Tak Ishiwata doesn't usually spend time on the frigid waters off the coast of Newfoundland. But earlier this summer, he boarded a 70-foot boat to join a crew in search of icebergs. When their target loomed, the captain picked up a .22 rifle and opened fire.
It was a direct hit that dislodged 60 tonnes of ice. It was also step one in what might be the world's most ambitious new cocktail recipe - the iceberg martini.
Ishiwata, who owns a Japanese fusion restaurant in St. John's, came up with the drink partly for showbiz. A Discovery Channel camera crew was filming him for the upcoming series Chef's Domain - he's one of their chefs to watch - and the 32-year-old wanted to make a splash for the closing segment.
"I was looking at icebergs in the ocean and I thought I'd like to have a martini that mimics that," he says.
Like the sea, the bottom layer of Ishiwata's drink is a cool blue curaçao. It's then topped with a local vodka made from glaciers, lychee liqueur, lemon juice and syrup. And, yes, jutting up from the centre of the glass is also a wedge of 15,000-year-old iceberg - the tip emerging from its liquid surroundings just like the real thing.
But the drink is demanding. First, Ishiwata spent hours at sea with the crew that gathers ice for Iceberg Vodka. After shooting at the icebergs, they hoisted their catch from the water with cranes and finally transferred it to an enormous barge. The chef then took an axe to big chunks to snag "bergy bits" for martini garnishes. His take: About 150 pounds.
"It was the most effort we put into any of our martinis," he says.
Of course, he's not the first Newfoundlander to make use of icebergs. In addition to vodka, they're harvested for gin, water and skin-care products. In outport communities, locals who find chunks near the shore often toss them into rum and coke.
But Ishiwata's stylish take on glaciers in a glass has been drawing visitors from across the country. Which suggests he may have come up with a viable alternative to Screech - a dark rum often paired with "cod kissing" - as the province's quintessential drink.
"I think the iceberg martini is as Newfoundland as it gets," Ishiwata says. "You haven't seen Newfoundland until you're out on the water and you see icebergs and whales."
Still, even with record numbers of icebergs in the area this year, anyone who wants a taste of this cocktail better make travel plans quickly. Icebergs melt by midsummer. Ishiwata's stock is expected to run out this month.
Martinis are $8.50 at Basho Restaurant & Lounge (283 Duckworth St.; 709-576-4600), available by request while supplies last.
