So, it’s been a while. I’ve been working, not drinking a lot and generally not had a lot of time to write. It sucks. But now i have 2 weeks off, and plenty of time to write my heart out.
Starting with this preview of my upcoming 3 course cocktail: New Zealand special.
Now i have a special day in out in london planned next tuesday (25th) during which i’ll be trying out 3 or 4 different cocktail bars located near/around the London Bridge area of London. This will be posted in the form of both cocktails, event reviews and of course the write up of the Cointreau Fizz Garden event i’m going to in the evening.
Until then i intend to finish the preview below and of course supply plenty of other great posts. So read on, enjoy and look forward!
I have a deep held love for New Zealand, it started when i was about 14 and saw a documentary about it. Then when i was 18 my best friend moved out there, and ever since i’ve been obsessed with the wonderful country, culture, scenery and all. Hopefully one day i can visit, and if i’m really lucky i may even get to call it home. But those are dreams. This is fact and here come the great cocktails, all with a New Zealand theme… FACT.
Starter: It’s the Bloody Oysters Mary!
New Zealand, a place currently at the top end of my places-to-visit list and second only to the full state tour of the USA (for obvious cocktail/historical reasons), is the theme of this 3 Course Cocktail post. And the starter for this 3 course cocktail post is a twist on the Bloody Mary.
The classic recipe is simple enough: Vodka, Tomato Juice and then a combination of seasonings to the drinker’s choice. Traditionally a classic bloody mary will contain the vodka and tomato juice, but also salt, pepper, celery salt, Worcestershire sauce, horseradish, lemon juice and tobasco sauce (although how much of the latter depends on how hot you prefer the drink). There are many variations of this recipe; using different combinations of the above ingredients as well as using different sauces altogether, some recipes even include cooling agents such as cucumber or avocado to the drink!
Now this recipe is different from the traditional recipe but only in one ingredient: Oyster Sauce. Now being in the UK, and around 21,000 miles (give or take) from New Zealand, you may find it a little difficult to come across good quality New Zealand Bluff Oysters (if you don’t know about these I suggest you google a.s.a.p.). However a simple dash of oyster sauce, should supply the flavour hit required.
Main Course: It’s 42 Below and all I have is a Kiwi fruit?
So the idea of this main course is to supply something a little different, a tweak on a classic. The Caipirinha is a Brazilian drink, but has a great many variations. A very popular variation is the Caipiroska, a similar drink with the only difference being the use of Vodka as the base spirit (instead of Cachaca). This particular main course cocktail is a New Zealand themed Caipiroska. Using 42 Below Vodka and Kiwi fruit (puree, flesh and some fresh juice).
The variety of kiwi used in this cocktail is a UK commercial fruit (insert genus name here). For those of you reading this that are blessed with several different varieties to choose from, please feel free to try some different ones out, especially those that taste better than the commercial brand here in the UK!
Dessert: when 1 dessert is too few and choice is just right…
For this menu, I’ve decided to go for cocktails that are more dessert than cocktail. This doesn’t really change anything other than they are more ‘meal-like’ choices.
The three dessert course cocktails chosen for this menu are a combination of traditional cocktail recipes using Below 42 vodka, but served in a slightly contemporary fashion.
The first is a cocktail version of the classic Italian dessert: Tiramisu. Using Below 42 Vodka and combining it with coffee liqueur, bailey’s and a splash of amaretto this recipe supplies the creamy-coffee flavoured dessert but with an alcoholic hit.
The second is a student inspired Jelly-Shot like dessert: Lemon Drop Jelly Shots. Again using Below 42 Vodka and Organic, unwaxed lemons this rather special jelly (jell-o as you Americans call it) shots are something a little different. Taking a classic student staple and adding some class is not a regular move for me, but in this case it does add something special to the flavour of the lemon jelly. Using the zest of 1 whole organic lemon per batch the generic lemon jelly will take on the zesty-ness (im not sure that’s even a word) and give out an improved and rather robust lemon taste. Serve this with some candied citrus slices and a little vanilla ice cream and you have a rather simple, yet elegant dessert cocktail.
The third and by no means least is definitely the star of the lot: Cosmopolitan Sorbet.
This dessert cocktail combines on of the most famous cocktails in the world and that summer dessert favourite: sorbet. Using an extremely simple method (as well as fresh produce) you can create some rather fantastic cocktail-sorbets.
The recipe included is for a very fresh tasting classic cosmo, but the recipe I did at home (also included underneath the classic one) was a cherry cosmo. This was purely as I could not source cranberries (fresh or frozen!) at the time of making the cocktail! Hopefully you’ll enjoy the different way of serving this great cocktail!
So there you go, a little bit of an upcoming blog that i’m sure will go down well with you all. The full post will of course contain various recipes, preparation methods and a few home shot pictures to boot. Until then, keep mixing! (responsibly of course)…
The Fervent Shaker 