March 7, 2010
Good morning,
This weekends recipes are based on the theme of the Oscars (82nd Oscars at that). The first cocktail, The Red Carpet is commonly found at the Oscars and drunk by the stars. The second is a cocktail that Wayne Collins personally made for Scorsese at the Bafters. Here they are…
Scorsese Daisy
- 25ml/1fl oz fresh lemon juice
- 1 lemon, zest only
- 35ml/1¼fl oz brandy, preferably Spanish
- 1 tbsp amaretto
To garnish
- few fresh mint leaves
- 1 orange slice
- 1 cherry
Method
Place the lemon juice, lemon zest, brandy and amaretto in a cocktail shaker. Strain the cocktail into a glass filled with ice. Garnish with the mint, orange slice and a cherry.
The Red Carpet
Ingredients
- 4 fresh raspberries
- 20ml/¾fl oz cranberry juice
- 1 tsp fresh lime juice
- 50ml/2fl oz silver tequila
- 1 tbsp raspberry syrup (available from The Cocktail Store)
- twist grapefruit zest, to garnish
Method
Place the raspberries, cranberry juice, lime juice, tequila and raspberry syrup into a cocktail shaker, with a handful of ice, and shake hard. Strain the cocktail into a martini glass and garnish with the grapefruit zest.
If you missed the posts of last week, take a look as we were talking how to make some essential syrups. Click on the flavoured syrups link on the left.
Thanks for reading,
Andy
March 5, 2010
Good morning,
Today is the final day of what we now know it as, syrup week. We’re going to finish off with a tasty and a little bit ‘out there’ syrup in terms of it being used for cocktails. You will usually find this syrup in the likes of Starbucks or any other coffee shop for that matter as it goes great in a Latte! However, we’re concentrating on it being used for cocktails and will give you a recipe for a tasty cocktail after the syrup recipe.
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cups water
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1/4 teaspoons ground ginger
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
Method
Add all the ingredients into a pan and allow it to be brought to the boil. Keep stirring the ingredients whilst it is being brought to the boil to combine the flavours. Once it reaches boiling point, turn down the heat and let it simmer for 10-15 minutes. Once you think everything has dissolved, take off the heat and leave to cool. Then store in a glass bottle and use when needed.
Recommended Cocktail
Gingerbread Apple Crisp
Ingredients
- 2 oz. Bacardi Big Apple rum
- 2 oz. apple juice
- Splash of lemon juice
- 1oz of Gingerbread Syrup
Add all the ingredients into a shaker with ice and shake hard. Strain into a chilled cocktail glass. Serve with an apple slice for garnish.
An optional extra is to rim the glass with sugar syrup and add finely crushed gingerbread crumbs to the rim.
Thats all for this morning but please pop back to take a look at what we’re having for cocktail friday!
Thanks for reading and we hope you have enjoyed the syrups this week. Be sure to let us know what you think after trying them out.
Andy
March 4, 2010
Good morning,
This morning I will be writing you a couple of the easiest recipes you will probably ever learn. However, learning these recipes will not only save you money, time and make your cocktails taste better but you will learn how to make probably the most important addition to many cocktails. Like I said, these syrups are probably the easiest to make so lets get cracking.
Simple (Sugar) Syrup
Ingredients
- 2 Parts granulated sugar (2 cups)
- 1 Part water (1 cup)
Method
Add the ingredients to a pan and bring to the boil. Keep stirring the ingredients making sure all the sugar is dissolving. Once dissolved, remove from the heat and allow to cool. Store in an unused glass bottle and store in the refrigerator until needed.
Grenadine Syrup
Ingredients
- 2 lbs of Pomegranates
- 1 Pint water
- Sugar -> Equal measure to the pomegranate juice after filtration
- Red food coloring, optional
Method
Extract all the pomegranate seeds from the skin and the membrane. Place the seeds in the saucepan and pour in the 1 pint of water. Bring the water to the boil and then allow to simmer. Stir the ingredients until the pomegranate seeds release their juice (should be about 5-8 minutes). Then strain the mixture through a sieve into a measuring jug or bowl. Throw away the seeds and after measuring the juice put it back into the pan. Now add exactly the same amount of sugar to the pan as there was juice. Bring to the boil once again and simmer. Keep stirring the ingredients making sure the sugar is dissolving. Once the sugar has dissolved, take off the heat and allow to cool. Add the red food colouring and stir. Pour into a glass bottle and store.
Well these two recipes are probably the most important recipes out of them all. As these syrups are the most popular, especially sugar syrup.
Anyway, until our last installment in our syrup making week. Bye for now.
Andy
March 3, 2010
Good morning,
I thought we would carry on the theme of making syrups this week. Lets throw it out there and call it ‘Syrup Week‘, I will include all the syrup recipes at the end of the week on our Facebook page in a tidy little note so you can always pop on there and take a look (or you can stay on here of course). Well, today we’ve opted for the cinnamon syrup. A spicy syrup that provides beautiful aromas to your cocktail and because it is not the most common ingredient to find on the shelf, you will be loving this new addition to your cocktails.
Ingredients
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1/2 cup water
- 2 cinnamon sticks
Method
Add all the ingredients into a pan and bring the mixture to the boil, whilst stirring. Once you see the syrup starting to boil, reduce the heat and simmer for about 5-8 minutes. Make sure you give it a stir every so often. Once all the sugar has completely dissolved and 5-8 minutes have passed, take the pan off the heat and allow to cool. Pour the syrup (including the cinnamon sticks) into a container. I prefer to use one of my trust glass bottles with the swing caps. Then stow the syrup away in the fridge ready for your cocktails.
Suggested Cocktail
The Cocktail Chronicles provides a great take on the classic Daiquiri – Boukman Daiquiri
I will leave that recipe in your capable hands and hope you enjoy many of cocktails using it.
Thanks for reading,
Andy
March 2, 2010
Well, here are 3 different takes on the classic cocktails we’re all used to drinking. I’m beginning to sound slightly obsessed with Rhubarb here, but hopefully those of you that grow it at hope will use it to make the syrup (instead of putting it all in the rhubarb crumble). Firstly, you need to make the rhubarb syrup, take a look at our previous post for that one or click on the ‘flavoured syrups’ tab on the left.
Rhubarb Mojito
- 1 1/2oz Light White Rum
- 1oz rhubarb syrup
- 3/4oz lime juice
- 8 mint leaves
- Soda (top up with)
Method
In a highball, add the rhubarb syrup, rum, mint leaves and lime juice. Muddle in the base of the glass to bruise the mint (tearing always seems to leave the drink bitter). Add a scoop of crushed ice and then use your bar spoon to churn the drink making sure all those lovely flavours are chilled with the ice. Add another scoop of ice and top up with soda water. Give it one last churn and garnish with a sprig of mint and a stick of rhubarb (don’t eat the rhubarb though, as its not advisable to eat it raw).
Rhubarb Cosmopolitan
- 2oz Vodka
- 2/3oz Lime Juice
- 1oz Rhubarb Syrup
Method
Shake all the ingredients with ice and strain into a small martini glass.
Rhubarb – French 75
- 1oz gin
- 1oz rhubarb syrup
- 1oz fresh lemon juice
- Champagne or sparkling wine (to top up)
Method
Add the gin, rhubarb syrup and lemon juice with ice and shake hard. Pour into a champagne flute and top up with the champagne or sparkling wine.
Well thats it for the rhubarb so far. Tomorrow we will bring you another syrup and a couple of delightful recipes for that one.
Until next time,
Andy
