All in all, very pleasant.Not sure what it has to do with Rabbits!
Recipe
Add 1.5 measures Bourbon to a shaker with 1 measure Pineapple Juice and 2-3 dashes Grenadine. Shake on ice and strain into a Tumbler. Top up with Tonic Water (or Soda Water).
Thursday 31 October 2013
Cocktail No 26 Rabbit's Revenge
Surprisingly quiet on the trick or treat front, so time to indulge in another. The pineapple is the dominant note, but the Bourbon also cuts through. It is quite sweet, but nothing like a Pina Colada. It feels viscous, although it isn't. The soda water really lifts it (oops just realised it should have been Tonic Water - perhaps I will have to remix).
All in all, very pleasant.Not sure what it has to do with Rabbits!
Recipe
Add 1.5 measures Bourbon to a shaker with 1 measure Pineapple Juice and 2-3 dashes Grenadine. Shake on ice and strain into a Tumbler. Top up with Tonic Water (or Soda Water).
All in all, very pleasant.Not sure what it has to do with Rabbits!
Recipe
Add 1.5 measures Bourbon to a shaker with 1 measure Pineapple Juice and 2-3 dashes Grenadine. Shake on ice and strain into a Tumbler. Top up with Tonic Water (or Soda Water).
Cocktail No 25 Maiden
Made with freshly squeezed orange and lemon juice, this is a very fine and clean drink, The acidity of the 2 citrus fruits balances the sharpness of the gin perfectly. Initially it orangey gin and then the lemon juice hits the roof of the mouth in a bitter-sweet sensation due to the Cointreau.
Yet another of those cocktails that has multiple taste sensations as it goes down the hatch.
Make sure it is really cold for that first mouthful. Quite delicious.
Recipe
Add one measure of Orange Juice to a shaker with 3/4 measure of Gin, 3/4 measure of Cointreau and 1/2 measure of Lemon Juice. Shake on ie and strain into a large Cocktail glass.
Yet another of those cocktails that has multiple taste sensations as it goes down the hatch.
Make sure it is really cold for that first mouthful. Quite delicious.
Recipe
Add one measure of Orange Juice to a shaker with 3/4 measure of Gin, 3/4 measure of Cointreau and 1/2 measure of Lemon Juice. Shake on ie and strain into a large Cocktail glass.
Wednesday 30 October 2013
Cocktail No 24 Island Highball
Simple to make. Pleasing on the eye. Some bubbles and a complex but balanced taste - what's not to like about this one. As with all Highball's the base alcohols are diluted with non-alcoholic mixer making them less concentrated than most of the posts to date.
Wikipedia entry on Highball Cocktails
I can't precisely taste the Gin, but there is a sharpness to the Rosso Vermouth, which I think comes from the combination of the Gin and the Carbon Dioxide in the Soda water. I can't taste the Brandy at all - as I said bell blended together.
A consistent, light drink that is probably better on a warm summers night instead of a cold rainy evening in Lancashire.
Recipe
Put2-3 ice cubes into a tumbler with equal measures of Brandy, Gin, Rosso Vermouth and a splash of Orange Bitters. Stir and top up with Soda Water to taste.
Wikipedia entry on Highball Cocktails
I can't precisely taste the Gin, but there is a sharpness to the Rosso Vermouth, which I think comes from the combination of the Gin and the Carbon Dioxide in the Soda water. I can't taste the Brandy at all - as I said bell blended together.
A consistent, light drink that is probably better on a warm summers night instead of a cold rainy evening in Lancashire.
Recipe
Put2-3 ice cubes into a tumbler with equal measures of Brandy, Gin, Rosso Vermouth and a splash of Orange Bitters. Stir and top up with Soda Water to taste.
Tuesday 29 October 2013
Cocktail No 23 Chocolate Soldier
Considering this only contains 2 teaspoons of Crème de Cacao, the chocolate taste is surprisingly noticeable.
Its very refreshing, partly because the blending ensures its more chilled than a shaker or mixing glass delivers, but there is more to it. The immediate taste is chocolate, followed by the crispness of the Dry Vermouth, then Brandy flavoured Chocolate replaces this to fill the mouth. You have that feeling of a film around your teeth and the Chocolate continues to repeat.
That is a very pleasant surprise and so completely different to what I imagined it was going to taste like. I think I shall try this again.
Recipe
Add 2 Ice cubes, 1 measure of brandy and 3/4 measure of Dry Vermouth to an electric blender. Add 2 teaspoons of Crème de Cacao and a dash of Orange Bitters. Blend and pour into a shallow goblet (which I don't have so its in a tumbler instead.
Its very refreshing, partly because the blending ensures its more chilled than a shaker or mixing glass delivers, but there is more to it. The immediate taste is chocolate, followed by the crispness of the Dry Vermouth, then Brandy flavoured Chocolate replaces this to fill the mouth. You have that feeling of a film around your teeth and the Chocolate continues to repeat.
That is a very pleasant surprise and so completely different to what I imagined it was going to taste like. I think I shall try this again.
Recipe
Add 2 Ice cubes, 1 measure of brandy and 3/4 measure of Dry Vermouth to an electric blender. Add 2 teaspoons of Crème de Cacao and a dash of Orange Bitters. Blend and pour into a shallow goblet (which I don't have so its in a tumbler instead.
