Easter Cocktails

Hopefully you’re all on your Easter holidays, so maybe it’s time for the first drink of the long weekend? Here are a few of our Easter favourites, ranging from fresh, floral spring-inspired recipes, through tangential puns to sickly sweet chocolate concoctions.

May the bunny be good to you!

Nutella Negroni (Duck & Waffle)

Equal parts gin, Campari and sweet vermouth and a Nutella infusion stirred, strained and served in a recycled Nutella jar.  A bitter chocolate orange and hazelnut twist on the Italian classic.

Applejack Rabbit (Savoy Cocktail Book)

One for the Fox to chase.  Shake 50ml applejack, 20ml fresh lemon juice, 20ml fresh orange juice and 15ml maple syrup with cubed ice for twenty seconds.  Strain and serve in a chilled coupe glass.  Maybe leave one out for the Easter Bunny?

Easter Spritz (Fox & Beagle)

A long martini style drink with birch vermouth and a mist of Elderflower to welcome the incoming British spring weather. Stir 35ml gin, 15ml Blackdown silver birch dry vermouth with cubed ice for thirty seconds. Strain into a chilled highball glass and top with soda, a barspoon of Orgeat (almond syrup) and a mist of elderflower liqueur.

Milkybar Snowball (Duck & Waffle)

Another special edition from the chaps at the top of the Heron Tower, this features Milkybar infused Advocaat, distilled lemon and sugar finished with a prosecco spritz.  One for the white chocolate fans.

Hot Cross Rum (Bourne & Hollingsworth Buildings)

Not just a pretty pun. This modern twist on a classic flip (a rum, egg and sugar concoction ‘flipped’ with a hot red poker). This drink combines dark rum and a home-made hot cross bun syrup which are shaken with a whole egg and finished with a cross of cinnamon.

Valentine’s Menu

I’m sure everyone already has their Valentine’s Day plans well under control – here at F&B HQ it has so far consisted of a typical 6 Nations Saturday on the sofa – but if you still need inspiration for your evening’s plans, may we present a pre- and a post-dinner drink to set hearts racing?

Lipstick Rose

This drink originates from Tony Conigliaro’s Drink Factory and spent some time on the menu at his 69 Colebrooke Row and Le Coq bars. Inspired by perfumer Ralf Schwieger’s Lipstick Rose creation this drink is sure to get the evening off on a romantic footing:

1. Build 15ml rose infused vodka, 5ml raspberry and violet syrup and a dash of Peychaud’s bitters in a chilled champagne flute.
2. Top with champagne and slightly stir.
3. Finish with a twist of grapefruit peel (discarded) and a lipstick kiss on the rim of the glass.

The recipes for the vodka, syrup and lipstick can be found in Tony Conigliaro’s Drinks.

Hanky Panky

As for after dinner, who could ask for more than a little Hanky Panky? Created by Ada Coleman during her spell as head bartender at the American Bar of The Savoy, London, the Hanky Panky was developed for Victorian actor Sir Charles Hawtrey. Coleman worked on the recipe for hours and when she eventually deemed it good enough to serve Hawtrey drained his glass and exclaimed “By Jove! That is the real hanky-panky!” And Hanky Panky it has been called ever since:

1. Combine equal parts gin and sweet vermouth with a large dash of Fernet Branca in a mixing glass.
2. Add plenty of ice and stir for sixty seconds.
3. Strain into a chilled coupe glass and garnish with a twist of orange peel.

Christmas Champagne Cocktail

(c) 2010 Fox.  All rights reserved.  

If you’re like us here at House of Bourbon HQ, right now you’re spending Advent Sunday sat by the fire, basking in the glow of your Christmas tree, listening to some Christmas music and wrapping presents or Christmas shopping (depending on your level of organisation).

If so, you need just the right drink to celebrate having Christmas totally under control, and nothing says celebration quite like the Champagne Cocktail – especially given this festive twist.  That’s right, this is the first of our Advent Sunday drinks making use of the mince pie cognac we made earlier this week:

1. Sploosh a dash of bitters on a sugar cube and drop into a chilled champagne flute.
2. Add 10ml mince pie cognac and then fill the glass with chilled champagne.

Serve and smile. What do you mean it’s just us?

Champagne French Martini

Photo courtesy of StuartWebster, some rights reserved.

All celebrations are special, but for a really special celebration (perhaps a Princess’s birthday?) something quite exquisite is required. I’ve never really understood what makes a French Martini a Martini, because apart from the glass they are nothing alike, but the addition of Champagne certainly makes this French Martini even more French.

The ever-so simple but effective French-Martini.com explains that originally a French Martini was just a Martini made with a French vermouth, which makes literal sense, although apart from national pride (thank you, L’Académie Française!) perhaps doesn’t warrant the naming of a whole new drink.

As a result, therefore, we can only assume that the French Martini as we now know it was developed for those who cannot face the prospect of a genuine Martini just yet, but want to pretend they’re enjoying a distant relative of the drink enjoyed by those embodiments of suave, Humphrey Bogart and Mae West.

Of course the French Martini is a variant of the Martini in the loosest possible sense, as it contains neither of the ingredients of a traditional Martini, and unlike its namesake is fruity, crisp and super-sweet in equal measure.

To make a delectable celebratory version of this sweet treat proceed as follows:

1. Shake 60ml vanilla vodka, 15ml Chambord black raspberry liqueur and 45ml pineapple juice to a with cubed ice for twenty seconds.
2. Strain into a chilled coupe glass (also works well in tea cups, jam jars and plant pots).
3. Top up with Champagne and garnish with a raspberries.