My recipe calls for Lime Cordial, whilst the recipes on International Bar Tenders Association and other sites call for Fresh Lime Juice. I suspect they are right as with the cordial its a little sweet for my taste. I'll have to re-make it with Lime Juice to compare. The Cointreau website calls for lemon Juice, which I have in so I can try that.
Its not bad, even so. Nice and simple to make, no need for shakers (again others disagree). Its alcoholic bitter orange and lime and easily quoffable.
Recipe
Add 1 measure of Vodka, 1 measure of Cointreau and 1 measure of Lime Cordial to a tumbler with ice. Stir and serve.
Showing posts with label Vodka. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Vodka. Show all posts
Thursday, 28 November 2013
Sunday, 10 November 2013
Cocktail No 36 Red Tonic
Wow this was a complete surprise. A sweet-sour experience with that wonderful bitterness from the tonic. Genadine is incredibly sweet and it needs the lemon juice to balance it and cut through. With tonic alone it would be too cloying, certainly for my palate.
Its basically a Vodka and Tonic sweetened with Grenadine and cut with lemon juice.
Recipe
Put 1 measure of Vodka with one measure of Grenadine and 2 teaspoons of lemon juice into a tumbler. Stir well and top-up with tonic water. Add ice to taste and garnish with a lemon slice.
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Its basically a Vodka and Tonic sweetened with Grenadine and cut with lemon juice.
Recipe
Put 1 measure of Vodka with one measure of Grenadine and 2 teaspoons of lemon juice into a tumbler. Stir well and top-up with tonic water. Add ice to taste and garnish with a lemon slice.
Friday, 8 November 2013
Cocktail No 34 Mogulmeister - by special request.
An old school chum gave me this challenge:
"My challenge to you Gene, is to come with a cocktail called "fruit-of-the-loom". Marks will be awarded for conceptual structure and originality while still filling the brief."
However, knowing this particular individual, I felt Fruit of the Loon was more appropriate.
Sadly, I cannot comply as I have been beaten to this name for a cocktail:
http://www.cocktailszone.com/cocktails/fruit-of-the-loom_3564.html
So I dedicate my concoction to the spirit of the challenge and name it in honour of my challenger:
This will be difficult for most of you to recreate unless you make your own fruit infused Vodka. I had a lousy harvest this year, so mine was a mix of Raspberries, Gooseberries and Blackcurrants. Simply mascerate and put in a bottle and top up with Vodka for several months. I don't add sugar which can help in the breakdown of the fruit as it becomes too sweet and alcohol is sufficient in my experience with time.
So the idea was natural fruit in the Vodka flavoured with home grown Raspberries, Gooseberries and Blackcurrants, softened with some Galliano and a splash of cream to give a white wool effect.
It works rather well. Well balanced. Film over the teeth. nice viscosity for mouth-feel. And the cream gives a snow effect to fit the Mogul reference and the Galliano give vanilla to smooth the drink out.
Recipe
Add 1 & 1/2 measures of home made fruit infused Vodka (not sure if the commercial fruit vodkas would work as they are much sharper) to a shaker with 1/2 measure Galliano and a splash of single cream to taste. Shake on Ice and strain into a Cocktail glass.
"My challenge to you Gene, is to come with a cocktail called "fruit-of-the-loom". Marks will be awarded for conceptual structure and originality while still filling the brief."
However, knowing this particular individual, I felt Fruit of the Loon was more appropriate.
Sadly, I cannot comply as I have been beaten to this name for a cocktail:
http://www.cocktailszone.com/cocktails/fruit-of-the-loom_3564.html
So I dedicate my concoction to the spirit of the challenge and name it in honour of my challenger:
This will be difficult for most of you to recreate unless you make your own fruit infused Vodka. I had a lousy harvest this year, so mine was a mix of Raspberries, Gooseberries and Blackcurrants. Simply mascerate and put in a bottle and top up with Vodka for several months. I don't add sugar which can help in the breakdown of the fruit as it becomes too sweet and alcohol is sufficient in my experience with time.
So the idea was natural fruit in the Vodka flavoured with home grown Raspberries, Gooseberries and Blackcurrants, softened with some Galliano and a splash of cream to give a white wool effect.
It works rather well. Well balanced. Film over the teeth. nice viscosity for mouth-feel. And the cream gives a snow effect to fit the Mogul reference and the Galliano give vanilla to smooth the drink out.
Recipe
Add 1 & 1/2 measures of home made fruit infused Vodka (not sure if the commercial fruit vodkas would work as they are much sharper) to a shaker with 1/2 measure Galliano and a splash of single cream to taste. Shake on Ice and strain into a Cocktail glass.
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
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.
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