Cocktail No 22 International
If you like the strong herbal taste of Chartreuse, this may appeal, if not I would steer clear. Its another one with complex flavours that develop. The initial taste at the front of the tongue is almost neutral and non-existant. Its almost a non-taste - even water has a taste.
Its as it rolls over the tongue that the flavours develop, first in the mid-part and then as it goes down the throat. The sweetness of the pineapple hits first and is them immediately swamped by the herbal Chartreuse and then a warmth from the combination of Brandy and Chartreuse. This is going to sound odd, but you can almost taste the warmth as a flavour. There is definitely a sensation of herbal taste, followed by physical warmth followed by a mellowing of the herbs.
I am starting to sound like one of the TV wine critics, but this one is quite hard to describe as it doesn't conform to normal taste patterns.
Interesting experience, but not one I am likely to repeat.
Recipe
Add 1 measure brandy to shaker with 1 measure of Green Chartreuse and 3/4 a measure of Pineapple Juice. Shake on ice and strain into a cocktail glass. Decorate with lemon wedge (I'd skip this - it adds nothing to flavour and gets in the way when you get to the bottom of the glass).
Its as it rolls over the tongue that the flavours develop, first in the mid-part and then as it goes down the throat. The sweetness of the pineapple hits first and is them immediately swamped by the herbal Chartreuse and then a warmth from the combination of Brandy and Chartreuse. This is going to sound odd, but you can almost taste the warmth as a flavour. There is definitely a sensation of herbal taste, followed by physical warmth followed by a mellowing of the herbs.
I am starting to sound like one of the TV wine critics, but this one is quite hard to describe as it doesn't conform to normal taste patterns.
Interesting experience, but not one I am likely to repeat.
Recipe
Add 1 measure brandy to shaker with 1 measure of Green Chartreuse and 3/4 a measure of Pineapple Juice. Shake on ice and strain into a cocktail glass. Decorate with lemon wedge (I'd skip this - it adds nothing to flavour and gets in the way when you get to the bottom of the glass).
Monday 28 October 2013
Cocktail No 21 Mississippi
The Old-Fasioned went down very quickly and the Mississippi was on the same page and looked very good, so that's the only excuse I will offer for indulging!
I didn't have Rye whisky in so I made this with Scotch. Can' say its made much of a difference. This is from the same family as Daiquiri's - in fact you could describe it as a Daiquiri using 50:50 whisky and rum. It has much less sugar so the tartness of the lemon juice really cuts through. Its cold and raining here, but you can imagine how refreshing this would be on a balmy summer night in the Southern states.
The whisky and rum blend well together. If you know there are there, you can identify their individual tastes, but I think it would take a very refined palate to identify them in a blind tasting.
Recipe
Add 1 measure each of Rye Whisky, White Rum and lemon juice to a shaker with 2 dashes of sugar syrup. Shake on ice and strain into a tumbler. Decorate with a spiral of lemon peel.
I didn't have Rye whisky in so I made this with Scotch. Can' say its made much of a difference. This is from the same family as Daiquiri's - in fact you could describe it as a Daiquiri using 50:50 whisky and rum. It has much less sugar so the tartness of the lemon juice really cuts through. Its cold and raining here, but you can imagine how refreshing this would be on a balmy summer night in the Southern states.
The whisky and rum blend well together. If you know there are there, you can identify their individual tastes, but I think it would take a very refined palate to identify them in a blind tasting.
Recipe
Add 1 measure each of Rye Whisky, White Rum and lemon juice to a shaker with 2 dashes of sugar syrup. Shake on ice and strain into a tumbler. Decorate with a spiral of lemon peel.
Cocktail No 20 Old-Fashioned
Another of the classics and well deserved it is.
A sweet blast of ice cold bourbon hits the taste buds, with the unmistakable aftertaste of the bitters resonating across the tongue until the next sip. There is a very slight hint of Southern Comfort in this one, although I have also made it without the sugar and its just as good.
I think I am becoming hooked on these cocktail cherries!
The mixing is simplicity itself:
Recipe:
Add 1 teaspoon caster sugar to a tumbler with 1 teaspoon of water and 2 dashes of Angostura Bitters (I started with 1 dash, but the bourbon overpowers it and it really needs the 2nd one). Stir well until the sugar has dissolved. Add 2 measures of Bourbon and 2-3 ice cubes. Stir until chilled. Garnish with cocktail cherry and orange slice.
A sweet blast of ice cold bourbon hits the taste buds, with the unmistakable aftertaste of the bitters resonating across the tongue until the next sip. There is a very slight hint of Southern Comfort in this one, although I have also made it without the sugar and its just as good.
I think I am becoming hooked on these cocktail cherries!
The mixing is simplicity itself:
Recipe:
Add 1 teaspoon caster sugar to a tumbler with 1 teaspoon of water and 2 dashes of Angostura Bitters (I started with 1 dash, but the bourbon overpowers it and it really needs the 2nd one). Stir well until the sugar has dissolved. Add 2 measures of Bourbon and 2-3 ice cubes. Stir until chilled. Garnish with cocktail cherry and orange slice.
