3 Cocktail Favourites

I thought I would jazz up this weeks Friday Favourites with a cocktail favourites, as a Liefstyle blog I do dabble in the food & drink market and you may have seen on Instagram, last weekend was a little alcohol fueled, I am usually really good but with a wedding and then Ascot why the hell not!?! I do love a good cocktail and it is even better when you make them yourselves you may also know that I got my hack on recently and created my own bar cart so I am becoming a pro (I am not an alcohol obsessive I promise!)

Anyway the reason I made lots of yummy cocktails this weekend is I joined Appletiser and Richard Woods AKA 'The Cocktail Guy' for a cocktail masterclass at Ascot we were in a fancy box (don't be jel). Appletiser are actually one of the main sponsors of Ascot and have a bar on the main floor serving up some delicious samples and after celebrating there 50th Birthday Appletiser started to realise that its not just kids that just love their products but the 18+ market as well, me included it is the perfect thirst quencher and not that I ever thought about it before but they go perfect with a tipple. There is a whole new world of Appletiser to explore such as; replace the tonic part of Gin & Tonic and you have an absolute winner.

Right let's get back to the cocktails, I thought I would share my three new favourite cocktails that all include the delicious taste of Appletiser and some with the new flavour which I had not tried before of Apple and Pomegranate and it is delicious.

Richard Woods was on had to showcase his creations and give us a helping hand. If you have not heard of him before he is most well known for being head of spirit and cocktail development for one of the best restaurants in London, Duck and Waffle, if you have not heard of it click on the link NOW.

Cocktail 1: Orchard Fizz
How pretty does this cocktail look, it tastes AMAZING. I always find that cocktails with an egg white always taste the best it provides a lovely texture.

Quick three step guide:
1. Pour 35ml Gin, 25ml apple liqueur, 10ml lemon juice, 10ml sugar syrup, 1 egg white and three drops of tartaric acid solution (if you do not have this its not the end of the world) into a cocktail shaker without ice for 15 seconds.
2. Add some ice and re-shake, strain into cocktail glass.
3. Top up with Appletiser, Apple and Pomegranate then garnish with slices of apple and pomegranate seeds (I used a dehydrated apple slice in the photos)

Cocktail 2: Pine Needle Hi Ball
I think this was my favourite cocktail out of all three and I actually thought i wouldn't even like it but it is so fresh. It is a really simple cocktail to create and looks might impressive with the pine needle (why have I not been putting pine needles in all my drinks!). Now you have a reason to go on a Spring walk to hunt for some pine trees.


Quick three step guide:
1. Add 50ml dry vermouth, 2 dashes of lemon bitters, 10ml sugar syrup to a tall glass with ice.
2. Pour in Appletiser till the glass is three quarter full, stir then fill to the top.
3. Garnish with a pine needle inside the glass.

Cocktail 3: Hoppy Ever After
This cocktail is a little sweater and great to end the night with a dessert.

Quick three step guide:
1. Heat up one IPA beer bottle on medium heat till its half of its original volume. Add 100gr sugar and mix till dissolved. Cool. Wisk to remove any froth. Then refrigerate.
2. Add 25ml Gin, 15ml Martini Blanco, 15ml of the pale ale reduction, 35ml Appletiser Apple & Pomegrante or normal Appletiser.
3. Add ice cubes and stir. Strain into a glass.

Partner any of these cocktails with a three course meal of one of my easy to make snacks.

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Restaurant of the month: Ping Pong

Ping Pong, is my favourite Chinese dim sum restaurant enabling you to surround yourself with food so you have no more space on the table for your mobile phone. 

Not only is there scrumptious food but the authentic cocktails and gourmet teas that all have a unique British twist.

Ping Pong is available across London, in eight locations with new artesian cocktails and autumnal inspired dim sum dishes are available.

So we had the special Sunday Special which for just over £15 you can have as much Dim Sum as you would like!

We had:

Nibbles

Garlic and black pepper prawn crackers with a spicy mango dip £1.95

Fried & Gridled

Duck Spring Rolls, £4.45

Prawn Toast with Seaseme Seads, £4.15 

Potato and edamame Cake £3.05
Beef & Chili Parcels £4.15

Baked
Roast Pork Puff £4,15

Rice Dishes
Vegetable sticky rice £4.15
Chicken and mushroom rice pot £6.15

Steamed
beef dumpling £3.95

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Anyone up for a spot of Afternoon Tea?

1. The Playboy Club

Where2Go: between 5pm - 7pm  @ Salvatores Bar, Playboy Club, London

The Price: £30 per person

More info: www.playboyclublondon.com/club/afternoon-tea 

Last month The Playboy Club launched a playful Afternoon Tea with delicious cakes and a twist on tea & cocktails. 

