Photo: Daniel Chan
Dehydrated garnishes in cocktails have seen something of a renaissance in recent years. CK Kho of Coley gives us the lowdown on the dried fruit wheels.
Aesthetics
Dehydrated ingredients elevate the drink: it’s elegant, adds colour, and brings different textures to the proceedings. Also, it’s lighter than fresh fruits, allowing bartenders to do a lot more with it.
Flavours
Fresh fruits are all very well, but dehydrated fruits (with its concentrated flavours) allow more flavour control for the bartender. Plus, certain fresh fruits have a somewhat ‘green’ bitter taste that’s eliminated when it’s dehydrated.
Photo: Daniel Chan
Practicality
Well, they last longer in storage. Then there’s the fact that you can eat most of the garnishes. CK has also been experimenting with dehydrated coconut shells, cocoa pods and bamboo to use as receptacles for drinks.
Try out a cocktail with a dehydrated garnish at KL's top cocktail bars.