Sunday 27 October 2013
Cocktail No 19 Blue Monday Nightcap
This is for those who love orange and bitter-sweetness. The base of the drink is Vodka to give a clean and neutral alcoholic strength to the drink.
Cointreau or Triple Sec gives a sweet orange taste and viscosity. This is complimented by Blue Curacao, that strange blue bottle that is in many cocktail cabinets yet rarely used. It is actually a very bitter orange liquor evolved from the Valencia orange that the Spanish transplanted to the East Indies. The plant could not thrive in the nutrient poor soil and arid climate of the island Curacau and instead produced shriveled bitter inedible fruits. The skins though still contain the orange essential oils which can be extracted and distilled into the spirit, which is then coloured with blue dye.
So you have an intense blue drink, which has no odor. Upon sipping the first sensation is that it is immediately cold on the tongue. No obvious flavour to start with but a syrup like texture in the mouth, which rapidly thins out as you swallow. As the tongue clears a rich bitter sweet orange taste develops over a few seconds accompanied by a mild burn at the back of the throat - not severe and very pleasant in fact.
A really interesting drink that works on multiple senses - visual, cold, viscous, thin, citrus, then lingering heat. I am not sure why it has taken me so many years to try this one. Very, very pleasing.
Recipe
Add 1 measure of Vodka to as shaker with 1/2 measure of Cointreau (or Triple Sec) and 1/2 measure of Blue Curacao. Shake on ice and strain into a tall glass.
Enjoy.
Cointreau or Triple Sec gives a sweet orange taste and viscosity. This is complimented by Blue Curacao, that strange blue bottle that is in many cocktail cabinets yet rarely used. It is actually a very bitter orange liquor evolved from the Valencia orange that the Spanish transplanted to the East Indies. The plant could not thrive in the nutrient poor soil and arid climate of the island Curacau and instead produced shriveled bitter inedible fruits. The skins though still contain the orange essential oils which can be extracted and distilled into the spirit, which is then coloured with blue dye.
So you have an intense blue drink, which has no odor. Upon sipping the first sensation is that it is immediately cold on the tongue. No obvious flavour to start with but a syrup like texture in the mouth, which rapidly thins out as you swallow. As the tongue clears a rich bitter sweet orange taste develops over a few seconds accompanied by a mild burn at the back of the throat - not severe and very pleasant in fact.
A really interesting drink that works on multiple senses - visual, cold, viscous, thin, citrus, then lingering heat. I am not sure why it has taken me so many years to try this one. Very, very pleasing.
Recipe
Add 1 measure of Vodka to as shaker with 1/2 measure of Cointreau (or Triple Sec) and 1/2 measure of Blue Curacao. Shake on ice and strain into a tall glass.
Enjoy.
Saturday 26 October 2013
Cocktail No 18 Vodka Gibson
Essentially the same ingredients as the previous Vodkatini, but such a different taste. Many are put off by the high alcoholic strenght of the Vodkatini with good reason - is essentially 2 shots of Vodka diluted with a capfull of Vermouth, a drop of oil from the lemon peel and whatever water comes from ice melting in the shaking step.
Its a bit of a surprise as well as I usually make my Martinis to this ratio so turns out I have been making Gibsons instead.
The Gibson (originally gin based) dates back to 1908. It uses a higher proportion of Dry Vermouth to the Vodka making for a more mellow taste. It does not have the purity of taste of the Vodkatini. The absense of citrus is very obvious - its worth trying the 2 in parallel just to see what an impact a twist of lemon peel can make.
The Vermouth is much more apparent, but it comes through as more an extra sweetness then herbals, which is a surprise as there is 10-20x the amount compared to the 'tini.
And don't miss out the onions; whoever thought to add mini picked onions to vodka was inspired. I am struggling to describe it, but the combination of sweet onion with the residue of acid vinegar with the alcohol is - well wonderful - try it and let me know what you think. I can see canapés of pickled pearl onions frozen in tiny volumes of Vodka Gibsons.
Recipe
Add three measures of Vodka with 1 measure of dry vermouth to a mixing glass or shaker. Mix with ice until very chilled. Strain into a cocktail glass and decorate with three pearl onions. Serve with a cocktail stick.
Eat the Onions whilst you are drinking the Gibson.
Its a bit of a surprise as well as I usually make my Martinis to this ratio so turns out I have been making Gibsons instead.
The Gibson (originally gin based) dates back to 1908. It uses a higher proportion of Dry Vermouth to the Vodka making for a more mellow taste. It does not have the purity of taste of the Vodkatini. The absense of citrus is very obvious - its worth trying the 2 in parallel just to see what an impact a twist of lemon peel can make.
The Vermouth is much more apparent, but it comes through as more an extra sweetness then herbals, which is a surprise as there is 10-20x the amount compared to the 'tini.
And don't miss out the onions; whoever thought to add mini picked onions to vodka was inspired. I am struggling to describe it, but the combination of sweet onion with the residue of acid vinegar with the alcohol is - well wonderful - try it and let me know what you think. I can see canapés of pickled pearl onions frozen in tiny volumes of Vodka Gibsons.
Recipe
Add three measures of Vodka with 1 measure of dry vermouth to a mixing glass or shaker. Mix with ice until very chilled. Strain into a cocktail glass and decorate with three pearl onions. Serve with a cocktail stick.
