We’re loving this fantastic video of Guardian journalist Simon Majumdar’s search for the perfect Martini. Nick Strangeway takes him around three of London’s top bars each of which serve a different twist on our favourite classic. Check out the hilarious trainspotter type comments too.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/lifeandstyle/video/2010/mar/02/how-to-make-perfect-martini
Here’s an amusing tidbit that arrived in the Gintime mailbox this week. Apparently bartenders in Vancouver have come up with loads of special ways to mark the Winter Olympics currently taking place in Canada. At Yew Restaurant + Bar at the Four Seasons, for instance, Justin Taylor and Jordan Moore have created three cocktails commemorating all the Olympic Games held in Canada. So you can have an updated whisky sour for Montreal 1976, a beefed-up Caesar for Calgary 1988 and a cucumber-flavoured Gin Fling (ooh could that possibly be Hendricks?) with a smoked salmon garnish for Vancouver 2010.
For budding athletes Lauren Mote of The Refinery has worked with personal trainer Vaneska Zahuta at VanFit Athletics to create five healthy cocktails with performance-boosting “super foods”. The gin-based “Beet It” has beetroot juice and rhubarb bitters and is rich with iron, anthocynim, vitamin C and antioxidants. Great way to keep out the cold!
Gin has come a long way since the days when the horrors of the eighteenth century Gin Madness were depicted in Hogarth’s famous “Gin Lane” with its vivid images of the effects of addiction on London’s population. And no wonder that gin was blamed. Because although at the time gin was drunk by both sexes, women took to gin like ducks to water and the authorities were very concerned about the ability of gin addled women to give birth to and raise healthy children hence the nickname Mother’s Ruin for gin. They were not wrong – in the 1720s almost 75% of children born in London never reached five years old. In 1751 nine thousand children died from alcohol poisoning,
A new exhibition at London’s Foundling Hospital featuring Tracey Emin, Matt Collishaw and Paula Rego picks up on contemporary themes of maternal neglect and childhood deprivation so graphically illustrated by Hogarth. In a brilliant demonstration of how much the image of gin has changed Hendricks Brand Ambassador Louis Lewis-Smith has created an exquisite Hendrick’s Gin punch to mark the opening of the new exhibition.
Here’s more about the Foundling Museum which sits on the site of the old hospital that was founded with Hogarth’s money. It was Britain’s first home for abandoned children and also houses Hogarth’s very own punch bowl. Check it out here http://www.foundlingmuseum.org.uk/exhibit_temp.php
The new exhibition is a must see but in the meantime, in the spirit of Hogarth, here’s the Hendricks Gin hommage:
To make:
In a finely decorated punch bowl or tea pot, add Hendrick’s Gin, half again of crème de framboise and half again of fresh lemon juice. Drop in several sprigs of lavender and numerous slices of cucumber. Top off with sparkling wine before serving into bone china tea cups. Wonderfully peculiar and not a cat’s paw in sight.
(or per serving)
40ml Hendrick’s gin
20ml creme de framboise
15ml fresh lemon juice
1 piece of lavender
1 slice of cucumber
dash of sparkling wine
Gorgeous!
Beefeater 24’s recent US Cocktail Comp required contestants to create a new drink containing Beefeater 24 plus 6 other ingredients. Here’s the winning recipe created by Preston Eckman, and a damn fine drink it is too!
Matcha Fizz
Adapted from a recipe by Preston Eckman, Apothecary Lounge, Philadelphia
Shake over ice and strain into a chilled champagne coupe
Here’s something to warm you up in these dank days – two lovely new tea based cocktails from Caorunn Gin.
Caorunn G&Tea
To prepare the tea infusion add the following to 1 litre hot water
Leave on just enough heat to keep the mix hot (do not need to simmer or boil) for 30 min. Strain thoroughly before using and serve hot in a 10oz glass/cup. The mix can be re-heated as appropriate.
Highland G&Tea
Stir thoroughly before serving and serve hot in a 12oz cup/glass
What a great response to our Beefeater Classic Cocktails book offer and congratulations to Lorna Breetzhe, Iain Maxwell, Deirdre Steain, Nick Yardley, Jane Hill, Martin Best, Gary Hughes, Stuart Reid, Jackie Youel and Sue Southurst who, depending on the whim of Royal Mail, should all be receiving their copies of this gorgeous little book shortly. Don’t despair if you weren’t a winner as the Beefeater London Classic Gin Cocktails Book is now available free online at Mixellany Books at
www.mixellany.com
Have a peek at it here:
This year’s Tales of the Cocktail saw Martin Miller travel to New Orleans for the first time to take part in a series of events but also “to prove I actually exist!” One masssively successful event was the Internet Bloggers’ Reception on July 7th where web diarists from across the country gathered to catch up, sip Martin Miller’s Gin cocktails and listen to Martin discuss his passion for making gin. The winning cocktail from the Martin Miller’s Gin Masters Competition, created by Sam Ross of Milk & Honey, New York, went down a storm too.
