Episode 120

What’s shakin, cocktail fans!

Welcome to Episode 120 of The Modern Bar Cart Podcast!

This time around, we are graced with the presence of a bona fide aroma expert: Kevin Peterson of
Castalia – a cocktail bar in Detroit that specializes in pairing drinks with natural fragrances to enhance and expand their guests’ sensory experience of the cocktail.

In our conversation, some of the topics we discuss with Kevin include:

• How Kevin and his wife Jane transformed the bottom level of an old mansion in Detroit into a scent shop by day that converts into an intimate 20-seat cocktail bar by night.
• Some of the differences between people who approach cocktails from a service industry background and those who come at the subject from a completely different area of specialization.
• What it’s like to pair fragrances and cocktails, and how Kevin thinks about “hacking the signal” of the drink to give guests a truly memorable experience.
• We also talk about lots of nerdy physiology stuff, including how the brain processes aroma, the difference between orthonasal and retronasal smell, and a whole lot of other things you probably didn’t know about aroma and flavor.
• We talk about our favorite flavor and aroma books, we trade theories about the Platonic ideal of baking spice, and we even find time to grab drinks with the man who changed the Spaghetti Sauce industry forever.

You can visit Castalia and enjoy their drinks and aromas by using their call-ahead booking number: (313) 305-1442.