A new year, a new original Fervent Shaker cocktail recipe.
So then, The Super bowl ‘XLIXJNEH’ (or #49 as it’s more commonly known) is on this weekend (don’t pretend like you don’t know) and let’s face it: You Americans, when it comes to sport at least, do not need much of an excuse to drink. But the super bowl is like the British FA Cup Final, or like when Andy Murray finally won Wimbledon for us.
So I get it; it’s a pretty big deal.
But I’m not here to insult, undermine nor take away from the glory of several handfuls of hardened men battering each other for a proverbial pig-skin football (yes I know it’s not actually made from pig skin anymore) and the huge-ass trophy at the end.
I am, in actual fact, here to ask all of you NFL fans out there for help. Yes that’s right I a lonely cocktail maker, require you sports fans to make, try, enjoy, and then eventually, when the hangover of your teams loss/win wears off, feedback your thoughts to me on this page…
Are you up for it? Well I hope so as this is one of my very own cocktails, that’s right: a recipe created by the one and only Fervent Shaker that you can all share and enjoy…
The big thing to tell you is that it involves Tequila that wonderful spirit from Mexico. Alongside that is the Midori, a melon liqueur that literally oozes sweetness and then simply some triple sec and pineapple juice. The idea is that this cocktail will help brighten up the obvious dodgy weather that is currently plaguing both the USA and UK and help you think about all the fun to be had this coming summer…
So without further ado I reveal to you the first Fervent Shaker original cocktail of 2015:
El Martillo (The Hammer in English).
The green colour is as stunning as its taste…
Recipe:
2 measures Silver Tequila (100% Agave only)
1 measure Midori Melon Liqueur
½ measure Triple Sec Liqueur (try to use a clear triple sec)
2 ½ measures Pineapple Juice (fresher the better)
Method:
Combine all ingredients in a cocktail shaker and then add ice.
Shake well, until the tin ices over (around 10-15 seconds usually).
Strain into a small coupe cocktail glass and garnish with a lime peel*.
For an added zing squeeze the lime peel, releasing the oils, over the drink, and then wipe the outside of the glass with it, before putting it in the drink. This will add a little crisp finish to an already very delightful drink.
Personally I quite like this drink and when you use good quality tequila you really get its balanced taste shine through. This cocktail was inspired by my local cocktail bars’ Melon Ball recipe which can also be found here.
So whether you’re going tailgating, spending the afternoon on the couch or just down the local watering hole; give this cocktail a try and please do report back. If you like it: Great, please share with everyone why and whether you’ll drink it again soon. If you don’t like it: Even better, please share why and how you think it can be improved…
I really want to get some great feedback on this cocktail recipe so my dear readers (old and new): Get drinking and experiment away!
The Moscow Mule arguably one of the most famous mule cocktails ever made. But what you might not know is that there are literally dozens of variations. From Paris to New Zealand and everywhere in between, there is a Mule for everyone…
The idea of a mule is very simple… Top with Ginger Beer/Ale (whichever one you prefer). Of course you need other ingredients but if you take a gander at the recipes below you’ll see that those depend on the theme…
It’s important to keep the ratio’s in these drinks as they are written. Use this conversion: 1 measure = 25ml (UK) or 1oz (USA). This way the balance of the drink remains as it should be and everyone is happy!
Onto the cocktails:
10)Berry Nice
Fresh berries make for the best Mules. Add a splash of ginger beer and Bob’s your uncle!
Recipe:
2 measures of Raspberry Vodka
¼ measure Chambord (Raspberry Liqueur)
½ measure Fresh Squeezed Lemon Juice
8 Blackberries
Top up with Ginger Beer/Ale
Method:
1) Add the vodka and blackberries and muddle well.
2) Add the Chambord liqueur and lemon juice.
3) Shake over ice and strain into an ice filled glass.
4) Top up with Ginger Beer/Ale and garnish with a blackberry and lemon peel skewer.
9)Yule Mule
A simple yet stunning cocktail that scales up brilliantly if you have a few extra friends round…
Recipe:
2 measures Light (white) Rum
2.5 measures Cranberry Juice
Top up Ginger Beer/Ale
Method:
1) Build this cocktail in an ice-filled Collins glass.
2) Garnish with a Lime wedge.
This cocktail is a simple Caribbean style Mule. Made ideally at Christmas, so you can use cranberries when they are in abundance (here in the UK at least) for a fresher crisper drink, this cocktail is perfect for the summer too. Refreshing and crisp this drink is simple yet flavourful. Try experimenting with your favourite aged/dark rums for a deeper taste.
8)Blackberry Mule
A wonderful infusion of British produce and gorgeous vodka… The Blackberry Mule: Summer, well, summed up…
Recipe:
1.5 measures Vodka
½ measure Crème de Mure (Blackberry Liqueur)
½ measure Fresh Squeezed Lime Juice
6-8 fresh blackberries
Top up Ginger Beer/Ale
Method:
1) Muddle the blackberries with the vodka in a shaker tin.
