas, they made a drink for me with carom leaves. The flavour profile is similar to oregano. Things like that put my brain to work. Our new menu at Hanky Panky is called Passport. It is all about the places we’ve been. One of the craziest drinks is inspired by Caprese Salad. We ate it a lot when we were in Spain. So we took some key ingredients and made it a Martini-style drink.
How has your first trip to India been?
It’s been crazy. I love to try new things, so I want to try all the street food. I think the best way to experience a city and its culture is through its street food, so I’m planning to do that. I think it’s very
cool what Moët Hennessy India is doing. It’s unbelievable that a brand like this brought me from
the other side of the world to India.
How did you integrate Mexican flavours in the drinks you created for the take over?
Whenever I travel, I like to bring a little bit of Mexico with me. One of my favourites is Chapulin Colorado which has Glenmorangie whisky. The drink has Oaxacan chocolate bitters made with Mexican cacao and topped with a piece of chocolate with a grass-hopper inside, something we commonly snack on back home. The Cuca cocktail has starfruit in it. We call it carambola in Mexico and I realised it’s common in India as well. The drink that I have a sweet spot for is called Catrina. It takes inspiration from The Day of the Dead or All Soul’s Day (a national holiday, which is celebrated on November 2, in Mexico and around the world in honour of one’s ancestors). It features a traditional bread called pan de muerto that’s soaked in milk then added to the drink.
Do you think Mexican-inspired cocktails would pair well with Indian food?
I do think so because I think India and Mexico have so many things in common. Both our cuisines are spice-forward. So I see them pairing very well. For example, if you have something very spicy, you can pair it with the Catrina cocktail because it has sweet notes and frothy milk. And it can balance out that
spiciness. I had a dosa for breakfast and I loved it. I’m obsessed with it. I see it being paired with the Cuca cocktail I made, because the drink is so refreshing so it will be a great combination.
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