There is a place, in Ripa di Porta Ticinese, on Milan’s Naviglio, with a vintage charm and a french spirit.
Mag Cafè is one of the most famous mainstream clubs in Milan in terms of bartendency, in its broader meaning that goes from interior design to the careful choice of every single ingredient used by expert mixologists during their creative process.
A new product arises within the walls of this old-fashioned bar and under the close supervision of a quaint owner with a curious french accent: it’s the prêt-à- porter cocktail, which responds to the customers’ requests of newness (for the hungry ones, the “Iter” bistro of the same owner offers a typical italian meal all day long).
An alcoholic mixture is proposed inside an ampoule and served in two sizes, 250ml and 500ml (respectively 12 and 20 euros).
The peculiarity of this invention lies in its dilution; the ice that often runs short in a house can be founded directly inside the small bottle, so that the cocktail is ready to drink. For those who love to change and to experiment, the distillate can be tasted in four different mixes.
So everybody is ready to taste their favourite cocktail, served already mixed, diluted and packed, on their way home from work, in short convenience at hand.
“What does the present ask to bartenders in the field of mixology?” I asked to Flavio, the owner. “Is it merely a frantic search for new ingredients or is there a broader aim?”
“The Backdoor is the smallest bar in the world, 1930 is a place in a bunker hidden from prying eyes and Iter was born in the wake of french bistros but it’s full of the light of Milan”, answers Flavio then adds “What is certain is that people in Milan look for the thrill of continuous innovation and sinergy, realized through the research and the attention for details that belong to a trained eye. This has been the origin of Mag”.
To the bravest of you who would like to prove themselves or improvise to be bartenders, here follows the recipe of one of these traveler’s cocktail [without doses ;-)].
FARMER’S PUNCH
FARMILY 2016
CAMPARI
CITRUS FRUITS
RASPBERRY
RED FRUITS THEA
By Luca Banfi