2) Then add the crème de mure and lime juice.
3) Shake well over ice and double strain (to keep out the seeds) into an ice filled Collins glass.
4) Top up with Ginger beer/ale.
5) Garnish with 2 plump blackberries.
A great UK summer cocktail, the Blackberry Mule comes to fruition around the same time as the blackberry bushes bless us with their bounties. Fresh blackberries mean a fresher drink. Sure you can shell out for some supermarket blackberries (the ones that have probably gained more air miles that you will in a couple of years) or you could go blackberry picking and gather some for yourself. Over here in the UK berry picking is still a pastime. I even tried my hand at it when I was younger. There are plenty of farmers that take on hands to help (as volunteers mainly – but they do let you keep the odd punnet or two). It’s a fun day out and you get to enjoy your spoils with a nice splash of your favourite spirit.
Oh right, one last thing, this cocktail tastes just as great using any spirit. Try it with some of these if you’d prefer: Tequila, Rum, Gin & Cachaca.
7)The Mordor Mule
A drifter from Mordor… This mule has a slightly tangy feel as well as a knock-out blow should you disrespect it…
Recipe:
1.5 measures ‘42 Below’ Vodka
½ measure Lime Juice
¼ measure Agave Nectar
1 whole Kiwi (skinned & chopped into chunks)
Top up Ginger Beer/Ale
Method:
1) In a mixing tin muddle the Kiwi chunks, lime juice and sugar syrup.
2) Add the vodka and fill with ice.
3) Shake and strain into an ice filled Collins glass
4) Top up with ginger beer/ale
5) Garnish with a Kiwi wheel (leave skin on this one).
This Middle Earth (New Zealand) themed Mule is something a little different. It combines one of the best vodkas in the world (from NZ of course) with a New Zealand Kiwi fruit and then using the ginger beer/ale as a top up. This cocktail, as a result, is extremely refreshing and crisp and great for those summer evenings when you want something a little different.
Again the room for tweaking lies with the fruit. There are several other edible species of Kiwi fruit available that are different to the commercial one we are all accustomed to. If you want to try them, and they’re available in your country, start here; on the Wikipedia site and have a search around.
Oh and not to mention this is one of my very own recipes so please let me know how it goes down!
1) In an ice filled shaker add the vodka, crème de cassis and lime juice.
2) Shake well and strain into an ice filled Collins glass.
3) Top up with Ginger Beer/Ale and serve with a lime wedge as garnish.
This is a recipe I’m really proud of, back during the early days of this blog I catered cocktails for a friend of a friend’s birthday party. One of those cocktails was a pitcher sized serving of a Parisian Mule. Now various other mules do exist and probably more appropriately named too. But this cocktail is special to me, and when I think of Crème liqueurs I think of France, of the romance capital of the world: Paris. Now the other recipe I have found for a Parisian Mule contains Cognac, a fine vintage too I might say, and it is a delicious drink. But rather than fill up another spot for a cocktail of the same name, if you follow this link for what I have dubbed the Imperial Parisian Mule you’ll find the original website for it. Whichever taste of Paris you prefer, you will not be disappointed.
5)Moscow Mule
A classic mule, in a classic Russian Copper Cup
Recipe:
2 measures Vodka
½ measure Fresh Squeezed Lime Juice
3 dashes of Angostura Bitters
Top up Ginger Beer/Ale
Method:
1) Build this cocktail in an ice filled mixing glass.
2) Start with the Vodka, then lime juice and bitters.
3) Stir well and strain into an ice filled Collins glass.
4) Top up with your preference of Ginger Beer/Ale.
5) Garnish with a Lime Wedge and serve with straws.
This classic cocktail is all about the kick. Refreshing and crisp (the lime and ginger pair exceptionally well) it lulls you into a full sense of security, then after about 3 or 4 you try and stand and remember the vodka; It’ll sit you right back down again, I assure you. Perfect for those summer evenings when you just don’t want to get up the next morning. Still they taste great and a couple wouldn’t hurt…Right? Right.
A great Mule variation. It’s balanced well and the lime wedge adds a little tartness to the drink…
Recipe:
45ml Bombay Sapphire Gin
15ml Krupnik Honey Liqueur
30ml Pineapple Juice
2 dashes Peychauds Bitters
Top up Ginger Beer/Ale
Method:
1) Add the Gin, Honey Liqueur, Pineapple juice and bitters into an ice filled shaker and shake well for about 20-30 seconds.
2) Strain into an ice filled sling glass (see glass in the picture).
3) Top up with ginger beer/ale and garnish with a slice of lemon.
