Starfruit In Mixology: A Guide To Choosing Best Varieties For Blending Drinks
Carambola or starfruit is an interesting ingredient to add into cocktails and mocktails. Not only does it have a sweet and slightly tart taste, it also has a very crunchy and even slightly rough finish which gives drinks infused with this fruit a heightened textural nuance. Starfruits are added to a lot of fruit forward, tropical summertime drinks in modern mixology as a flavour addition into these sweet and tangy mixes.
A ripe starfruit can be sweet and mellow or tart and crisp and even lightly floral depending upon the variety that is used to blend drinks. And for a budding mixologist keen to incorporate this fruit into mixes, one of the things to know about is the starfruit variety that can be used to prepare different kinds of cocktail or mocktail blends.
Sweet And Sour Varieties
One of the first tasting notes to look for in starfruits is whether they are sweet or sour. When the sweeter flavours are more pronounced as is the case with varieties like arkin or kari, these fruits can be used as infusion ingredients or can be blended directly into drinks.
Mildly sweet and soft starfruits are low on acidity and are therefore more conducive to blending with other tropical notes. These fruits can be mixed with citrus juices and fizzy drinks while crafting spritzers, smoothies, summer coolers and several fruit-forward cocktails and mocktails.
On the other hand, when the starfruit has more of sour flavours, such as a golden star, these are best used as a mixer in sours or shrubs or can simply be cut into slices that are propped up on cocktail and mocktail serving glasses as aesthetic garnishes.
Almost lemon-like in their sour and tart effect, the slightly crisp and sour variations are more layered additions to drinks which require this heightened tartness. As the flavours of this fruit can become overpowering, they have to be blended into citrusy drinks and bitters for bringing about a balanced finish to drink blends.
Sometimes, choosing the right starfruit is as much about variety as it is about quality produce. Go for a fruit that is firm yet ripe enough to be suitable for blending. Also ensure that it has a smooth exterior so that the fruit will take on an elegant look when used as a garnish. Moreover, also examine if the sweet starfruit varieties are juicy enough so that they can be easily blended with other fruity ingredients that go into making cocktails and mocktails.
Here are some of the common starfruit varieties that can be used for preparing different kinds of drinks:
Arkin: This is a mildly juicy and sweet starfruit variation which is a great addition to juices, spritzers and other summertime mocktails made by blending different tropical fruits together.
Kari: Another starfruit variety on the sweeter side, kari is low on acidity. It can be chopped into little pieces and muddled into drinks for a crunchy, textural surprise. Kari can also be incorporated into smoothies and frozen cocktails as it can mix well with other citrus fruits to imbue its subtle yet effective flavours into these cold summertime drinks.
Golden Star: This is a tart and acidic variety that can be used as a flavour addition to sours and shrubs. Golden star has a very distinct flavour and needs to be used in just the right amount, sparingly enough, without its taste overpowering all others in the drink.
Sri Kembangan: Most often incorporated in tiki-themed, tropical drinks, this is another sour variety of the fruit and can be used as an addition to punch recipes so that its rich and tart notes seep into these fruity drinks, lending them a very distinctly crunchy layer and crisp finish.
Drink Responsibly. This communication is for audiences above the age of 25.
