Friday Night is Cocktail Night

[denada Profile]

Does anyone know what an "Old-fashioned" is? It cropped up in a book I recently read but with no explanation of what it is!

I had one of those a few days ago, muddle sugar cube, bitters and a drop of water in an old-fashioned glass. Add Canadian whisky, ice cube, slice of orange and maraschino cherry.

We tend to have cocktails late Saturday afternoon if we're staying in for the evening. OH loves disappearing for a while, mixing concotions in the kitchen then appearing triumphant with a new brew! They are mostly delicious though a couple haven't been repeated. I think tomorrow will have to be strawberry daiquiris as I have a couple of punnets that need using. I know, I know, any excuse.

[Frillz Profile]

I've looked out the old emails from the Gordon's marketing campaign and for starters this is their Martini recipe

An absolute classic, made the classic way.

To make, stir the vermouth into the gin until mixed, add the ice and stir again. Strain into a martini glass and garnish with a green olive.

Ingredients:
50ml Gordon's® gin
15ml dry vermouth
Green olives
Crushed ice
2.1 units

So much for the lemon peel for gin and olive for vodka idea. Am sure no one would mind a swap if preferred though

Cheers

[Joanbunting Profile]

I've looked out the old emails from the Gordon's marketing campaign and for starters this is their Martini recipe

An absolute classic, made the classic way.

To make, stir the vermouth into the gin until mixed, add the ice and stir again. Strain into a martini glass and garnish with a green olive.

Ingredients:
50ml Gordon's® gin
15ml dry vermouth
Green olives
Crushed ice
2.1 units

So much for the lemon peel for gin and olive for vodka idea. Am sure no one would mind a swap if preferred though

Cheers

I am a James Bond Martini girl ie shaken not stirred and I prefer a lemon peel twist. I alsways thought that was a martini and those with an olive were Gibsons.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shaken,_not_stirred.

Last night's Manhattans pleased M but I find them a bit sweet. Think I'll go for Margeritas next week

[Stokey Sue Profile]

On the subject of martini - I'd use a better gin than Gordon's personally, and that's a relatively high vermouth ratio (though I think some recipes are simply too strong, that is probabably about the strength I like)

My Dad's Martinis were, he said, made by pouring gin into a glass while allowing the sun to shine through the vermouth bottle onto it (that's not original).


Did you know that the Martini cocktail is NOTHING to do with Martini & Rossi vermouth?

Martini and Rossi vermouth
The Martini cocktail
The Martini action rifle


Are named for three different Signor Martini - Martini is quite a common family name

[Stokey Sue Profile]

Hey, look what I found

AAl the basic IBA (international Bartender's Association) cocktail recipes

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/International_Bartenders_Association

Just click on the one yuo want in the panel at the bottom

Apparently the IBA says you can have lemon peel or an olive in your martini but a cocktail onion makes it a Gibson!

[Joanbunting Profile]

Hi Sue

Great link.

My Dad used to say the perfect martini was a bottle of good gin that shared a cupboard with Noilly Prat. We clearly had/have similar papas!

About the confusion with Martini & Rossi vermouth, we were on the Newcastle Amsterdam boat a few years ago and ordered dry martinis - we got M & R martini bianco and the bar tender was adamant that that is what we had ordered.

[denada Profile]

The strawberry daiquiris didn't materialise yesterday, mainly due to eating the strawberries after dinner on Friday. Plenty of mint in the garden though so turned that into mojitos. Haven't had one of those for a while, they were very good.

[cooksalot Profile]

My sister-in-law keeps me supplied with sloe gin - her usual Christmas present. I have started using it to make the cocktail below:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/food/recipes/sloeginfizz_88826

Its really refreshing - think I'll have one this Friday!

[Stokey Sue Profile]

About the confusion with Martini & Rossi vermouth, we were on the Newcastle Amsterdam boat a few years ago and ordered dry martinis - we got M & R martini bianco and the bar tender was adamant that that is what we had ordered.