This cocktail was first tasted by me when I went to London Bridge’s Bar Blue (on the way to the Cointreau Fizz Garden event). Combining the floral flavours of Bombay Sapphire Gin, and the sweetness of Krupnik Honey Liqueur, this cocktail is a borderline Mule, and therefore a controversial choice, but it is just so good I could not leave it out. It is just a wonderfully refreshing drink everyone needs to try at least once.
3)Anejo Mule
What your Anejo Mule should look like…
Recipe:
1 measure Light Rum
½ measure Dark Rum
½ measure triple Sec
¼ measure Fresh Lime Juice
2 dashes of Angostura Bitters
Top up Ginger Beer/Ale
Method:
1) Add all the ingredients (except the ginger beer/ale obviously) and shake well over ice.
2) Strain into an ice filled Collins glass and top up with Ginger beer/ale.
3) Garnish with a lime wedge sat on the rim of the glass*.
Now I love all types of rum. Whether it’s the classic white stuff or the darker, aged stuff, it doesn’t bother me as long as it tastes great (which most of them do). Usually I find it hard to choose between light and dark rum, but this drink puts a line through this conundrum with a simple answer: Use both…
*this allows for your friends/customers/drinkers to add a splash more lime juice if they would like.
2)Caribbean Mule
The best thing about a Mule, is you can dress it up to look like a Circus Zebra, but underneath it all, it’s still a Mule.
Recipe:
1.5 measures Light Rum
½ measure Spiced Dark Rum
½ measure fresh squeezed lime juice
½ measure guava juice
1 measure pineapple juice
3 dashes of angostura bitters
Method:
1) Combine the first 5 ingredients in an ice filled shaker and shake well.
2) Strain into an ice filled sling glass and top up with ginger beer/ale.
3) Garnish with a pineapple wedge and cocktail cherry.
4) Serve with straws.
Similar to the Anejo Mule, this cocktail adds a little Caribbean flavour to the mixture with some exotic fruit juices. This does lengthen the drink somewhat and water down the rum a little, but it makes it a little more beach specific and refreshing. The ginger beer/ale adds a splash of crispness and heat that is really balanced well with the sweetness of the juices.
Give it a go and close your eyes, you’ll be hearing waves roaring at your feet and feel a tan coming on before you know it…
1)Mexican Mule
Lots of lime and Tequila, this one is all Mexican 100% baby! (Except the glass – that was made in china)…
Recipe:
2 measures good quality Tequila
¾ measures fresh squeezed lime juice
¼ measure agave nectar
2 dashes Angostura bitters
Top up Ginger Beer/Ale
Method:
1) Add the tequila, lime juice, agave nectar and bitters into an ice filled shaker and shake well.
2) Strain into a tall glass filled with crush ice.
3) Top up with ginger beer/ale and garnish with a lime wedge.
This cocktail is my number one by a country mile. This cocktail takes everything great about the classic Moscow mule and just spins it on its head, in a way only the Mexicans can, with TEQUILA!
Now a couple of months ago it was Cinco de Mayo (5th of May) which celebrates Mexico’s ways in all their glory, although it’s a more United States specific celebration, which means Tequila and all things Mexican are centre stage.
And then there was National Tequila Day (NTD) which was as recent as last week! Again it’s largely an American ‘Holiday’ (I’m starting to notice a theme here, are you?) upon which much more Tequila is consumed (naturally). Now I did a post on the 24th July (NTD) and this was based on the craft Tequila George Clooney has co-financed, along with his life-long buddy Rande Gerber and this is the perfect tequila to use here. If you cannot get a hold of it (I know I can’t) then use the best quality Tequila you can find (that means 100% Agave people!).
This drink, as already stated, turns the classic vodka based version on its head and creates a rather delicious monster. Tequila mixes well with lime, we all know this, but it also mixes fantastically well with Ginger Beer/Ale. So combining the 3 sounds perfect right? Right.
“Never ever mix tequila with lime and ginger beer/ale” – Said no one. Ever.
So mix one of these up, chuck a poncho and a fake moustache on and put the maracas down, Sit back on your hammock and enjoy the sunset – beach, sunset, fake moustache, maracas & poncho notincluded.
finally enjoy this lovely couple of Mules, can you guess their names? Hint: Even I’m not sure of their names, so good luck…
A happy Chap…
And the twins here…
A couple of twins not happy with your lack of a cocktail like beverage already…
So last time I wrote about a cocktail bar, it was a top notch bar up on the London Bridge promenade. This time it’s a newly opened bar down on the south east Kent coast; Rickus (near the old town in Margate)…
Now I don’t like to show bias, but in all honesty I’m fully behind this venture, owned, run & staffed by Lituanians (or so my sources tell me) this bar/restaurant, along with the new hotel right next door, has become the most recent addition to the Thanet coast rejuvenation project (albeit unofficially).
But onto the whole point of this post: THE COCKTAILS!
Now by the time I had the funds for a decent outing (you cannot just have one cocktail afterall!) the bar had been open for a few weeks and I’d had plenty of ‘word of mouth’ reviews:
“great cocktails, the ones with baileys in are amazing!” – My friend & co-worker Steph.