As you walk in live piano music is playing creating a relaxed but elegant setting to have your spot of late afternoon tea.

We first got treated to specially created Te'Freddo Teapot Cocktails developed by Salvatore himself! We went for:

SPICY - Sencha Green tea, Vodka, Lemongrass, Cardamon, Eucalyptus, Cocchi Americano aperitif and lime flavoured sugar

&

FRUITY - Lychee jasmine tea, pisco, lychee agave and peach liqueurs, white peach purée and orange juice.

These definitely tingled the senses being served in ice cold glasses and were delicious! 

Iconic Bunnies who were not cheesy but absolutely lovely!!! Served up our exquisite afternoon tea with homemade savory sandwiches with a selection of Steak, Salmon and Egg variations and the cutest desserts, including the finely crafted Bunny Ear Cupcake and every Bunny’s favourite; a traditional carrot cake also a tiny macaroon and deconstructed scone.

This is somewhere I will be visiting again soon, maybe to start a night out or a pre-theatre trip! 

2. Carmina Lancelot
 

Where2Go: Wigmore Street, London
The Price: £21.50 for afternoon tea
More Info: www.carminalancelot.com

Carmina Lancelot is a quaint cafe and perfect for a spot of some traditional afternoon tea after shopping at Selfridges (basically next door to each other)! 

After sipping some classic Earl Grey tea, we received homemade scones with strawberry jam and clotted cream. A selection of sandwiches which included salmon, egg, chicken & tarragon and cucumber & cream cheese. - all free range!

It did say on the menu selection of afternoon pastries and fruit cakes (but these never appeared! I would confirm what you will be receiving before you order, not to be disappointed)

But we were so full it did not matter it was lovely to have a traditional afternoon tea.

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Cocktail Hour

The Price: Midori ranges from £11 to £16.99

Where2Buy: Midori is available to buy from a wide range of retailers including Tesco, Asda, Morrison’s and the drinkshop.co.uk.

The Gossip: Forget the Pimms while watching the tennis and liven up your drink with these two tipples:

How to make: Midori's Smashing Melons

Using: Midori, Melon Liqueur

Ingredients: 

• 50ml MidorI
• 20ml lemon juice
• 8 - 12 mint leaves
• 30ml apple juice

This refreshing creation combines the fruity melon flavour of Midori, with crisp apple juice, zesty lemon and fresh mint leaves.  It’s easy to make, served in a simple tumbler (although I went for an old school martini glass) and garnished with a crunchy slice of apple. 

Method:

Shake Midori, apple juice, lemon juice and mint in a cocktail shaker. Pour over ice, garnish with an apple slice and enjoy!

Next on the list is the SOUR SCOTSMAN

The Price: £36.99

Where2Buy: Whiskey specialists 

Ingredients:

• Juice of ½ lemon
• 1 ½ teaspoons sugar 
• 2 measures Auchentoshan 12 Year Old 
• Soda water to top up

Additional:

• 12.5ml of egg white

This is a modern twist to the traditional whiskey sour, using Auchentoshan 12 Years Old Whiskey, making the iteration lighter and slightly sweeter.

The Sour Scotsman can be adapted to a Boston Sour with the addition of egg whites - giving the cocktail a frothy head and smoother finish.

This can be served in a small tumbler.

Method:

Step 1: Shake the ingredients with ice, and strain

Step 2: Add a good dash of soda water

Step 3: Decorate with a slice of orange

                

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Cocktail time with Patrón

Use Patrón an ultra premium tequila to create these fun cocktails to add some colour and glamour to any event.

 



A Grapefruit Breeze

Ingrediants

• 1 3/4 oz Patron Resposado
• 1/4 oz Patron Citronge
• 1/2 oz Grapefruit Juice
• 1/4 oz Lemon Juice
• 1/4 OZ Black Raspberry Liqueur 

Method:

Pour Patron Resposado, Patron Citronge, grapefruit juice, and lemon juice into a cocktail glass. Float black raspberry liqueur on top.


Patrón Green Apple
 
Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 oz Patron Silver
• 1/2 oz Apple Schnapps
• 1 oz green apple coulis or puree
• Juice of 1/2 lime
• Deep-fried granny smith apple to garnish

Method:

Combine all ingredients and shake. Serve straight up or on the rocks.

Garnish by floating a slice of deep-fried granny smith apple.





 

Pina Coronado

Ingredients

• 2oz Patron Silver
• 3/4 oz lemon juice
• 1/2 oz pineapple juice
• 1/2 oz elderflower liqueur
• 1/4 oz vanilla / cinnamon syrup
• Pineapple leaf for garnish

Method:

Shake all ingredients. Strain into a Collins glass over ice then garnish with a pineapple leaf.

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