Eat the Onions whilst you are drinking the Gibson.
Cocktail No 17 Vodkatini
Or in deference to my namesake; Vodka Martini shaken not stirred.
Purity in a glass. Ensure it is ice cold and the purity of the vodka cuts through with a spark and refreshment that is sublime. This is not one to be sipped delicately - don't let it sit long enough to warm up.
The small amount of vermouth may seem irrelevant but it does add a delicate herbal top note that clearly stands out alongside the vodka. Go for the best and driest Vermouth you can find - Noilly Prat is always a safe choice.
Remember to twist the lemon peel. It really does add those citrus oils to the drink complementing the other flavours.
These original and enduring cocktails are called classics for a good reason.
Recipe
Add 2 measures vodka to the shaker with 2 teaspoons (or capfull) of Dry Vermouth. Shake on ice and strain into a cocktail glass. Twist a piece of lemon peel and drop into the drink. Garnish with olive on cocktail stick
Purity in a glass. Ensure it is ice cold and the purity of the vodka cuts through with a spark and refreshment that is sublime. This is not one to be sipped delicately - don't let it sit long enough to warm up.
The small amount of vermouth may seem irrelevant but it does add a delicate herbal top note that clearly stands out alongside the vodka. Go for the best and driest Vermouth you can find - Noilly Prat is always a safe choice.
Remember to twist the lemon peel. It really does add those citrus oils to the drink complementing the other flavours.
These original and enduring cocktails are called classics for a good reason.
Recipe
Add 2 measures vodka to the shaker with 2 teaspoons (or capfull) of Dry Vermouth. Shake on ice and strain into a cocktail glass. Twist a piece of lemon peel and drop into the drink. Garnish with olive on cocktail stick
Friday 25 October 2013
Cocktail No 16 Daiquiri (classic)
Forget the frozen slushpuppy versions that seem all you can get in the bars today, the original version is far superior and a well deserved classic of the cocktail world. It counts high as one of my favourites (I'm a traditionalist at heart)! I had to make up fresh sugar syrup for this one (225 g of sugar dissolved and boiled in 300 mls of water - store in fridge).
If you have never had one you must try it. The mouth feel is incredible - tartness from the lemon or lime juice, sweetness from the rum and sugar syrup and earthiness from the rum. The flavours come one after the other and there is a chilling effect on the roof of the mouth. Its quite hard to describe the experience except to say its is really good and intense and I recommend you try it. You can see from the pics that I used freshly squeezed lemon juice which clouds the drink. I don't mind that but if you want it perfectly clear use the bottled lemon juice.
With thanks from Wikipedia for the history: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Daiquiri
Recipe
Add 2 measures of Barcardi or white rum to a cocktail shaker with 1 measure of lemon or lime juice and 1/2 measure of sugar syrup. Shake on ice and strain into a cocktail glass, Drink and enjoy - no further garnishes are needed for this raw, elemental drink.
If you have never had one you must try it. The mouth feel is incredible - tartness from the lemon or lime juice, sweetness from the rum and sugar syrup and earthiness from the rum. The flavours come one after the other and there is a chilling effect on the roof of the mouth. Its quite hard to describe the experience except to say its is really good and intense and I recommend you try it. You can see from the pics that I used freshly squeezed lemon juice which clouds the drink. I don't mind that but if you want it perfectly clear use the bottled lemon juice.
With thanks from Wikipedia for the history: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Daiquiri
Recipe
Add 2 measures of Barcardi or white rum to a cocktail shaker with 1 measure of lemon or lime juice and 1/2 measure of sugar syrup. Shake on ice and strain into a cocktail glass, Drink and enjoy - no further garnishes are needed for this raw, elemental drink.
Cocktail No 15 Fireman's Sour
A sweet and sour delight for rum lovers. Other recipes call for more lemon, but I think this one is better balanced and not too sharp but with a definite sting. Its getting the weekend of to a wonderful start.
The rum is the predominant flavour, very caramelly and rich, but cut by the lemonjuice. The grenadine mainly adds colour, but the combination with the soda water really distinguishes it from a daquiri, which has similar proportions.
Recipe
Add 3 measures of Bacardi rum to a cocktail shaker with 1/2 measure of lemon juice and one teaspoon of grenadine. Shake with ice and strain into a tumbler. Decorate with 3 cocktail cherries and 6 small triangles of lemon.
Top Up with a little soda water.
The rum is the predominant flavour, very caramelly and rich, but cut by the lemonjuice. The grenadine mainly adds colour, but the combination with the soda water really distinguishes it from a daquiri, which has similar proportions.
Recipe
Add 3 measures of Bacardi rum to a cocktail shaker with 1/2 measure of lemon juice and one teaspoon of grenadine. Shake with ice and strain into a tumbler. Decorate with 3 cocktail cherries and 6 small triangles of lemon.
Top Up with a little soda water.
Wednesday 23 October 2013
Cocktail No 14 Barcardi Blossom
New batch of rum made so started with the first rum based cocktail. Surprisingly tart and dry considering the main component is rum and since this is made from fermented sugar cane, it is intrinsically sweet. The lemon juice is surprisingly effective, considering such a small amount is used. The orange juice just gives colouring.
