Imperfect  Partnerships

Imperfect Partnerships

By Nick Tesar

Representing: Australia
#KOCONTESTAustralia

"My Ketel One Garnished with Good cocktail is a Ketel One Spritz. Bright, refreshing, and citrusy. Ketel One provides the backbone and warmth, with a splash of white vermouth for vinous texture and bitterness. Then my good limoncello, utilising the surplus seasonal produce from the Farm of Michael Edwards. This is all part of my Imperfect Partnerships initiative.

Imperfect Partnerships is about creating a community. Partnering with local wholesalers to distribute the produce of local growers, and get it into the hands of bartenders. Our primary producers are the backbone of the hospitality industry, growing the produce that allows us to blow the minds of our guests, but so often the relationship doesn't work both ways. When there is an unpredicted weather system, a staff shortage or other unforeseen events, and produce needs to be harvested immediately, we need to be more flexible in our thinking to be able to capture it's flavour and serve it to our guests. Thus a network of support for the growers around us is needed. I am partnering with Northside Fruit and Veg in Melbourne to connect a network of over 350 venues with local farmers. Providing a bimonthly newsletter sharing recipes and techniques on how to work with selected local and seasonal produce.

Further to these relationships, similar arrangements are being made in other states all around Australia. Over the course of the next month, I aim to find homes for over five tonnes of delicious, peak season excess produce.

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Helen's Spritz

Glass: Wine
Garnish: Sprig lemon thyme
Method: Build all ingredients in a stemmed wine glass. Add cubed ice and stir.

Ingredients:
30 ml Ketel One Family-Made Vodka
60ml Limoncello Fizz

To make Nick's Good Limoncello:
Per Serve 30ml Limoncello / 30ml Soda Water
Makes Approx. 1.5 Litres (51 Fl Oz / 6 Cups) 2kg lemons
250g caster sugar
700mL Ketel One Vodka
250mL white port
10gm dried lemon balm

Peel the lemons and combine the peel and sugar in a sealable 1-litre jar. Leave to rest for 2 weeks in the fridge.

Halve the lemons crossways and char, flesh-side down, in a dry griddle pan set over high heat for about 1 minute.

Combine the charred lemons with the Ketel One Vodka in an airtight container and leave to rest for 2 weeks at room temperature.

Mix the white port and lemon balm together in a sealable jar and leave to rest for 1 day.

Add 700mL water to the lemon peel and sugar and stir to dissolve. Strain the Ketel One Vodka, white port, and water and sugar mixtures through a coffee filter or piece of muslin (cheesecloth) into a large bowl or saucepan. Stir until well combined., then pour into sterilised glass bottles. The limoncello will keep for up to 1 year in the fridge."

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