10and5 | 20th May, 2020
Beverage | Brands | International
In each of the five episodes that make up the Bombay Sapphire ArtTender video series, we have brought together a creative and a bartender, to exchange their tools of the trade, and #StirCreativity together. This fifth and final installation features artist, Lulama Wolf, and mixologist, Michael Stephenson. Earlier this year, the two creatives got together at Lulama’s studio in leafy Johannesburg, to create some magic.
With a mere glance at Lulama’s aesthetically-pleasing Instagram page, one can get a good idea of who she is: a style influencer, fashion enthusiast, content creator, and artist in learning. Although art has always influenced her content creation in the past, she recently started practicing and producing her own original artworks – translating African experiences across spaces and drawing on her personal heritage.
Michael Stephenson, the owner of Lucky Shaker bar in Umhlanga, is popularly known for his mastery in crafting contemporary cocktails. Michael brings a unique look-and-feel, to every cocktail; this is no average bartender, but a true creator of the full sensory experience.
For her artwork, Lulama was inspired by the elements and decided to incorporate water, fire, and earth into her work. By layering hessian and paint, Lulama has created abstract forms characteristic to her style. These figures not only narrate two people coming together but an attitude to life that embraces freedom and joviality.
Michael embraced the challenge to incorporate parts of Lulama’s artwork into the recipe for his Bombay Sapphire cocktail. Inspired by the use of fire in her piece, Michael infused grapefruit and cacao butter with Bombay Sapphire, to make a candle, which was used in the drink. Another vial of Bombay Sapphire was left to infuse with coffee, an incredible source of rich flavor, color and mouthfeel. He also added a multitude of other flavours including raspberry syrup, and Genmaicha green tea made from toasted rice.
The drink was served in a ceramic cup, on a wooden saucer, with hessian layered on top. Michael has used his unique approach to mixology, to create a drink that truly tantalises all the senses, even including touch! He named the drink ‘Eye Of The Beholder’ – because, after all, beauty is indeed in the eye of the beholder. Or, as Michael says, “The delicious is in the details.”
Recipe: ‘Eye Of The Beholder’
40 ml Grapefruit & Cacao butter washed with Bombay Sapphire
10 ml Coffee-Infused Bombay Sapphire gin
20 ml Sherry
10 ml Caperitif Vermouth
7 ml Raspberry syrup
35 ml Geinmaicha green tea
Add all ingredients to a shaker with ice, strain while giving it a good ol’ throw!
Garnished with a Grapefruit zest.
Hit the video below to watch the full episode!