You’ve watched the Leaders’ Debates, discarded the plethora of unread leaflets and you’ll certainly be trotting down to your local primary school to cast your vote. Well done responsible citizen! Thursday night’s the time to kick back and watch the future of our nation unfold. For that my friends, you’ll need a drink. It’s time to nail your political colours to the cocktail cabinet so we’ve selected some delicious potions that best represent each party leader. Be warned: the more you drink the less Jeremy Vine’s Swingometer will make sense.
Gordon’s Negroni
A hard-core cocktail for those completely dedicated to gin. You either love or hate The Negroni and, although the Campari imparts a subtle herbal infusion to the mix it does have a bitter edge. Rich ruby red in colour, this is a full strength concoction that’s a bit like Gordy himself. Probably just what we’ll all need come the early hours of Friday too…
- Negroni
- 1 oz. gin
- 1 oz. Campari
- 1 oz. sweet vermouth
Stir ingredients in a mixing glass filled with ice, strain into a chilled cocktail glass (or ice-filled double rocks glass) and garnish with an orange twist.
Dave’s Bikini
This cocktail is fresh, pretty and very blue, but it may ultimately remind you of something you really liked in the 80s then went right off. The Bikini Martini exists to bring back some old fashioned cocktail values. Who doesn’t like Peach Schnapps and Blue Bols, for goodness sakes? It’s a drink that’s met all sorts of ethnic minorities and claims to be comfortable with gay people but will it ever be truly back in fashion? You decide.
- Bikini Martini
- 1 shot gin
- 1 ½ shots Bols Blue Curacao
- 1 spoon Archer’s Peach Schnapps
Squeeze lime wedge and drop into martini glass, then shake all ingredients with ice and strain into glass, garnish with orange zest.
Nick’s MarTEAni
Martinis are of course synonymous with James Bond but for Clegg, Nick Clegg, it has to be an Earl Grey MarTEAni created by the fabulous Audrey Saunders. Whilst innovative and delicately balanced this isn’t the sort of Martini you’d be gallivanting across the globe fighting crime with. Oh no, this is a Martini you could present to your mum. She may not immediately approve but will eventually appreciate the cut of its jib and prefer it to the last two cocktails you brought home.
- Audrey’s Earl Grey MarTEAni
- 3/4 ounce fresh lemon juice
- 1 ounce simple syrup
- 1 1/2 ounce Earl Grey tea–infused gin (see recipe below)?
- 1 egg white
Measure all the ingredients into a mixing glass. Add ice, and shake hard to a 10-second count. Strain into a chilled martini glass, 1/2 rimmed with sugar, and garnish with a lemon twist.
- Earl Grey Tea–Infused Gin
- 1 750 ml bottle of gin
- 4 tablespoons loose, Earl Grey tea
Measure tea into bottle. Cap and shake, and let sit at room temperature for 2 hours. Strain through a fine sieve into a bowl. Rinse out bottle to remove loose tea, and pour infusion back into clean bottle. Will store indefinitely refrigerated.
