Cut No Lassis Mocktail

1 week project | Maria Bowman, Peter Maczuzak, Princess Egbo| January 2023

Objective: create a mocktail based around a special ingredient and special advisor's cultural inspiration

The Cut No Lassis came to life through inspiration in Bengali cuisine. Drinks are often fruity and refreshing, while dishes tend to be a mix of complex flavors involving sweet, savory, and spicy elements. Cut No Lassis asks the question: why can’t we have both? It all starts with the smell of freshly ground cloves as you prepare to take your first sip. The first sip from the Libbey martini glass provides a pop of spice, as the flavor of the rim coating of Garam Masala and sugar makes its appearance. In a play on a classic Mango Lassi, Cut No Lassis incorporates a classic yogurt base, which brings a full and slightly sour flavor to the midnotes of the drink. As you sip, the sweetness of mango flows in after the yogurt, with just a hint of bright lemon. Finally a sweet spice is left as the final note, a garam masala simple syrup that leaves the drinker interested and wanting more. Drinks are a custom of hospitality in Bengali culture, so we wanted to make something that was new and innovative but still had a sense of comfort and familiarity. 

Cut No Lassis is a drink of several strong flavors brought together to create a long taste experience. The order in which these flavors are consumed adds to the magic of this drink. Classically, martinis are a drink with a strong ancholic flavor, and no ice, meant to be sipped. Strong flavors mixed with an aromatic experience and an eye-catching garnish are all hallmarks of the martini that we wanted to carry though in Cut No Lassis. Additionally, the shape of the vessel is conducive to showing off Cut No Lassis’ layered effect, providing the perfect shape to make the most visual impact of the layer of Garam Masala syrup creating color at the base of the drink.

Ingredients: 

Recipe: 

To make Garam Masala Simple Syrup:

Add sugar to water in a 1:1 ratio. We used 1 cup of each, but make as much as you need. 

Add Garam Masala to personal preference on how strong you like a spicy flavor, we used about 3 tablespoons. 

Bring all of this to a boil and allow it to boil for 2-3 minutes, take it off the heat and let it stand for 20 minutes. Pour mixture through a wire strainer into whatever container pleases you. Chill until use.

To make Cut No Lassi:

In your shaker, mix in 3 spoons of plain greek yogurt, 3 cubes of ice,1½  oz pineapple mango and ½ oz lemon juice to create your base drink.Shake until chilled.

Add equal amounts of sugar and garam masala to a plate and mix, spread into a thin layer. Dip the rim of your glass in water, then place the edge of the glass onto the plate of spices and twist until the rim is fully covered. After that, fill your martini glass with 1oz of Garam Masala syrup mix and then pour your yogurt mix carefully in to float on top. Once your layers have settled, sprinkle a pinch of fresh ground cloves over the top and garnish with a slice of mango and a cinnamon stick.

Drinking instructions (if any):

Take the cinnamon stick garnish and give your drink a solid stir, allowing the beautiful layers and flavors to mix and create a more cohesive drinking experience.