“we went last week and the cocktails are amazing value for money – the food was good too!” – My friend and co-worker Josh
So those were just a couple of the times they bragged on about this bar, and boy did they brag. So in typical Cocktail snobbery I set off for a taste test of my very own. Armed with the two above people (and Steph’s Daughter) I was determined to try a varied selection. I was looking for their methods, the choice of spirits, the spirits they used in the cocktails and of course the cocktails themselves. Shortly you’ll see I’ve given them a rating for both the cocktails and the service. The cocktails I tried were;
– The Sea Devil,
A great combination of cranberry, tequila and lime this cocktail was by far a nice surprise…
A fruity, but crisp, tequila based concoction which also used cranberry juice. The first cocktail of the evening; my thought process was to try something a little different and a little out of my comfort zone (I rarely drink tequila after all). This drink was made quickly, but properly and tasted great. There was just enough juice to cover the tequila’s unpleasant flavours (it was Sierra’s Blanco Tequila and we all know the kick I’m on about) but not so much that it was too watered down.
– Peach Bellini (x2)
Whilst your’s might not look like this, it will taste as good as it looks!
As the name suggests, this was a cocktail modelled on the classic bellini recipe, using peach liqueur as well as peach puree, giving the drink a little extra intensity. By far the most impressive on the menu, this cocktail cost £6 and boy do you get a lot for your money. Most places will offer you a champagne flute with peach puree and topped up to, about, the ¾ mark (if you’re lucky) with champagne. Rickus, however, supply a large (it was massive) wine shaped goblet and sure it’s not champagne they use, but the sparkling wine used was fantastic with the sweet peachy taste of both the liqueur and puree. Garnished with a physalis berry (which was slightly over-ripe and sour – they should be a little less sour and sweeter to taste – but that’s the snob in me coming out) and in the girls’ case a handful of strawberries this drink was by far their best offering.
– Pina Colada
Pina Colada, with a great view of the beach… Sure why not!
The last cocktail of the night was a classic, sure, but one many places can ruin very easily (which is ridiculous as it is an easy cocktail to make). I’m afraid to say that the use of a blender was lacking (which is a big shame as that’s half the point of making a pina colada) but that aside the drink was shaken enough to mix in the ingredients (well enough to be drinkable anyway!).
As for the reviews, I will now say a little about the service, followed by the cocktails and overall impressions…
The Service:
Waiting time: Overall the waiting time for our cocktails was more than sufficient, they were not too quick as to rush the preparation; equally they did not take too long (and ruin the dilution of the drink). They served the cocktails well and always the drinks were of a good quality. 10/10
Attention to detail: all the recipes they had to make were done from memory and were constantly cleaning and talking to each other. I got the impression it was an organised environment and they were wuick to help each other out (passing ingredients etc…). 9/10
Customer relations: Listened and understood our orders well, and were always happy to help. They were very fair and served us all in order (they kept track of their next customer well and I do not remember them making a mistake). At one point they did run out of limes, but were extremely pleasant and told customers this, stating a short wait was necessary. 10/10
Cocktail knowledge: They created all the cocktails we ordered from memory (if they were reading a menu the other side of the bar they hid it well) and supplied fast relatively efficient drinks (although some recipes could be improved). 8/10
The Cocktails:
Ingredients used:
The ingredients used where, for the most part, correct to the classic recipes. However in some cases they have changed them and tweaked certain other recipes (like using peach liqueur as well as peach juice in their Bellini or coconut syrup instead of milk in their Pina colada). Whilst some of their cocktails do suffer (see the Pina Colada review below) others prosper extensively (see the Bellini review below).
Quality of drinks:
Overall the cocktails at Rickus were surprising. Not being disrespectful but from a glance at the menu you just wouldn’t expect the quality to be as high as they were. Using syrups galore and tweaking recipes where required some of the cocktails do suffer (as said above) but the interesting point to make is that their bellini is one of the best I’ve ever tasted. The best thing I can suggest is for you to go there and try the cocktails for yourself…
Individual:
This section is all about the cocktails, and what I thought of them. An overall score will include these and where possible will look at the ingredients in the drink, the visual end product, the techniques used in the production and of course the taste…
Sea Devil: 8/10
Bellini: 8/10
Pina colada: 6/10
Overall impressions:
Menu: 3/10
The menu is a bunch of well printed (but unprotected) paper held together by the clamp on the clipboard they sit on. It’s a shame as they have not created a nice little unique menu. The menu is the first thing customers will really look at in a bar
Décor: 10/10
The Décor is something special: The medieval looking maps on the wall of both eastern Europe and the UK/Thanet are unique to say the least. The Décor is warm and welcoming, but if you fancy a cocktail outside their perfectly positioned balcony can offer stunning views of the sunset over the sandy Margate beach.
