In Newtown, owner and bartender Swan Kanongataa is making some approachable, flavour-forward drinks — cocktails like this Pandan Express.
“I was playing around with making tepache and wanted to get little more tropical,” Swan says. “We’ve always had a pina colada riff on the menu but wanted to do something a little different and elevated. Using Darren Leany’s Bellini at the now closed Capitano as inspiration and structure of the drink - we’ve got a super refreshing, tropical number - all the fun of tiki - none of the heart burn.”
Pandan Express recipe
350ml Fermented Pineapple cordial*
90ml Pandan Liqu
100ml Verjus
100ml White Rum
150ml water
100ml Sugar Syrup
Carbonate to 50psi
Serve over block ice, pandan leaf garnish
*Fermented Pineapple Cordiaal
Cut 2 pineapples into chunks
Cut 4-5 pandan leaves into 5cm pieces.
Add 1 packet of cider yeast.
400g caster sugar
0.88g cider yeast
3L water
Add all to a mason jar and stir to dissolve sugar, cover with a napkin or muslin cloth and leave to ferment for 5 days, stirring daily.
Strain out solids, then let naturally clarify over 2-3 days in a dark room.
Measure the volume. Add 30% caster sugar and stir to combine. Measure new volume of liquid (should be around 1400-1500ml) and add 1% citric acid and .5% tartaric acid. Stir to dissolve.
