Non-alcoholic rose and lemon drop martini
Yes, yes, non-alcoholic. I can’t drink all the time you know. After serving martinis, you might, as I do, find your fridge to be full of bald lemons, shaved of their peel but still bursting with juice. You can use them for all sorts of things, like cooking, putting them in hot water to drink in the morning, making ice cubes, or, as I have … Continue reading Non-alcoholic rose and lemon drop martini
The Laura Santtini Umami Martini
Laura Santtini is a London-based chef with a recipe book that changed the way I looked at food. She describes herself as the genetic equivalent of a Molotov cocktail: half Italian, quarter Persian, pinch of Sephardic and then an English-Irish mix. Her recipe book is full of things you can prepare in a matter of minutes (ie before your friends get to your home via … Continue reading The Laura Santtini Umami Martini
A martini for Pancake Day (Shrove Tuesday)
Today was a good day. For a start, it was the first day I left the office this year and it was still daylight for my walk home. However, more importantly… Today is Pancake Day! My favourite saint’s day of all. Valentine’s Day is a horrible endurance of emotional intensity and commercially enforced feelings of low self-worth if you’re single. St Patrick’s Day might have … Continue reading A martini for Pancake Day (Shrove Tuesday)
Some other spirits
What do you drink after you’ve consumed two martinis? You don’t want to break the Two Martini Rule. Here is a selection of spirits that you can drink without adding a mixer. Smokey, velvety Mezcal from Oaxaca, Mexico. ¡Salud! Kirchwasser, cherry schnapps from Germany. Prost! Deep, dark, rich, herbal and smoky, this is Balsams from Latvia. Priekā! Some schnapps from Sweden. Skål! And finally my … Continue reading Some other spirits
How to cool down your gin very quickly
Here is a little tip my brother taught me. If you need to cool down a bottle of gin and you don’t have a lot of time (say an hour or so) don’t panic, you can do the following: Take some kitchen paper (one or two sheets). Run them under the tap then wrap them around the bottle. Put it in the freezer for an … Continue reading How to cool down your gin very quickly
A hot drink for a cold
Two days later and I’m still sick, at home, restless but lethargic at the same time. So here is a post about a hot drink I made to try and alleviate some of my cold symptoms. You will need: -Lemon -Ginger -Garlic -Hot water -Turmeric (optional) -Chilli flakes (optional) -Whisky or brandy or rum (optional) Take a piece of ginger around the size of your … Continue reading A hot drink for a cold
Lemsip
Most of my posts are about gin, vodka, drinking, partying, celebrating etc. But not today. Today I have a cold. So here is a picture of some Lemsip. Happy Monday. PS I added lemon juice, honey, 1/2 tsp turmeric and some brandy. PPS don’t tell anyone I mixed brandy with Lemsip. Continue reading Lemsip
How to make a really cold martini
Have I emphasised the importance of temperature in a martini before? Oh yes. Yes I have. So when you’re making a classic martini you can use these tips to get it really cold. Keep your gin and glasses in the freezer. If you want added chill, spray the glass with water at some point during the freezing process (at least 30 minutes before serving time). … Continue reading How to make a really cold martini
L’Escargot Restaurant, Soho, London, 3/5
I went with some friends to this French restaurant in London, located on Greek Street in Soho. It was an occasionally perplexing and even tense experience, although the martini I drank before my meal was nice. The staff were friendly and pleasant but there was a strange, intense and even chaotic element to the service. It was difficult to book a table, despite the fact … Continue reading L’Escargot Restaurant, Soho, London, 3/5
Green Tea-infused Gin
Here is a quick guide on how to infuse gin (or vodka for that matter) with green tea for you to use in a martini or an unusual gin and tonic. Simple, perfect, temperature-dependent, conducive towards mindful introspection… Am I talking about green tea or martinis here? I’ve previously made one or two gins infused with tea, such as Earl Grey but I wanted to … Continue reading Green Tea-infused Gin
