Pousse-Café

I've been flipping through one of our bartending books (The Bartenders Black Book) while working on the tiki bar, to help us get inspiration for signature cocktails. One section in particular caught my attention: the Pousse-Café.

It's no secret that I have a fondness for the intersection of food and chemistry, and the Pousse-café definitely falls in that arena. It's a drink that features layers of multiple colored alcohols, which is achieved by knowing and making use of the relative specific gravities (densities) of the liqueurs, and pouring very carefully.

Unfortunately, my book had only a limited number of liqueurs listed (due to non-responsiveness of the makers, apparently), but you can find longer lists online at places like Webtender, Supercocktails and About.com.

They don't always taste that good, but I'm hoping to get better at making them and try to create one or two that are both beautiful and tasty.

My first attempt featured Grenadine on the bottom, followed by (in order) Midori, Blue Curacao, Banana Liqueur, and White Rum. And it wasn't half bad!