Cocktails: 7.3/10
Overall the cocktails are good, although some suffer from the lack of the proper techniques. However they do serve one of the best Bellini’s I’ve ever had and their choice of alcohol behind the bar is quite good considering its dainty size.
Service: 9.25/10
The service was fantastic; the bartenders are friendly, helpful and more than happy when you order off the menu. Their knowledge was good, making the cocktails ordered without the need for prompts and to top it off, they improvised well when some of the garnishes ran out, keeping up the professional look of the cocktails being served. Very impressed with the overall service and would definitely go back on this point alone.
Overall: 7.4/10
Rickus Cocktail Bar & Restaurant is a very welcome change of scenery to the excess of pubs and ‘gastro-pubs’ that keep popping up. The cocktails are extremely good value for money as well as a great atmosphere. Go with some good friends and it will be one of the better nights you could have. Friendly staff, great atmosphere, great value for money and when you leave the first thing you want to do is plan your next return-visit. A great addition to an otherwise bland seafront, Margate (as well as the Thanet area in general) could benefit from more ventures like this.
Verdict: Must see, try the Bellini’s, they’re something a bit special!
Margate is a wonderfully quaint little seaside town on the eastern tip of Kent (a county in the UK – for all you non-UK readers) but for those of you who are not acquainted with this sometimes lovely little town here are a few photos, in the form of a Google search…
Once you’ve seen some of those pictures, imagine this:
Walking along the Margate sea-front, box of cocktail equipment in hand, leftover tequila, white rum and even a bottle of Prosecco (which remained un-opened in the end) all included, I meander along the path, to be pleasantly surprised by my friend Dan (no relation) who was waiting for me after picking up a small mountain of ice for the Soiree. We both walked back to his house and as we walked in we were both met with a chorus of ‘Woos’ and ‘Dan!’ all from one of the other co-hosts excited to see the cocktail prep could begin. Now I would like to make it clear that at this point, it was around 5-5.30pm and the Soiree did not really get going until around 7-8pm.
Like walking into a literal time machine, this part of Margate almost feels magical…
After the disappointment of the poorly organised wine and wisdom night (https://theferventshaker.wordpress.com/2013/02/21/wine-wisdom-cocktails-slight-distraction/), I had been looking forward to this event purely because I knew it had been planned well. I know the hosts well enough to expect an exceptionally well organised night both for me and the cocktail serving but also to maximise the enjoyment of the 40+ attendees.
Before I can do any prep work, I’m shown around the house. First up the main room; where I would be set up. This room also included interactive music, determined by the people in the room at the time (allowing for more personalisation of the evening for the guests – a great idea that really worked well). Then I was taken into the two-tier ‘rave’ cellar and considering it was just 2 brick built rooms the last time I saw it, the neon lights, fairy lights and luminous paint (along with the slightly later addition of strobes and lasers) made this the very club-vibe up beat part of the event.
This two level club-like look really worked and considering the 40+ people attending, was also necessary!
Onwards to the cocktails now:
I started prepping the cocktails and the ingredients needed from around 6pm. This included washing anything I hadn’t done at home, laying out my equipment (knives, strainers, shakers, jiggers etc.) and then of course the softening & cutting of the limes. The alcohol was kept in a make shift bar, an emptied bookcase worked surprisingly well, combined with a large unused table provided me with a sturdy work surface. With people not turning up (generally) until around 7-8pm I offered to make a few test cocktails for the hosts and the music suppliers.
Cocktails tried included the dark n stormy, sex on the beach and (because of a lack of gin/lemon juice) I also served up a tweaked version of the Long Island Iced-Tea (see below [cocktail no.9] for the recipe). This helped me ease into a sense of security and when people started actually turning up I was in my element. For all intents and purposes I had my own bar for the night. Working cleanly and efficiently (and under a great deal of pressure from almost all of the guests at one point) the cocktails started flying of the shelf (quite literally).
I had written the recipes down in one of my handy little notebooks and this allowed people to read what cocktails were available. This not only freed me up to concentrate on the cocktail making process, but also allowed the guests to have a good look at the ingredients and the name of the cocktails, helping them understand what was in each one. This was a little Idea I thought I’d try that also seemed to ease up some time for me to concentrate on the cocktails.
I had planned on serving 8 different cocktails, with a varying amount of flavours and tastes (sweet, sour, dry etc.). These cocktails were a combination of tried and tested recipes along with recipes that I knew would be well received and then one of my own (purely to see if was as well received as it was at the Shindig South of the Border – https://theferventshaker.wordpress.com/2012/11/28/the-songwriters-shindig-south-of-the-border/).
These cocktail were as follows:
1) Dark ‘n’ Stormy
2) Harvey Wallbanger
3) Mojito
4) Sex on the Beach
5) Hawaiian Bay Breeze
6) Tequila Sunrise
7) White Russian
8) Sonoran Iced-Tea
And the addition of:
9) My tweaked Long Island Iced-Tea.
