A US culinary wizard has sparked an online frenzy with his creation of a ‘phlegm-like’ cocktail that marries vodka with funky blue cheese.
Eitan Bernath took social media by storm after daring to fashion a martini from the robust cheese, much to the dismay of some food enthusiasts.
Bernath shared the controversial concoction on TikTok, explaining his motive: “As a new blue cheese eater, I had to try incorporating it into a martini.
“I’m not sure where I got the idea, but I swear I saw it in some cocktail menu at a restaurant in the city recently.”
In an earlier video this year, Bernath showed off his mixology skills, churning out his own version of the spicy ‘filthy sticky blue cheese martini’.
Embracing his newfound affection for blue cheese, he embarked on the ‘fat-washing’ technique, reports the Daily Record.
The method involves infusing spirits with fats; and for Bernath, his choice was obviously cheese. For a successful fat-wash, one must leave the product at ambient temperature combined with the spirit before popping it in the cold to allow the fat to solidify for easy removal, leaving a fusion of aromatic flavours behind.
Taking things to epicurean heights, Eitan added a healthy chunk of blue cheese to his mixer, then poured in Grey Goose vodka with gusto, preparing the concoction for chilling. He instructed: “Pop this in the fridge for one to three days to infuse flavour.”
Completing the process, Eitan used cheesecloth for straining the fluid into a container. He measured precisely, pouring 85ml of the special vodka, 21ml of olive brine, a dash of vermouth, and an abundance of ice into his shaker.
After expertly mixing and straining the concoction into a chilled martini glass, the culinary wizard garnished it with blue cheese-stuffed olives.
He exclaimed: “Wow. The blue cheese really smooths out that vodka. Very smooth, very funky. And I can confirm it’s a little smelly.”
The mixologist’s tutorial has since gone viral, amassing over 170,400 views, with social media users hitting ‘like’ nearly 7,000 times and leaving more than a hundred comments. The quirky drink sparked debate among cocktail enthusiasts, with one user, Kenny, asking incredulously: “Why would you disrespect a martini like that?”
Another viewer, PMasters, shared their disappointment: “I saw the blue cheese olive martini on a TV show. I decided to try it rather than my normal dirty martini. sorry but not good.”
Yet, some were intrigued by the unusual pairing, with David remarking, “When I want a dirty martini, this is exactly what I’m talking about,” and Madison enthusing, “This looks EXQUISITE.”
Others were less impressed, with Joel commenting: “It looks like drinking phlegm.”
Meanwhile, Leb confessed: “This is my nightmare.”