Recipe
Add 2 measures of white rum (Barcardi) to a cocktail shaker with 2 tespoons of orange juice and 2 teaspoons of lemon juice with one teaspoon of sugar syrup (or one teaspoon castor sugar). Add ice, shake and strain into a cocktail glass.
Recipe
Add 2 measures of white rum (Barcardi) to a cocktail shaker with 2 tespoons of orange juice and 2 teaspoons of lemon juice with one teaspoon of sugar syrup (or one teaspoon castor sugar). Add ice, shake and strain into a cocktail glass.
Sunday 20 October 2013
Cocktail No 13 Manhattan Dry
I couldn't just pass away the Sheep's Head as a Manhattan copy without giving into the temptation to do a direct comparison. Tonight is obviously Bourbon night!
Its amazing how different two drinks which on the surface contain similar ingredients in similar ratios. The real differences here are the Vermouths. The Rosso in the Sheep's Head give a deep and rich flavour, almost molases in its intensity. The Dry Vermouth is clean, pure and a faint resemblance of a fino sherry note.
I could drink a Manhattan Dry all night, but could only manage one or two of the Sheep's Head. Yes the Manhattan remains one of my favourite cocktails, almost, but not quite equaling the Dry Martini.
I am very surprised at the difference between the two.
Recipe
Add ice to mixing glass with 1 & 1/2 measures Bourbon Whisky, 1/2 measure Dry Vermouth and a splash of Angostura Bitters. Stir well and strain into a goblet.
Its amazing how different two drinks which on the surface contain similar ingredients in similar ratios. The real differences here are the Vermouths. The Rosso in the Sheep's Head give a deep and rich flavour, almost molases in its intensity. The Dry Vermouth is clean, pure and a faint resemblance of a fino sherry note.
I could drink a Manhattan Dry all night, but could only manage one or two of the Sheep's Head. Yes the Manhattan remains one of my favourite cocktails, almost, but not quite equaling the Dry Martini.
I am very surprised at the difference between the two.
Recipe
Add ice to mixing glass with 1 & 1/2 measures Bourbon Whisky, 1/2 measure Dry Vermouth and a splash of Angostura Bitters. Stir well and strain into a goblet.
Cocktail No 12 Sheep's Head
Don't be put of by the macabre name, this is just a variation on the Manhattan family. Bourbon based, but adding sweetness and herbal aromatics through Rosso Vermouth and a teaspoon of Bénédictine. Finished of with a twist of lemon to infuse with those wonderful citrus oils.
Tastewise, apart from the similarity to the Manhattan's its a little difficult to characterise. Its actually very well balanced, so nothing strongly stands out as a dominant note, but that is actually a good thing. The Rosso is definitely present. If you know the ingredients you can identify each one, although the Bourbon is surprisingly masked, but I am not sure I could have identified them from a blind tasting.
Recipe
Add 1 & 1/2 measures of Bourbon Whisky to a mixing glass with 1/2 measure Rosso Vermouth (careful not to over do this) and 1 teaspoon of Bénédictine with ice. Stir and strain into a small tumbler, or in my case one of the 2 remaining wine goblets from my parents' wedding gifts.
Twist a piece of lemon peel to release the citrus oils and drop on top. Decorate with a Cocktail Cherry.
Enjoy.
Tastewise, apart from the similarity to the Manhattan's its a little difficult to characterise. Its actually very well balanced, so nothing strongly stands out as a dominant note, but that is actually a good thing. The Rosso is definitely present. If you know the ingredients you can identify each one, although the Bourbon is surprisingly masked, but I am not sure I could have identified them from a blind tasting.
Recipe
Add 1 & 1/2 measures of Bourbon Whisky to a mixing glass with 1/2 measure Rosso Vermouth (careful not to over do this) and 1 teaspoon of Bénédictine with ice. Stir and strain into a small tumbler, or in my case one of the 2 remaining wine goblets from my parents' wedding gifts.
Twist a piece of lemon peel to release the citrus oils and drop on top. Decorate with a Cocktail Cherry.
Enjoy.
Saturday 19 October 2013
Cocktail No 11 French Cocktail
OK, for a starter you have to really like Pernod for this one. It helps if you like Gin as well. Luckily for me they are my 2 favourites. If you don't like aniseed - skip this one.
Initial taste reminds me of Pernod & Black - come on we all did that as teenagers and it either wedded you to Pernod for life or made you vow never to touch the stuff again. The "black" aspect comes from the grenadine which is a surprise as such a small amount is used - powerful flavours from those pomegranates! Its also what gives the drink the lovely rose pink colour.
The Pernod gives the drink a transluscent colour and I would bet it will fluoresce if you put it under a black light. Add a teaspoon of water to make the Pernod go colloidal and give that milky effect which you get with Pernod and water.
The Gin is almost completely masked, but its sitting there in the background adding evilness to the lethality of this drink
I will definitely be adding this to my repeat list: Come on and try it and relive your early days of drinking!
Recipe
1 Measure Gin, 0.75 measure of Pernod, 1 teaspoon of Grenadine.
Shake on Ice and strain into cocktail class - what could be simpler?