These cocktails, as you can see, are a combination of classic and contemporary recipes with a little variance in the themes. The mojitos are light and refreshing, whereas the white Russian is a creamier coffee flavoured cocktail. Whilst the Hawaiian Bay Breeze and Sex on the beach are similar in their ingredients, the simple addition/replacement of the ingredients drastically transforms the flavours…
Overall I feel this collection best suited the night and the guests that attended where full of compliments of every recipe. In hindsight the only changes would probably have been the removal of both the Tequila Sunrise and Hawaiian Bay Breeze. These would be changed purely because of a) the tequila sunrise didn’t work with the small opaque plastic cups and b) the Hawaiian bay breeze was too similar to the sex on the beach for the guests to order. Looking at the recipes available with the ingredients purchased the best move may have been to use some more Mexican themed cocktails (tequila and pineapple juice based recipes may have been a good call) to balance the collection out a little.
That put to one side, the overall feedback was good and everyone kept complimenting me on my cocktails, which is a fantastic confidence boost – as I knew pretty much nobody there, and the people I did know had not really seen me in action.
The event as a whole didn’t just benefit me from a networking point of view in that my confidence with serving quality cocktails is improving all the time. The cocktails served were not only great tasting, but well made, and that is great feedback to have.
As a further more personal note, having cocktails at an event like this, in the way it was done at this event, supplies your guests with a focal point outside of the norm. This can become a conversation topic as well as a general form of interactive entertainment.
Now onto the real bread and butter of this post: The Cocktails…
As previously stated the cocktails are a combination of all different flavours. These are not necessarily themed but do share a general Caribbean trend (light fruity juice mixed drinks)
Dark ‘n’ Stormy
1 measure Dark Rum (I used White Rum)
5 measures Jamaican Ginger Beer
I used Sainsbury’s white rum for this cocktail as dark rum is generally hard to find at a reasonable price these days. The only thing the dark rum will give you over the white rum is a larger depth of flavour, but if you use a higher quality rum (let’s use Havana Club 3yo for example) then the flavour depth is automatically quite deep, negating the need for dark rum specifically.
Top Tip: when on a low budget always try to accommodate the supermarket brands, you’ll find that the quality is just as good as some of the more ‘famous’ brands especially when mixing in cocktails…
Harvey Wallbanger
1 measure Vodka
1 measure Galliano
4 measures Fresh Smooth Orange Juice
This cocktail is a classic version of a classic recipe. It was not tweaked in any way and I think this is by far the best way to serve it. If you do not like the vanilla then you can cut it out, but then it becomes a simple Screwdriver. Either way enjoy this cocktail over ice.
Top Tip: this drink is better built in the glass over ice than shaken. You want to create a layered feel to the flavours and shaking the ingredients works against this…
Classic Mojito
60ml White Rum
15ml Sugar Syrup
8-10 fresh mint leaves
1 ½ lime in ¼’s
Top up Soda water/Lemonade
Build the ingredients in the glass you serve it in. Start with the lime and sugar syrup and muddle well, then add the mint and gently muddle. Add the crushed ice and the rum. Top up with lemonade and garnish with a mint sprig.
This cocktail is a classic recipe ONLY when the soda water is used. However my recipe calls for lemonade purely because I have not found a soda water mojito that I like. And I am more comfortable making this slightly sweeter version. This drink is meant to be refreshing so you must use fresh mint leaves. This cocktail just does not work with dried mint at all.
Top Tip: Just before you put the mint leaves in the drink, place them in the palm of one hand, and clap your hands 1-2 times. This releases the oils from the leaves without making the drink bitter.
Sex on the Beach
1 measure Vodka
1 measure Peach Schnapps
2 measure Cranberry Juice
2 measures fresh smooth Orange Juice.
Another built drink. This drink is all about depth in flavour and the best way to do this is to loosely layer the ingredients as you make the drink (over ice of course).
Top Tip: if your guests are planning on drinking this cocktail quickly (or if it’s served in small amounts) then stir gently before serving so they get all the appropriate flavours.
Hawaiian Bay Breeze
1 measure Vodka
1.5 measures Cranberry juice
1.5 measures Pineapple juice
This cocktail can be served either built or shaken. Either way the pineapple adds some Caribbean flavour to an already fruity cocktail. The cranberry and pineapple work perfectly to create an almost punch like feel to this drink.
Top tip: if shaking, double strain the cocktail as you pour it into the glass, taking out the unnecessary foam (from shaking the pineapple).
Tequila Sunrise
1 measure Silver Tequila
4 measures Fresh smooth Orange juice
½ measure Grenadine Syrup
This drink is as simple as it sounds. Build it over ice with the grenadine being dropped from about 1cm above the glass. The grenadine syrup will sink to the bottom and gradually work its way up the cocktail as you drink it. The idea being that the more you drink it, the stronger/sweeter it gets.
