Sake Summer Smash and Low-Cal Mojito Cocktail Recipes

Hi! I’m Vivian Cognati and welcome to Sushi Samba 7in the heart of Manhattan’s west village. A buzzing bar scene and Brazilian beats, have me wanting to have some sake cocktails. So, let’s go behind the burner and meet the mixologist. Kirk Spahn: Sake actually is referred to in Japan at the drink of the Gods. So we really believe that it's the purest beverage on the planet earth. TY KU as a line up is actually an Asian sprits company. The first of it's kind to really bring traditional Asian spirits to the western in a sort of modern package, but keeping the heritage of the Sake and Soju together and that’s really what we’re about. The name TY KU as you see in the bottles is a mixture of Tai chi, which is a form of Asian meditation. Almost bring you to higher state of consciousness, which some people can do for drinking and mixed with Hicus which are short Japanese pomes by nature because everything about TY KU is about being all natural representing only the best ingredients and the top quality products in the world. Vivian Cognati: I’m here with Pablo Moix, Mixologist. Pablo, what are you mixing up for us? Pablo Moix: Well today, I’m making something delicious. Okay, it's called the Sake Summer Smash. So, this is something really simple, something you can make at home and that’s the idea. So, basically, it’s one of the full lemon squeeze drop. Vivian Cognati: Okay. Pablo Moix: I also don’t want you to miss because I’m sure with mint that you have to actually visiting constantly muddeling all of that. Actually, when you shake mint, it actually bruises all the essential oils in it. So, you can just pick a quite full of it and just drop them like that, two teaspoons of granulated sugar to balance up the acidity from the lemons, then two ounces of Sake. Vivian Cognati: So, if I don’t have the black sake at home, what else can I use? Pablo Moix: Well, I will recommend the liqueur on that one. It's already sweetened and you don’t have to add the sugar. Vivian Cognati: Okay, perfect. So, you cut down one step. Pablo Moix: Absolutely. Vivian Cognati: And making it easy for us. Pablo Moix: Yeah that is making it easy. So, you got ice, you chill a glass. You always know what fresh ice. Put ice on the shake then old ice. Vivian Cognati: Okay. Pablo Moix: Once it's— Vivian Cognati: Once it's in the shake, we don’t use it anymore. Pablo Moix: That’s right cold ice. Vivian Cognati: Okay. Cold ice. Pablo Moix: Cold ice. Vivian Cognati: I’ve got to see your arm skills. Pablo Moix: Alright, shake vigorously 6 seconds like shaking like you’ve never shake it. That is the last shake. Vivian Cognati: 6 seconds? Pablo Moix: Every cocktail has a 20% water. Six seconds is hard as you possibly can, will get you 20% water. Vivian Cognati: Oh, great. That’s for us. Pablo Moix: Strain it over fresh ice. Take your mint. I’ll just bruise it and loose the oils. Vivian Cognati: I smell it. It smells delicious. It's the smell of summer. Pablo Moix: Sake Summer Smash. Vivian Cognati: Sake Summer Smash that’s the name. So, we’re going with the two garnishes, if you’re like getting dance with me today. Pabl Moix: Well, yeah I mean it's the nest. Vivian Cognati: The nest? Pablo Moix: Make the nest in a cocktail. Vivian Cognati: So, now I get to drink? Pablo Moix: Yes. Vivian Cognati: Okay. As expected, delicious. Pablo Moix: Delicious! I know it. Vivian Cognati: So, Kirk Spahn, co-founder TY KU also joined us and Kirk, what are you making for us? Kirk Spahn: So, we’re going to keep it really simple, people at home by your pool, summer time is coming. This is all about low calorie refreshing enjoyment. Everyone loves the Mojito. No one likes the muddle. We’re going to show you the simplest Mojito that you can make under a 100 calories. Vivian Cognati: So, skinny girls need to stay skinny and this is how they do it. So Kirk, what’s inside? Kirk Spahn: So, we’re keeping this really simple, light and refreshing and under a 100 calories for you. So, we have TY KU liqueur, squeeze in an orange, a squeeze of a lemon, a squeeze of a lime, a cucumber, some fresh mint, shake it hard, throw in a splash of soda water and you can enjoy the rest f the day and the night and feel good the next day. Vivian Cognati: It's actually amazingly refreshing and you don’t even feel guilty when you drink it. Visit trytyku.com to find out where you can buy TY KU, and also, check out their under a 100 calorie cocktails perfect for summer. Stay tuned to Behind the Burner, where we gave you the tips, tricks and techniques that are lighting the culinary world on fire.