by Melinda Joe
Standing before the judges at the Diageo Reserve World Class Final bartending competition in Rio de Janeiro, Taiwanese bartender Kae Yin’s hands trembled slightly as presented his cocktail.
With his index finger, he carefully etched a flower into the layer of powdered green tea that he’d sprinkled over a plate of rice flour.
“The rice powder represents our soil, which is the source of all things that grow from the ground and give sustenance to the Taiwanese people,” he explains, speaking through a translator.
“It symbolizes growth and prosperity.”
The audience watched with curiosity as Yin added homemade bitters and violet liqueur to a bamboo cup containing an infusion of Tanqueray 10 gin, Chinese chamomile tea, oolong tea and honey.
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