Friday 1 May 2015

FOOD FRIDAY - LET'S DRINK TO THAT

“Alcohol is the anaesthesia by which we endure the operation of life.” - George Bernard Shaw

When living in Holland I often had colleagues dropping into my apartment for a drink and an impromptu meal with whatever was in the fridge. At that time I concocted several cocktails, the better of which I fortunately wrote down. We tried a couple at home the other day and they certainly still tasted good!

WET MARTINI
Ingredients
1 measure of gin
1 measure of dry vermouth
3 drops of Angostura bitters
Stuffed green olive.
Dry white wine

Method
Pour the spirits into a tumbler, add several ice cubes and bitters. Top up with dry white wine.  Drop the olive in, secured with a toothpick.   This is very palatable, light and definitely morish…

CHERRY GIN
Ingredients
1 measure gin
Dash of lemon juice
Dash of Angostura bitters
Ice cubes
100 mL of sour cherry juice (may substitute crushed fresh cherries)

Method
Mix the gin, lemon juice, bitters and ice cubes shaking well. Add the ice-cold cherry juice and stir thoroughly.

GLÜHWEIN
Ingredients
1 bottle port
2 cups of brandy
1 tablespoon sugar
3 cinnamon sticks
4 cardamom pods
2-3 pieces star anise
1 orange stuck with about 15-20 cloves
1 apple, cored and quartered
Peel of one lemon

Method
Heat the port over a slow fire and add the spices, sugar, apple and citrus.  Stir until sugar is dissolved. Add the brandy and remove from the fire into a fireproof jug. Keep warm over a tea-light until all is consumed.

WATERED DOWN BRANDY
Ingredients
A lump of sugar
3 drops of peach essence
A measure of warm water
A measure of brandy

Method
Drop the peach essence onto the sugar and dissolve in the warm water. Stir in the brandy and sip by the open fire,  late at night, listening to this:

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