Cocktail No 38 Hemingway

I bought a grapefruit just to make this one, and since it is freshly squeezed explains why I made this and the Lieutenant on the same evening.

I've been reading a bit of Hemingway recently and therefore wanted to make this one. First I read "The Sun Also Rises" as I was visiting Pamplona and it was quite a good read. Just finished "A Farewell to Arms" and can't really say it worked for me. Not sure why, but I found it hard work.

Quite unlike this cocktail on the other hand. This is entering into my pantheon of favourites and will be repeated I am sure. The mix of Rum and Cointreau with a sour is always a winner. At equal measures you would expect it to be very sweet and it is, but less than I expected. Far less so than the Apricot Brandy in the Lieutenant. A benefit of this is that the Grapefruit Juice comes through clearly and very pleasantly. The Sparkling Wine gives a great lift and tingles in the mouth, making it a great drink sensation as well as taste.

Recipe

2-3 Ice cubes
40 ml White Rum
40 ml Cointreau
40 ml Grapefruit juice
Sparking wine

Add White Rum, Cointreau and Grapefruit Juice to a shaker and shake very well on ice. Strain into a Champagne glass and top up with Sparkling Wine.

Cocktail No 37 Lieutenant

Back to the sweet and strong. Bourbon based, the Apricot Brandy comes strongly though with that characteristic "jam-like" taste, smoothing out the sour mash. The other sour is grapefruit juice which is much more delicate and subtle than lemon or even orange in other drinks.

Very pleasant on a cold winters night. I don't think it would work as well in a hot tropical night, as its a bit sweet for me.

Recipe

Add 1 measure Bourban Whisky to a cocktail shaker with 1/2 measure Apricot Brandy and 1/2 measure of Grapefruit Juice. Sweeten with 1 teaspoon of Sugar Syrup. Shake on ice and strain into a Cocktail glass. Decorate with a cherry on a stick.