Top 5 Hangover Cures

Liquid Assets

Whether it's a top international event such as the MTV Awards that needs bar hospitality or a birthday party for one, Liquid Assets will be on hand to provide what you need.

With their mantra of People, Pride, Passion, Preparation, Professionalism, Liquid Assets is leading the way in top class events management, bar consultancy and training.

Paul Torrens started the company four years ago in Glasgow. After experience working with VIP clients the US Olympic committee in Australia, he then trained with no less than the man who taught Tom Cruise all he knows about swinging bottles behind a bar.

Scotland is the Place thought Liquid Assets would be the perfect people to give us some hints on the Top 5 Hangover cures to chase the festive blues away on the morning after. However, remember that prevention is better than cure and drinking sensibly, or not at all, is probably the best way to avoid a hangover!

1. Hangover Express

150g of broccoli
2 apples
150g of spinach

• High in vitamins A and C. The apples help to cleanse and detoxify.
• Blend all with crushed ice and serve in a highball.

2. Live Wire

100g red grapes
100g beetroot
100g plums

• This is essentially a blood restorer and liver generator.
• Blend all with crushed ice and serve in a highball.

3. Breakfast Martini

1 Barspoon Honey Marmalade
50ml Blackwoods Gin
12.5ml Fresh Lemon Juice

• Stir marmalade and gin together in bottom of Boston Glass and add fresh lemon juice, shake and dbl strain with ice into a chilled cocktail glass.
• Garnish with a slice of melba toast

4. Hair of the Bison

25ml wheatgrass
25ml bison grass vodka

• Stir with ice in boston glass and single strain into shot glass.

5. Anxiety Relief

Thumb slice of ginger
1 whole lime cut into eighths
handful of mint
20ml of sugar syrop

• Muddle ginger and sugar and add lime.
• Muddle again, adding ripped mint and lightly press.
• Top with crushed ice and soda and finally churn with a spoon.

Scottish Hospitality

As well as finding out their top recommendations we also wanted to know more about this intriguing company that brings Scottish hospitality behind the bar all over the world and of course to all the major events happening in Scotland today. 

About the mix of people working at Liquid Assets Paul says:

"There is about a 60/40 mix of people from other countries working here right now, we have people from Argentina to South Africa and France."

Spreading Scottish Roots

As well as being a very international company, Liquid Assets keeps very much in touch with its Scottish roots:

"Bar staff are kitted out in black kilts designed by Edinburgh designer Howie Nicholsby of 21st Century Kilts who is famous for bringing the kilt into the 21st century with a modern twist. We also use premium Scottish produce from alcohol to seasonal fruits in our cocktails."

Discovering Modern Scotland

Herman Van Broekhuizen from South Africa and Freddie May from England, two of the mixologists from Liquid Assets, have also found that Scotland is a vibrant and evolving place with a new twist.

Herman first thought of Scotland as a mysterious place, shrouded in mists and tradition. After having lived here for four years he has discovered a whole new image:

"The people here are amazing! They are really willing to try something new from behind the bar and there are so many high quality Scottish products like Hendricks and Blackwoods gin to try. The single malt whiskies are my favourite. I've visited most of the distilleries in Scotland now.

"The coolest job we've had was working at the Live 8 gig at Edinburgh's Murrayfield stadium. We had to organise the bar hospitality at very short notice but we really pulled it off. The Sugababes were behind the bar and McFly were mixing cocktails. We met everyone from George Clooney and Claudia Schiffer to Will Young – they were all really nice."

"Scotland is a fantastic place to live there are always new places to discover – I love to go surfing in Lewis and Harris. It's cold but great fun!"

Top Opportunities

His fellow mixologist Freddie May moved up to Scotland from Oxford as an art student and recently took Liquid Assets to Hong Kong to train the bar staff and create the cocktail menus for the Landmark Oriental Hotel. Even in Asia he managed to bring a Scottish flavour to his work:

"Young people over there love to drink whisky and I made sure there was a great selection on the menu. It was really good fun and we were trying to teach some of the Chinese staff to say some Scottish phrases like 'alreet pal' and 'kin wha' a' mean'. It was a bit difficult with my English accent but they loved it anyway.

"One of the best things about working in Scotland is that you're not just another face in the crowd, there really is the opportunity to be a part of how the scene develops and to have a say in how staff are trained.

"Outside of work I love the fact you can get away from it all so quickly – 20 minutes drive up the motorway and you are in the most amazing countryside. The only drawback is that there is just so much fun to have that it's hard to take time out to really see everything you want to.

"There is a real emphasis and respect here on the importance of culture and tradition that I haven’t seen back home. I hope one day I’ll have enough time to see it all."

With thanks to Bar Sola and Fressh.

Related Links:

• Liquid Assets
  www.liquid-assets.co.uk
• About Glasgow
  www.scotlandistheplace.co.uk
• 21st Century Kilts
  www.21stcenturykilts.co.uk
• Hogmanay events in Scotland – Old Acquaintance
  www.friendsofscotland.gov.uk