I wouldn't have expected that kind of bar to serve a cocktail, to be fair. I remember shocking an American friend when at uni by ordering dry martini in a pub, expecting just vermouth & ice, she though I was on the real hard stuff of course! I'd protest if given bianco though that stuff is achingly sweet.

i tried the Campari cocktails

First the Americano - equal parts of red vermouth & Campari, over ice, topped with club soda
Then the Negroni - equal parts of red vermouth & Campari & gin, over ice, twist of orange


Both were pleasantly medicinal, but not ones I'd want too often. Prefer the Campari straight with soda, and the gin & red vermouth in a gin and It (classically 2 parts gin to one vermouth but order it in a pub and you will get 2 parts vermouth to 1 part gin, which I think I prefer)
Gin and "it" is gin & italian [red] vermouth; gin & French is gin & Noilly Prat (or any dry white vermouth)

The Dubonnet Cocktail (Zaza) is similar - equal parts of Dubonnet & gin, optionally with a dash of bitters. Very nice, the late Quenn mum's favourite, bacon butty optional.

[Joanbunting Profile]

Hi Sue

Just read about a Jubilee cocktail from the Goring Hotel. 3 parts Dubonnet, 1 part gin shaken with ice then topped up with English apple juice. Not sure - what do you think?

Strange thing - can't get Dubonnet here. I remeber drinking it for the first time in Paris in 1961 and thinking I was soooooo sophistacted.

[Stokey Sue Profile]

Not sure about the apple juice, TBH, but might have a go - Waitrose usually have Dubonnet

I reember the 60s advertising for Dubonnet, with Fernandel the French comedian, "Do 'ave a Dubonnet" he growled

Apparently it is now the tipple of the elderly, including the Queen, so the Goring is hitting the (rusty) nail on the head.

[Joanbunting Profile]

Hi Sue

Do you remember the "Du-beau, Du-bonne, Dubonnet" adverts? Showing my age I know!! I wasn't sure about the apple juice either. If I can get hold of some (Do you think St Raphaël might do?) i will give it a whirl - might be an alternative to Pimms for the Jubilee Teeee.

[tizmelouise Profile]

I made up a cocktail the bank holiday as we had some pomegranate juice, added some orange and some lemonade and a big glug of gin in sugared glasses with lots of ice was very pleasant indeed!

[Joanbunting Profile]

Morning Louise

I bought so pure pomegranate juice flast week for a friend who doesn't do alcohol and it was so good I got more yesterday. There was a bit left over last week and as we also had some prosecco left I tried the two together half and half. It was lovely, perfect drink to start a summer lunch. It just needs a name, or maybe it alrady has one??

[cooksalot Profile]

Sounds delicious, Joan. Pomengranate juice does need a bit of diluting as it can be very strong. Perhaps your cocktail could be "Puck's Fizz" instead of Buck's Fizz?

[Puss-in-boots Profile]

I wonder what cocktails you will all be having this evening or over the weekend.

[cooksalot Profile]

I have been cleaning the house all day as I am expecting visitors this weekend. Too knackered to make a Friday night cocktail but did enjoy a very large glass of chilled white wine!

[Joanbunting Profile]

I have been cleaning the house all day as I am expecting visitors this weekend. Too knackered to make a Friday night cocktail but did enjoy a very large glass of chilled white wine!

You obviously deserved it

My attitude towards housework is to lie down until the feeling wears off.

Twas Margerita night last night - made from scratch - no mixes. Can't find triple -sec anymore so used Grand Marnier. It worked just fine. We had it in a "proper" cocktail glass but the last one we had in the US came in a huge tumbler!! M said ours tasted better but were a bit small so he needed two

[cooksalot Profile]

Mmmm! Love Margerita - had some delicious one in California couple of years ago! The expected visitors have arrived and as the sun is shining I think I might make up a big jug of Pimms for everyone. Got some mint in the garden that will go well with it.

[Stokey Sue Profile]

Mojitos here today

Sprig YOUNG mint (this seems to be the trick) & small tsp sugar muddled, ice, white rum, club soda

I have come to the conclusion that you need club soda for mixed drinks, sparkling mineral water doesn't have enough fizz to carry through