Meet Adam Schuman, the man behind the ridiculously delicious cocktails and mixers at
Fatty Cue and the other Fatty Restaurants. If you’ve never been to one of the Fatty’s (Fatty Crab Downtown, Fatty Crab Upper West Side, Fatty Cue), then you don’t know what you’re missing. The food at all three is dynomite, like a party in your mouth, and the cocktails follow suit. In fact, formerly a cook at Fatty Crab, Adam approaches mixology like a chef, blending ingredients in fun and unique ways, and never afraid to bring lesser used flavors like spicy, salty, bitter and sour to the glass. With a culinary background, a fresh and playful approach to flavors and serious passion for cocktails, Adam Schuman is September’s Master Mixologist of the Month.
Tess Rose: How did you get started?
Adam Schuman: I started out cooking a Fatty Crab Downtown and then did some bartending. It was one of those things that got addicting quickly and I had a fast learning curve and figured out how to find a balance of sweet, sour, spicy and salty flavors and different aromas.
TR: Was that your first bartending gig and first time designing cocktails?
AS: Yes. The cocktail list was already done by Dave Wondrich, and there were some drinks on the list that were very, very good. Once Fatty Crab hit its stride it made sense to be more playful with the cocktails to compliment the fun food. I derived cocktails from what was happening in the kitchen and worked in more sweet and sour and spicy flavors, I started infusing stuff and it became more playful and approachable.
TR: Did you go to culinary school? Would you recommend it?
AS: Yes, I went to the CIA. They didn’t teach enough about the front of house but provided a foundation and access to a lot of great resources and relationships with chefs. Culinary school teaches you about food and from there you can go different ways, you can write about it, wait tables, do anything in the industry because you understand it and have that foundation.
TR: What is your favorite cocktail to make?
AS: Right now I am obsessed with stirred gin cocktails. I also really like bitter flavors right now, a lot of Amaros, Sherries, Vermouths. I also find that citrus muddles flavor, and by not using citrus you get other nuances and unadulterated flavors. Those are some of the things I am paying with.
TR: What is your favorite cocktail to drink?
AS: My favorite drinks right now are variations of swizzles and martinis, although wildly different.
TR: What’s your goal as a mixologist?
AS: I’m aiming to turn people on to new things that they may not be open to. I’m not obnoxious if someone comes in and orders a makers mark, but I will give them half a shot of something that is similar that they may not know. I want to gain peoples trust so they will let me introduce them to new things.
TR: What are some of your favorite bars?
AS: DRAM is my favorite, it’s a melting pot of some of the most talented bartenders in New York. There are people from everywhere working there. It’s kind of a free for all, which is why I like it. The cocktail list is the list, but all the individuals bring so much to the table and take their jobs super seriously. Individually they all give a crap and it rubs off on the rest of the space. I also really like Death & Co., The Woods, Mayahuel, and Dutch kills.
TR: Do you have a mentor?
AS: As far as a mentor, I have watched a lot of great bartenders at a lot of bars work. So through watching and tasting and asking questions I fee I have gotten a well rounded, second hand training without a specific mentor.
TR: What ingredient do you think is underaprreciated or underused behind the bar?
AS: Salt is underused and underaprreciated (runs salt through fingers). Anything savory, like Amaros, Sherries, or Tequilas love salt. I’m putting salt in your Tequila cocktail regardless of what you say. There’s a reason, sweetness and other flavors are brought out by salt. I use it modesty, and don’t over do it but in general it is very underused.
TR: What’s your favorite tool behind the bar?
AS: Heavily weighted bar spoon, for cracking ice and stirring, I get a lot of enjoyment out of it. So satisfying (picks up spoon smacks hand).
TR: What are you looking forward to in the near future?
AS: I’ll be leaving here to go to Cabrito to re-do their entire cocktail program. I’d be tailoring it to a more “Fatty” style in playful and exciting ways. I’m excited for premium Margaritas made with brand specific Tequilas. I’m also excited to introduce the large format food and drink menus at Fatty Cue, with whole animals/animal parts and bottle service specials. And of course, the seasonal fall menu.
TR: If you weren’t doing this, what would you be doing?
AS: Professional long-boarder. I would devote all my time to it, I’m getting super nice. Or else I’d be in Northern Italy, Friuli or Slovenia, working on the vineyards.
TR: Where do you see yourself in 5 or 10 years?
AS: Hopefully keeping on, doing this. This is me for life. Right now this restaurant has a lot of growth within this group. It’s very possible that I’ll be working for this group. I’d like to have my own bar at some point.
Cocktails to try:
Jake Leg: An example of Adam’s experimental approach this is a barrel aged cocktail—Krahn gin, Cocchi Americano, Oloroso Sherry, and chamomile grappa aged in an apple brandy barrel for a month, stirred and served with a cucumber floated on top. This savory, bitter, acidic, and nutty cocktail was smooth like polished marble, light and refreshing like an autumn breeze. While it lasts.
Indian Summer: Muddled cucumber, cardamom simple syrup, St. Germain, seltzer, American mint and grapefruit peel. This floral and delicately (not cloying) sweet spritzer is cheerful and tangy with a dynamic fizz and aromas of fruit, perfect for Summer sipping.
‘Cue: Overproffed rum, yuzu, lime, smoked pineapple syrup, Tabasco, Pernot, floated lime slice. Featuring a niche/acquired taste somewhat similar to cardboard box in a delicious way, the attack is intensely tart with spicy development and a sweet smoky pineapple finish that lasts forever. Complex and lively, this is an experience.
Stone Julep: Vietnamese mint, simple syrup, crushed ice, bourbon macerated with peaches, nectarines and apricots for two days. Bourbon and stone fruit is a natural marriage showcased perfectly in this cocktail. The heady aromas are seductive, the flavors soft and refreshing. One could drink a thousand of these on a Summer porch.
Non-Alcoholic: Unlike most bars, Fatty Cue is awesome enough to provide delicious cocktails to those who need a break form the booze. With simple combinations of seltzer, fruit juices, the occasional liqueur, spiced syrups, and vinegar (yes, vinegar, it’s delicious!), these drinks are just as good as any on (or not on) the list.
Drink it in Brooklyn: Check out Adam’s skills behind the bar at Fatty Cue Tuesday through Saturday.
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