Surface Magazine tasked a well-established group of New York bartenders to find inspiration for new cocktails in an unlikely place; product design. Creating a new and innovative cocktail is no easy feat. But what separates this group from the everyday bartender is interpreting a visual object into a flavor profile that also delivers its visual inspiration. Among Juniper’s own Ground Control Collection are other contemporary objects meant to spark inspiration. From light and playful Bon Bon Boxes by Tina Frey to the deep and mystical Interno by Anna by RabLabs, inspiration was pulled from all corners of design.
Pamela Wiznitzer, Creative Director of Seamstress, was given the Ground Control Collection as inspiration for her cocktail. She discusses her inspiration and concept:
“Power is about switching on and off—it’s one extreme or another. For this drink, I decided to nod to old and to modern. The light switches are essentially updating the power source. So I created two similar cocktails served differently. One is hot and one is cold. I envisioned the drinker toggling between to the two to get flavor explosions in their mouth. I used gin’s predecessor, genever, for the old. The modern version has Brooklyn Gin because that is where the company is based. The hot version is a play on the toddy, with citrus and tea garnished elegantly for aromatics. The cold is shaken egg white, which gives it a completely different texture. The concept of tea. The golden color—and edible gold-leaf garnish—match the switches.”