Initial taste reminds me of Pernod & Black - come on we all did that as teenagers and it either wedded you to Pernod for life or made you vow never to touch the stuff again. The "black" aspect comes from the grenadine which is a surprise as such a small amount is used - powerful flavours from those pomegranates! Its also what gives the drink the lovely rose pink colour.
The Pernod gives the drink a transluscent colour and I would bet it will fluoresce if you put it under a black light. Add a teaspoon of water to make the Pernod go colloidal and give that milky effect which you get with Pernod and water.
The Gin is almost completely masked, but its sitting there in the background adding evilness to the lethality of this drink
I will definitely be adding this to my repeat list: Come on and try it and relive your early days of drinking!
Recipe
1 Measure Gin, 0.75 measure of Pernod, 1 teaspoon of Grenadine.
Shake on Ice and strain into cocktail class - what could be simpler?
Friday 18 October 2013
Cocktail No 10 Copacabana
This one is for a sweet tooth - far more than I am happy with. Its probably sexist, but I would say this was a girlie cocktail.
The predominant note is the Apricot Brandy, hence the sweetness. The Cointreau adds even more. Lemon cuts it and lessens it a bit and thins out the viscosity, but overall its a bit cloying for my palate.
Recipe
Add 1 measure of apricot brandy with ice to a cocktail shaker. Add 1/2 measure of brandy, 1/2 measure of Cointreau and 1/2 measure of lemon juice.. Shake and strain into a cocktail glass.
Decorate with orange slice.
The predominant note is the Apricot Brandy, hence the sweetness. The Cointreau adds even more. Lemon cuts it and lessens it a bit and thins out the viscosity, but overall its a bit cloying for my palate.
Recipe
Add 1 measure of apricot brandy with ice to a cocktail shaker. Add 1/2 measure of brandy, 1/2 measure of Cointreau and 1/2 measure of lemon juice.. Shake and strain into a cocktail glass.
Decorate with orange slice.
Cocktail No 9 Chartreuse Temptation
Well this is a first, as I rarely have Chartreuse in the cocktail cabinet, but since the champagne was already uncorked and I had stock, it was an opportunity not to be missed.
This one is hard to describe if you don'tknow what Chartreuse tastes like. Its a unique taste of herbal wonderfulness - you either love it or hate it.
The Chartreuse is by far the dominant flavour. The lemon spike is important and subtle. The champagne does not seem to dilute the flavours but brings extra interest from the bubbles.
Freshness is the best way to describe this one. Freshness with a sock to the back of the head!
Recipe
Pour 1 measure of Green Chartreuse into a champagne glass. Add an ice cube and 1 teaspoon of lemon juice. Top up with sparkling wine / champagne / cava.
This one is hard to describe if you don'tknow what Chartreuse tastes like. Its a unique taste of herbal wonderfulness - you either love it or hate it.
The Chartreuse is by far the dominant flavour. The lemon spike is important and subtle. The champagne does not seem to dilute the flavours but brings extra interest from the bubbles.
Freshness is the best way to describe this one. Freshness with a sock to the back of the head!
Recipe
Pour 1 measure of Green Chartreuse into a champagne glass. Add an ice cube and 1 teaspoon of lemon juice. Top up with sparkling wine / champagne / cava.
Cocktail No 8 Chicago Cocktail
Do you like Champagne (or Cava)? Well if so, you will love this. The sparklie stuff is partly due to the bubbles, but its the fortification with brandy that pushes the boundaries.
Well this cocktail doesn't think it pushes it far enough so spikes the base with even more brandy to give a richness and depth that is - well simply lushious. The angustura gives a herbal lift that is sublime in my view - not everyone likes it so start by being delicate. but for me, the more the merrier.
I'll be having this one again!
Recipe
Put 2 ice cubes in mixing glass with large measure of brandy. Add a teaspoon of Cointreau / Triple Sec and a dash of angostora bitters. Stir well and strain into champagne glass. Top up with sparkling wine, preferably champagne / cava.
Well this cocktail doesn't think it pushes it far enough so spikes the base with even more brandy to give a richness and depth that is - well simply lushious. The angustura gives a herbal lift that is sublime in my view - not everyone likes it so start by being delicate. but for me, the more the merrier.
I'll be having this one again!
Recipe
Put 2 ice cubes in mixing glass with large measure of brandy. Add a teaspoon of Cointreau / Triple Sec and a dash of angostora bitters. Stir well and strain into champagne glass. Top up with sparkling wine, preferably champagne / cava.
Thursday 17 October 2013
Cocktail No 7 Balalaika
Named after the Russian stringed instrument similar to a lute, it should come as no surprise that this is a vodka based cocktail. It one of my all time favourites and a gentler variation on the Margarita, substituting vodka for the tequila. It is therefore much fresher and lighter, but just as lethal, so be warned.
I used Raspberry vodka this time and to be honest, it doesn't work - too strong a flavour. Its needs a pure, clean neutral vodka to let the lemon juice and the orange flavours in the Cointreau / Triple Sec come through.
Remember to twist the orange peel (or cheat and add add a few drops of Fee Brothers Orange Bitters) to release the citrus oils and really lift the taste.
