Hinged on Local Knowledge
Sustainable ingredients make the best cocktails
Nature knows best – in nurturing, survival, and sustainability. It is against this backdrop that natureinspired African indigenous knowledge, practices, and ingredients can by no means be sidelined when it comes to setting the trends for the production of sustainable and locally-made cocktails and spirits.
Indigenous knowledge upholds the stance that, while cocktails can be appealing, the human body is not just for enticing with artificial ingredients and quick-fix sparkle that harms the living and the earth.
If the food and beverage industry is to have a shot at greener initiatives for the sake of our environment, both the service providers and consumers need to work together to make lasting sustainable changes, one sip at a time.
Savvy modern-day consumers are no longer interested only in taste and appearance, but dare to call for greener footsteps.
Product origin, fair trade, ethical values, and sustainability are concepts that the food and hospitality industry can no longer walk away from. In a time like this, there has never been a greater call for local indigenous knowledge, practices, and ingredients to set the standard on trending cocktails, spirits, and drinks.
PURPOSEFUL DRINKING
Nature is not just about looking pretty – everything is intentional. This is the line of thinking that is adopted by those who opt for an indigenous education. Rather than serving cocktails filled with artificial flavours and no nutritional value whatsoever, the trend is to have drinks that do more than just quench the thirst – they nourish the body in one way or the other.
This can be done by leaving out artificial flavour enhancers and adding more fresh ingredients – for example, squeezing out fresh lemon juice from the fruit instead of adding drops of fake lemon flavour. Toxic artificial colourants can also be discarded because while they may help to entice the eyes, they harm the body. Indigenous knowledge upholds the stance that, while cocktails can be appealing, the human body is not just for enticing with artificial ingredients and quick-fix sparkle that harms the living and the earth.
REDUCE BAR WASTE
Sustainability is an all-consuming lifestyle. The trend is to not only think of one or two “greener” cocktails but to incorporate indigenous knowledge into preparation methods and the way ingredients are sourced, and thinking of sustainability in every aspect of coining new and improved beverages.
The reduction of bar waste comes about when resources are used in a smarter way, such as through the infusion of more edible garnish, using fewer ingredients, or serving room-temperature cocktails. The mindset is one founded on going further than the here and now, to thinking of ways to do no harm (perhaps even do less damage) to self, others, and the environment.
LET NATURE IN
Indigenous knowledge is hinged on a holistic approach – using that which is, by opting for nature rather than the natural. It is about embracing diversity, receiving from the earth, and thinking of sustainability that
will outlive us and continue in generations to come. This thinking can also be extended to cocktails through the use of more seasonal ingredients that are in abundance.
The buzzing trend when it comes to sustainability-focused cocktails and spirits centred on indigenous knowledge is to have an on-site beehive. For a less sticky tip, one can opt for fresh herbs and produce from an on-site organic garden or from local green-thumbed, small-scale farmers. This not only lowers the cost but can lead to the use of fresh ingredients, and perhaps even job creation.
FOOD-INSPIRED COCKTAILS AND SPIRITS
There is a fine line between food and cocktails – thanks to the rising trend of food-inspired cocktails and drinks, things can get a bit blurry, but also oh-sodelicious! Elite bartenders are moving away from your typical lemon, mint, and cucumber gin cocktails, and captivating the distinguished palate with more crunch, such as with the incorporation of popcorn into cutting-edge cocktails. Food-elements are interrogated and repackaged – for example, opting for dramatic candy floss instead of your typical sugar granules.
You also get the bartenders who dare to go a more natural route, through practices such as incorporating African concepts like the bone broth of handraised fowls and Nguni cattle into cocktails. Beloved African favourites like curdled sour milk and sorghum maize drinks are also finding expression in the growing trend of food-inspired drinks with local-favourite tastes.
According to Forbes, mushrooms are also a popular food infused in drinks; a trend to look out for when it comes to cocktails. They are nutritious and add interesting flavours to form exciting new concoctions. As it stands, bartenders are already using them to spice up cocktails, fungi Irish coffee, sparkling wine, and vodka.
If one thing becomes clear from this debate, it is that it should not just be the end product that trends, but the entire process, which is hinged on indigenous knowledge aimed at a more sustainable outcome. What seeds are you planting to answer the call for more sustainable drinks?