Text4Cocktails is a brand new service that allows you to receive cocktail recipes on the move. Whether you’re buying ingredients, making cocktails for friends or customers, or out socialising, receive recipes instantly on your mobile phone. There’s no subscription, just a small payment per text .
The brainchild of Aberdeen entrepreneur, Ryan Coutts and partnered by local design company Damage Inc. Design, the concept has taken bars, clubs and off-licences in the North-East by storm. As Ryan explains: “I was working as a bar manager and noticed that people would ask for cocktails and staff sometimes didn’t know how to make them. Cocktail recipe books aren’t always on hand, but eight out of 10 people these days have a mobile.”
To use the service all you have to do is text COCKTAIL and the name of your cocktail of choice e.g. MARTINI to 84383 to get an instant response:
Ryan added, “We’ve also seen the service prove useful for when you’re out and about and need to find cocktail recipes or recommendations as we’ve recently introduced two other options:
Simply text COCKTAIL and NEW to receive the latest recipe, or text COCKTAIL and the spirit of your choice e.g. GIN to receive the latest gin cocktail recipe. Cool or what? For more information please go to www.text4cocktails.co.uk
Martin Miller’s Gin celebrated its 10th Anniversary this week by hosting a Cocktail Competition with a difference on famous Brighton Beach. Top barmen from around the UK joined a panel of judges to compete for a trip to the Martin Miller’s Gin Masters in the US in November. In full view of Brighton Pier and its slightly less sturdy neighbour, the West Pier, and a pebble’s throw from the beach, the participants battled it out over an al fresco bar)
The winner overall was Edinburgh’s Ryan Chetiyawardana of Bramble, with his 10th Anniversary Cocktail, ‘Decennalia’, using Martin Miller’s Gin and Springbank 10 year old Single Malt, In the ‘Lost & Stolen’ category Ryan mixed the delicious ‘Ace of Violets’, for which he redistilled Miller’s Westbourne Strength to produce an innovative Crème d’Yvette drink. Jamie MacDonald, Barman at the newly opened Hotel Missoni, won first prize in the ‘Lost & Stolen’ category with a Cosmo and it was his knowledge and balance of the cocktail which won him the round. Cameron Daws from Koba in Brighton won the prize for Overall Bar Personality with what Lucinda McCaffrey, Martin Miller’s Gin Brand Ambassador, described as his “cheeky personality” and his “hilarious” speed round meant the judges voted they would most like to sit at his bar. The other finalists included Dave White from Tiger Lily and Nico Espagnol from Lonsdale, who for the Speed Round stripped down to his Speedo swimming trunks!
Martin Miller’s Gin 10th Anniversary Cocktail – Decennalia
by Ryan Chetiyawardana
Martin Miller’s Gin Lost & Stolen Cocktail – Ace of Violets
by Ryan Chetiyawardana
This summer Hendrick’s Gin is promoting the return of previously banned misshapen fruits and vegetables to shop shelves (think curvy cucumbers, awkward apricots, misfit melons, bashed berries!) with a delicious new range of cocktails perfect for a sunny afternoon. In an effort to stamp out the obsession with conformity Hendrick’s Gin is single-handedly spearheading the mission to see aesthetically challenged fruit and vegetables brought back with The Hendrick’s Gin Charter for the Legalisation of Forgotten Fruits (and vegetables).
To show their support for the Charter, people are invited to submit evidence of their own homegrown produce via the Facebook group – The Hendrick’s Gin Charter for the Legslisation of Forgotten Fruits. The best endeavours will be rewarded with Hendrick’s Gin bounty, including bottles of the exquisite elixir and even the opportunity to attend an exclusive secret gathering for Hendrick’s aficionados.
Glen Hooper, first signatory to the Charter ,has worked with Hendrick’s Brand Ambassador Louis Xavier Lewis-Smith to develop a selection of fantastic summer cocktails made with the juniper and cucumber elixir including the Hendrick’s Gin Garden:
Glass: highball
Ice: cubed
Garnish: cucumber spiral
Method: Place the cucumber spiral within a highball glass. Gently pour in the Hendrick’s Gin, followed by the elderflower cordial and pressed apple juice. Top with lemonade