I made this one with my Art Deco cocktail shaker, which has a lemon squeezer built into the top - its a beautiful piece of design.
Recipe
2-3 ice cubes
I used Raspberry vodka this time and to be honest, it doesn't work - too strong a flavour. Its needs a pure, clean neutral vodka to let the lemon juice and the orange flavours in the Cointreau / Triple Sec come through.
Remember to twist the orange peel (or cheat and add add a few drops of Fee Brothers Orange Bitters) to release the citrus oils and really lift the taste.
I made this one with my Art Deco cocktail shaker, which has a lemon squeezer built into the top - its a beautiful piece of design.
Recipe
2-3 ice cubes
40 ml Vodka
15 ml Cointreau or Triple Sec
15 ml Lemon juice
Spiral of orange peel
A vodka, Cointreau or Triple Sec and lemon juice to a cocktail shaker with ice. Shake well and strain into a cocktail glass.
Decorate with a spiral of orange peel (twisted).
Enjoy.
Decorate with a spiral of orange peel (twisted).
Enjoy.
Wednesday 16 October 2013
Cocktail No 6 Havana Club
Getting back to the classics, which to be honest is the majority of cocktails that I drink.
Havana Club - how to describe it - the molasses from the rum gives a great warm under belly to this drink. I used spiced rum, which gives an extra kick whilst the original calls for white rum.
The rosso vermouth has a strong flavour so be gentle on the measure. It provides a complexity of flavour from all the herbs and aromatics - too much will create bitterness and cloying sweetness. The ratio of 2:1 is about right IMHO.
Shame I have run out of rum - a second one would be most welcome. This one is a keeper in my books.
Recipe
Add 2 measures of White Rum and 1 measure of Rosso Vermouth to a cocktail shaker with ice. Shake and strain into a cocktail glass. Decorate with a cocktail cherry on a stick.
Havana Club - how to describe it - the molasses from the rum gives a great warm under belly to this drink. I used spiced rum, which gives an extra kick whilst the original calls for white rum.
The rosso vermouth has a strong flavour so be gentle on the measure. It provides a complexity of flavour from all the herbs and aromatics - too much will create bitterness and cloying sweetness. The ratio of 2:1 is about right IMHO.
Shame I have run out of rum - a second one would be most welcome. This one is a keeper in my books.
Recipe
Add 2 measures of White Rum and 1 measure of Rosso Vermouth to a cocktail shaker with ice. Shake and strain into a cocktail glass. Decorate with a cocktail cherry on a stick.
Monday 14 October 2013
Cocktail No 5 Take Two
Be very careful with the Campari on this one - its surprising just how strong and bitter it can be. I usually refer to measures, but in this case will give a defined measure to balance the amount of Campari - I think I overdid it in mine - still pleasant, but if I could pull back on the astringency and let more of the Cointreau come through it would be better balanced.
Actually, its growing on me the more I taste it.
Recipe
25 ml Gin, 15 ml Cointreau, 2 teaspoons Campari.
Shake on Ice and pour into Martini glass.
Actually, its growing on me the more I taste it.
Recipe
25 ml Gin, 15 ml Cointreau, 2 teaspoons Campari.
Shake on Ice and pour into Martini glass.
Sunday 13 October 2013
Cocktail No 4 The Gimlet
A special request from my friend "Cully" to remind him of his childhood.
Refreshing is the best word for this one. A mix of Gin and lime juice lifted with soda. With special thanks to J&T Events for the express delivery of hog roast to the most spoiled dogs in the Valley - Lilith and Sasha Love you Tracey & Jeff!
Refreshing is the best word for this one. A mix of Gin and lime juice lifted with soda. With special thanks to J&T Events for the express delivery of hog roast to the most spoiled dogs in the Valley - Lilith and Sasha Love you Tracey & Jeff!
Saturday 12 October 2013
Cocktail No 3 Bel Ami
The recipe in my cocktail book is different to the ones I found on line, which is vodka and eggnog, but many of the components that go into eggnog (brandy, cream, egg yolks) are also in here in different presentations.
Perhaps I am getting a little obsessive, but the recipe calls for ice cream and I didn't have any in, so I made it fresh - is it sad to make ice cream just so you can try a cocktail? I don't care as I think I have died and gone to heaven on this one!
This one doesn't include ice - instead it uses the ice cream to cool down the mix and also provide a delicious mouth feel - think expensive milk shakes but adult version! The apricot brandy, which can often be cloying and too sweet balances the ice cream perfectly - tastes just like apricot jam.
The ice cream is what makes the difference - don't skimp - go for the best flavour vanilla that you can find.
Recipe
1 Measure brandy, 1 measure apricot brandy, 1 measure cream.
2 tablespoons best quality vanilla ice cream
Put all ingredients in an electric blender, mix and serve in a goblet with ice cream wafers if you prefer (I didn't)!
Perhaps I am getting a little obsessive, but the recipe calls for ice cream and I didn't have any in, so I made it fresh - is it sad to make ice cream just so you can try a cocktail? I don't care as I think I have died and gone to heaven on this one!
This one doesn't include ice - instead it uses the ice cream to cool down the mix and also provide a delicious mouth feel - think expensive milk shakes but adult version! The apricot brandy, which can often be cloying and too sweet balances the ice cream perfectly - tastes just like apricot jam.
