Pears Make a Splash as Fresh Drink Trend for 2007

16/11/06 If the newest flavor recently unveiled by ABSOLUT VODKA is any indication of what's new on the cocktail scene, then the pears have it. Also embracing this flavor trend are top chefs and mixologists who are increasingly experimenting with fresh pears and other fruits in infusions that satisfy the palates of cocktail-craving clientele.

"The kitchen is moving into the bar," explains chef Kathy Casey, owner of Kathy Casey Food Studios in Seattle, Wash. "Mixologists, bartenders and 'home cocktailians' are discovering that ingredients found in the kitchen, from fresh fruits to herbs, also work great in cocktails."

Casey says pear usage in cocktails is one of the up-and-coming trends for 2007. The cocktail consulting arm of her business, Liquid Kitchen, sets the standard for beverage programs worldwide. "Consumers are looking for drinks that are well balanced -- not too strong in liquor and not too sweet or sour. The pear's mellow sweetness adds a fantastic flavor counterpoint to the mojito -- one of today's most popular cocktails."

Jeffrey Moran, spokesperson for The Absolut Spirits Co., concurs that pears are "the next big flavor," and that the company's new pear vodka is meant to be a trendsetter. "We constantly have flavorists on the hunt for all the new scents, flavors and tastes and pear was 'ripe' for us."