Top tip: if you want a bit more culture in your tequila sunrise try using a quality Gold Tequila to add some depth. Jose Cuervo Reposado Gold Tequila is a good shout, but any quality gold tequila will do.
White Russian
1 measure vodka
1 measure coffee liqueur
2 measures Single Cream
This cocktail is a tricky cocktail to make. It may look like it is going wrong but just persist and as long as the cream doesn’t curdle it will be perfect…
Build it over ice and stir before serving…
Top tip: I used my preferred coffee liqueur on this, and the best thing about using coffee liqueur with cream is that you really can be flexible. Try it with Kahlua, but Tia Maria and Soiree coffee liqueur work just as well.
Sonora is a beutiful part of mexico, and This sunset encapsulates everything The Sonoran Iced Tea represents… A Refreshingly different slice of Mexican culture…
The Sonoran Iced-Tea
1 measure Kahlua (coffee liqueur)
1 measure Disaronno Amaretto
½ measure Silver Tequila
Garnish: ½ measure freshly squeezed lime juice
Top up with cranberry juice.
I have both built and shaken this drink, for the best blend I find shaking makes it lighter and negates the need for ice in the glass, whereas building it requires crushed ice. But please find the best way that suits your taste.
At this event I served the lime juice as a garnish (adding just after pouring into the glass/cup). Shaking the rest of the ingredients negates the need for ice and also saves time as you can serve it straight away.
Top tip: you can add the lime juice to the drink and shake or pour it in at the end; I just prefer the crisp lime flavour at the beginning. Please feel free to experiment and find the way that best suits you.
Bonus cocktail recipe:
My forced-tweaked version of the Long Island Iced-Tea
1 measure vodka
1 measure rum
1 measure silver tequila
1.5 measures fresh lime juice
2 measures sugar syrup
Dash of amaretto
Top up with Coca Cola (original not diet)
This drink was born out of a lack of gin, triple sec and lemon juice. It was not one of my planned cocktails but I was challenged by one of the guests to make up what I could with what I had, using the L.I.I.T. as a base. It was rather sweet and as far as I’m concerned it worked. The guest was happy and it spread like wildfire throughout the event, becoming better than most of the cocktails on the menu.
The wine & wisdom event at my work was always a constant thing in the past, so when HR decided to start them up again, i asked if they wanted me along to make some cocktails. Thankfully they obliged, agreeing it would add something new to the experience (and also help me get some exposure through the work colleagues i have yet to speak to)…
The Sainsbury’s I work for have started up their Wine & Wisdom staff quizzes again…
3 cocktails and a bucket load of questions no one knows the answers to…
1) A Classic Tequila Sunrise
2) A Hawaiian Bay Breeze
3) The Clicquot Rico
So the plan was to attend the wine and wisdom as a part of the competition but further to this during the break (around halfway through) I was to create and serve 3 cocktails of my own choosing. The alcohol was supplied by the company and any donations were towards comic relief.
The thought process was simple I was given a simple brief: 3 eye catching but simple cocktails. Something that looks good but at the same time wouldn’t take all night to create.
The first cocktails I chose for the event were the vibrant blue curacao type cocktails, those that shock and awe. But to be honest I thought this was far too obvious and would put to waste some of the more tasty cocktails out there. The cocktails mentioned above where set on after another think through. The Classic Tequila Sunrise is simple to make, but looks both elegant and quite striking. The Hawaiian Bay Breeze is rather simple both in creation and aesthetics but its flavour is far better than any breeze cocktail and even some versions of the sex on the beach. The elegance and sophistication really takes off in the final drink of the three; The Clicquot Rico…
1) Classic Tequila Sunrise
A representation of what a Tequila Sunrise ‘should’ look like…
So this is the cocktail I’ve been waiting to make at an event for some time, it was far too obvious for the Mexican themed party I did a while back and not cheap enough for the other event I did (tequila can cost a small fortune over here in the UK).
So the recipe I used was a ‘classic’ recipe, one almost every bar/cocktail enthusiast will use:
– 1 measure Silver Tequila
– 6 measures Fresh Orange Juice
– ½ measure Grenadine Syrup (the proper stuff – try ‘Monin’ syrups)
This recipe is simple sure, but its visually effective as the grenadine instantly sinks to the bottom and then over time will work its way into the bulk of the drink, rising in an aesthetically pleasing reddish-pink hue(hence the name).
2) Hawaiian Bay Breeze
A couple of Hawaiian Bay Breeze’s
The Hawaiian Bay Breeze is a cocktail born out of experimentation. Replacing the orange juice used in most Vodka Sea Breezes this drink instantly supplies a Caribbean kick to a drink already made refreshing thanks to the cranberry juice. Not only is it far better in taste than a normal sea breeze cocktail, the pinkish hue the drink creates in a lightly lit room is something special (something orange juice and cranberry juice just cannot supply).
