Hot summer days call for cool, revitalizing cocktails, so we figured this would be an ideal time to speak with David Fast, who's been a bartender at Lido at The Standard since just after the sweet spa/hotel's opening.
1. What's the biggest-selling drink at the Lido?
Mojitos. Consistently. Mojitos, mojitos. For every 10 drinks we sell, I'd say five are mojitos.
2. The secret to making a good mojito?
Fresh ingredients and extra lime juice — I add fresh lime juice. And less soda. A lot of people use too much soda when making the drink.
3. Name two beverages that will taste particularly good on a torrid summer day.
The Lido lemonade — a pink lemonade with citrus vodka — is very refreshing on a hot day. And rosé wine. When it's so humid out, it's nice to have a lighter wine.
4. What new spirits can we find at The Standard?
There are new liqueurs coming out that have different flavors, like Canton, a ginger cognac. And St. Germain, also from France, made from elderflower. The flower blooms for only three days, once a year. They pick it, infuse it with white wine, and then make a liqueur out of it. It's great to add to champagne to give a little sweetness to it.
5. What is the most enjoyable mode of making a drink — stir, shake, or muddle?
Shake. It's definitely the most fun.
