How to Drink From a Work of Art with Adriano Berengo & Facundo Gallegos

What is a work of art? That question is so subjective. Yet I truly believe that my two guests have made it possible for us to drink every cocktail we have at the St. Regis Venice in a work of art.

My first guest is Facundo Gallegos, the Bar Manager at the St. Regis Venice. The second is Adriano Berengo, the President of Berengo Studio 1989 and Fondazione Berengo.

On my way to Venice last year, I happened to ask the Bar Manager of the Berkeley Hotel in London what was the one bar I shouldn’t miss. Without taking a breath, he said the St. Regis Venice. What made it so special, I asked, and he said, Facundo Gallegos.

Adriano Berengo, on the other hand, was introduced to me by a random encounter in a coffee shop in Cannaregio. I was lucky enough to meet this cultural entrepreneur who established Berengo Studio thirty years ago with the goal of restoring glass to its rightful place in the world of fine art.

Just by chance, I discovered they had collaborated on a project for the new Arts Bar at the St. Regis Venice. So, of course, I had to interview both of them.

We are super lucky that thanks to the generosity of Facundo we have the singular sensation that is the recipe for the Santa Maria, the St Regis Venice’s own take on the Bloody Mary as our cocktail of the week. It’s a doozy, but hats off to those who try:

INGREDIENTS

• 125 ml I 4.2 oz Clarified Tomato Juice
• 45 ml /1.5 oz Horseradish-Infused Absolut Elyx Vodka
• 25 ml I 0.8 oz Verjus du Perigord
• 3 drops Homemade Salt Solution
• 3 drops Homemade Spicy Tincture
• 100 gr Cayenne Pepper
• 50 gr Black Pepper
• Poli Grappa to spray on top

METHOD

• The Clarified Tomato Juice: Blend tomato juice with agar-agar. Let it rest for 1/2 hour and then strain to get the clarified juice
• The Horseradish-Infused Vodka: Infuse a bottle of vodka with 100 gr of fresh horseradish chunks for 2 hours and strain
• Salt Solution: Blend 1 teaspoon of sea salt into 100 ml/ 3.3 oz of still natural water
• Spicy Tincture: Infuse 1 liter/ 33.8 oz of vodka with 100 gr of cayenne pepper and 50 gr of black pepper for 48 hours and strain
• Add all ingredients to a shaker with ice and throw 4-5 times.
• Serve in a coupe glass with a crystal-clear chunk of ice

You’ll find this recipe, more Bloody Mary cocktail recipes, and all the cocktails of the week at alushlifemanual.com, where you’ll find all the ingredients in our shop.

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