The recipe I used contains supermarket brand vodka, but any other medium-high quality vodka will work just as well:
– 1 measure Vodka
– 3 measures Cranberry Juice
– 3 measures pineapple juice
Served over ice this drink becomes a light and refreshing cocktail that is worthy of any event. This one in particular was by far the favourite of the three cocktails available at the wine & wisdom, out-playing the tequila sunrise by around 5-10 drinks.
3) The Clicquot Rico
A Glorious marriage of pineapple, rum and champagne…
This cocktail is a spin off from research for a future post, and is for all intents and purposes a champagne cocktail. The recipe I had used Veuve Clicquot champagne with rum and pineapple juice.
Mixing equal parts sophistication (champagne) and fun (white rum and pineapple) this drink encapsulates the very best of the champagne cocktails.
Whilst this recipe calls specifically for Veuve Clicquot, it is a rather expensive and inefficient mixer for an event catering for 50+ people; unless you’re flashed for cash in which case go for something even more expensive! – If things are the opposite and you find you’re on a tight budget then try using a good quality Prosecco. It gives the same experience with a little less body to the drink (generally speaking anyway).
At the Wine & Wisdom I used ‘Sainsbury’s Taste The Difference ‘TTD’ Prosecco Conegliano. This is a good quality Prosecco that is genuinely one of my favourite ‘budget buys’.
The original recipe:
– 1 measure White Rum
– 2 measures Pineapple Juice
– Top up Veuve Clicquot
My ‘tweaked’ recipe:
– 1 measure White Rum
– 2 measures Pineapple Juice
– Top up TTD Prosecco Conegliano
All the cocktails were well received and enjoyed by everyone that tried them, granted the Clicquot Rico was the least consumed and that was mostly down to everyone taking the other two recipes and running off before I had them fully prepared. Otherwise the Hawaiian Bay Breeze was the stand-out favourite, the Caribbean flavour the pineapple brings to the drink, seemed to be the defining feature.
So to summarise;
Whilst the event in general did not go as i had envisioned (it was rather poorly organised on the companies part) the cocktails went down well and everything i had control over worked. Which for me is a small victory. It shows that people are receptive to the unique nature cocktails bring to an event.
So then onwards to my next post. You may notice that one of the above recipes is a Champagne/Prosecco topped cocktail. Well my next post is all about cocktails that contain some sort of sparkling wine, whether it be renown Champagne brands, or the lesser known sparkling wines. To whet your appetite, as it were, here’s a little spoiler:
“
This brings us onto the cocktails themselves and there are many varied, famous cocktails. Almost all of which hold some sort of colourful back-story as to how they were invented, however for the premise of this blog I am far from interested in the stories. I’m more interested in the cocktails and their recipes. Now discarding the recipes with what I like to call ‘dangerous’ ingredients (ingredients people generally shy away from when making cocktails at home; such as egg whites), the recipes to be discussed here are generally fruity, floral drinks with a very easy-to-consume nature about them. “
Thank you for taking the time to read my work and until next time, take care 🙂
The Planters Punch cocktail is unmistakably Caribbean in heritage and like you would expect, its perfect for mild beach evenings.
The recipe for this is a very complicated mix of sweet, sour and tart. And in no way is that a bad thing…
Planters Punch Classic Recipe:
45ml Dark rum
35ml Orange Juice
35ml Pineapple juice
20ml Fresh Lemon Juice
10ml Grenadine
10ml Sugar Syrup
2-4 dashes Angostura Bitters
This is the classic version I took from the cocktail books in my library (a cupboard in the kitchen). However as some people find Dark Rum a bit overpowering, you can substitute any rum you are accustomed to (be it Bacardi’s standard white rum or a nice Havana club 7 Anejo or even Captain Morgan’s Spiced)…
However due to restrictions in my own cabinet, I could only make this the once. So I decided to tweak the recipe to suit my dwindling range of spirits…
My own tweaked Recipe:
45ml Kraken Black Spiced Rum (remember this bad boy?)
35ml Grapefruit Juice
35ml Pineapple Juice
20ml Fresh Lime Juice/lemon juice (personal taste)
10ml Grenadine
10ml Sugar (Vanilla flavoured)
2-4 dashes Angostura Bitters
My version was slightly tarter and a little brisker on the taste buds, but on a nice summers evening it’s just as thirst quenching as the original. Don’t get me wrong, the original is fantastic and I suggest you try that before mine, but my recipe is proof that experimenting to what you prefer is what mixology is all about (this point is a constant theme throughout my blog posts). The idea that not every cocktail is going to be liked by everyone, but with a small tweak (sometimes the addition of a mixer) even the most disliked drink can be made favourable.
Mixing fruit into a planters punch is like mixing up a Pimms, add in what you like and dress it up as much as you want… Just make sure it tastes good first…
The Fervent Shaker 