The ice cream is what makes the difference - don't skimp - go for the best flavour vanilla that you can find.
Recipe
1 Measure brandy, 1 measure apricot brandy, 1 measure cream.
2 tablespoons best quality vanilla ice cream
Put all ingredients in an electric blender, mix and serve in a goblet with ice cream wafers if you prefer (I didn't)!
Friday 11 October 2013
Cocktail No 2 Red Shadow
Late home after driving most of the day called for an whisky based cocktail to start the night.
Red Shadow is a sweet & sour mix. First impressions is of overwhelming sweetness and powerful cherry - better palates than mine may be able to detect the blend of apricot and cherry, but I can't. Then the lemon juice kicks in to lift it and give it bite. The whisky was masked as a separate flavour but definitely there in the body of the drink.
Overall, a little sweet for me, but then I am more a sour than sweet tooth. I think it will appeal very much to those who prefer sweetness with a bit of bite. Ensuring it is very chilled will also help.
Put 3-4 ice cubes in cocktail shaker.
Add 1 measure Whisky, 1/2 measure Apricot Brandy and 1/2 measure Cherry Brandy with 1 teaspoon lemon juice (personally I would increase this).
Shake and strain into a cocktail glass. Drink whilst still chilled.
Enjoy.
Red Shadow is a sweet & sour mix. First impressions is of overwhelming sweetness and powerful cherry - better palates than mine may be able to detect the blend of apricot and cherry, but I can't. Then the lemon juice kicks in to lift it and give it bite. The whisky was masked as a separate flavour but definitely there in the body of the drink.
Overall, a little sweet for me, but then I am more a sour than sweet tooth. I think it will appeal very much to those who prefer sweetness with a bit of bite. Ensuring it is very chilled will also help.
Put 3-4 ice cubes in cocktail shaker.
Add 1 measure Whisky, 1/2 measure Apricot Brandy and 1/2 measure Cherry Brandy with 1 teaspoon lemon juice (personally I would increase this).
Shake and strain into a cocktail glass. Drink whilst still chilled.
Enjoy.
Saturday 5 October 2013
The first cocktail - ABC
Well the very first recipe in the cocktail book seemed a great place to start. Brandy is a great base for cocktails and this one blends the smoothness and richness of brandy with sweetness and herbal uplift from Benedictine and Angustura bitters. Topping up with a brut champagne gives a sparkle and lift and prevents it being cloying - extremely refreshing in fact.
Recipe
Crack two icecubes and add with equal measures of Brandy and Bénédictine to a shaker with a dash of Angostura bitters.
Shake and strain into to a goblet. If you have an ice crusher you can turn this into a frappé by crushing 3 ice cubes and adding - I skipped this as it wasn't going to last long enough to warm up and no point diluting the spirit with melting ice.
Top up with Champagne.
Decorate with lemon slice, 2 orange segments and 2-3 cocktail cherries.
Made below with an art deco cocktail shaker and served in a Tiffany tumbler - an excellent start
Recipe
Crack two icecubes and add with equal measures of Brandy and Bénédictine to a shaker with a dash of Angostura bitters.
Shake and strain into to a goblet. If you have an ice crusher you can turn this into a frappé by crushing 3 ice cubes and adding - I skipped this as it wasn't going to last long enough to warm up and no point diluting the spirit with melting ice.
Top up with Champagne.
Decorate with lemon slice, 2 orange segments and 2-3 cocktail cherries.
Made below with an art deco cocktail shaker and served in a Tiffany tumbler - an excellent start
The start
Well, this is just an initial experiment and my first time blogging. Having been an amateur mixologist for 30 years now, my friends suggested I share my accumulated experience with the world and try to post a new cocktail each weekend for others to recreate and enjoy.
So lets have a go and see if this is of interest to anyone out there.
I will play around with the blog and the site to get a feel for it before actually posting a recipe.
NB, for those who like all the frills and decorations, this one isn't for you. I'm from the old American school of cocktails - they should be short, cold and strong to put fire in the belly to kick-start the evening.
I should mention that nearly all the recipes will use alcohol created by myself. in the rare cases using beer and wines, it will be from the wonderful Wineworks range of home brew kits from their extensive Lovebrewing shop in Liverpool (http://www.lovebrewing.co.uk/).
For the spirits, its is the StillSpirits (http://stillspirits.com/|) range of flavouring used to transform supermarket vodka into a quality spirit that would cost you at least £35 for a 70 cl bottle.
So lets have a go and see if this is of interest to anyone out there.
I will play around with the blog and the site to get a feel for it before actually posting a recipe.
NB, for those who like all the frills and decorations, this one isn't for you. I'm from the old American school of cocktails - they should be short, cold and strong to put fire in the belly to kick-start the evening.
I should mention that nearly all the recipes will use alcohol created by myself. in the rare cases using beer and wines, it will be from the wonderful Wineworks range of home brew kits from their extensive Lovebrewing shop in Liverpool (http://www.lovebrewing.co.uk/).
For the spirits, its is the StillSpirits (http://stillspirits.com/|) range of flavouring used to transform supermarket vodka into a quality spirit that would cost you at least £35 for a 70 cl bottle.
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