Mohamed 'Dada' Daoud

"Big things have small beginnings, like "I am".

As Ketel One sources only the best quality grain for their vodka, at Cookies Cream, cooking starts in the soil. From this small beginning, we honour the existence and relevance of all things and transport this philosophy to the world. Leading by example, we make use of all our produce from root to leaf. We are lucky to work with Farmer Peter who provides the best produce, grow locally with love. In turn, we give back to our community and ensure Peter's farming sustainability.

"I am" recognizes the beauty in the unconventional, the flavour in age and the connection in the ordinary. Lacto-fermented tomato water acts as an Umami bomb. Too wonky and crooked carrots are juiced to make a carotene butter, which lasts throughout the year. Fibrous fennel is used to infuse honey from a local beekeeper. We don't stop there. We turn carrot and fennel greens into an oil that adds earthy green notes to the drink. The carrot pulp and fennel is dried and blended with salt that garnishes the rim of the glass for extra flavour.

"I am" continues to do good. It inspires our guests to make sustainable choices and embrace the beauty of the unconventional while savouring a complex taste. In workshops, we share our methods with bartenders and enthusiasts inspiring them to do the same.

With "I am" we honour. We sustain. We inspire. Our approach asks everyone: How can I reconnect with the earth?"

I AM

Glass: Nick & Nora
Garnish: Tomato/Fennel/Carrot Salt + Carrot/Fennel green oil
On a chilled glass dust the outside and only on one side with the tomato/fennel/carrot salt. Knock off any excess. Keep chilled. Using a pipette drop 0.5 ml of carrot & fennel green oil in the middle of the drink.
Method: Stirred until 25 ml of dilution is reached. Double strain into chilled glass.
Ice: No ice

Ingredients:
30 ml Ketel One Family-Made Vodka
20 ml Carotene Butter Vodka
40 ml Lacto Tomato water
7.5 ml Fennel infused honey water
25 ml Dilution

To make Carotene Butter:
2 kg wonky carrots (ends removed, keep the carrot green for the oil)
1 kg unsalted butter

Juice the Carrots saving the pulp for garnish.
Clarify the butter on low heat, skimming off the whey until clear.
Mix clarified butter and carrot juice to equal parts by volume and blend on highest level until the emulsion breaks (around 5-10 minutes) Transfer to a pot and bring to a boil and skim off the resulting scum.
Cool down in a fridge or ice bath, until the butter solidifies again.
Remove from the pot and get rid of any excess liquids.
Store in the fridge until needed.

To make Carotene Butter washed Ketel One:
700 ml Ketel One
500 g Carotene Butter

Melt down the butter at very low heat, add the Ketel One and allow to infuse for 1h.
Transfer to a jar with a wide opening and freeze overnight.
Strain through a cheesecloth removing the solidified butter. Bottle the infused Ketel One and store until needed.

To make Lacto tomato water:
1000 g overripe tomatoes
20 g salt

Cut tomatoes into 2 cm cubes and put them into a vacuum bag.
Add the salt and mix together with the tomatoes.
Lay them flat and vacuum seal, removing all the air, ensuring an anaerobic environment.
Leave the bag in a safe place with a consistent temperature. Between 21°C -28°C is ideal.
Check on the bag every day. Open the bag and reseal to get rid of any gas build up in the bag. This also allows you to taste.
Usually the process takes seven days. Sometimes it goes quicker and sometimes it takes longer. That is why it is important to check the bag daily. When the desired acidity is reached, transfer the tomatoes to a cheesecloth and allow to drip. The resulting water is the Lacto Tomato Water. Quickly mix with the Infused Ketel One and store in the fridge, to stop any further fermentation.
Keep the pulp of the tomato for garnish.

To make Fennel infused honey water:
200 g Fennel Bulb (finely chopped, save the green for oil)
500 g Honey (from your local beekeeper)
250 g Water

Mix ingredients in a vacuum bag and place in a 80°C water bath for 2 hours. Strain the honey through a strainer and keep the chopped fennel for garnish.

To make Carrot & Fennel-green-oil:
150 g Carrot Green (only green and fresh parts, no brown ones) 150 g Fennel Green
1000 g Rapeseed Oil
Roughly chop the greens and place in Thermomix.
Add the oil and blend on full speed at 70°C for 2 min.
Turn down the speed to 3 and keep blending for another 10 min.
Strain the oil through a cheesecloth and fill into a piping bag and seal. Hang the bag in a fridge for 24h, allowing the solids to separate from the oil. Carefully cut the bottom of the bag to release the solids first, then capture the pure oil in a separate container.

To make Tomato-Fennel-Carrot-Salt:
Leftover Carrot pulp (from juicing)
Leftover Tomato pulp (from straining)
Leftover chopped Fennel (from infusing)
Salt

Lay out the leftovers as flat as possible and dehydrate at 40°C until completely dry.
Weigh out equal parts of the dried leftovers and add the same amount of sea salt by weight. Blend in Thermomix for 10 min or until completely powderized.