The Sophisticated Urbanite

Asked for a Cosmo on Saturday night and had no cranberries nor any desire to reprise SJP, this is what I came up with instead.

The Sophisticated Urbanite

45mls Smirnoff Black, 7.5mls Cointreau, 7.5mls Aperol, one dash Fee’s West Indian Orange Bitters, 30mls freshly squeezed blood orange juice, 5mls fresh squeezed lime juice. Combine over ice, shake and double strain up.

I was told it was better than a Cosmo, I’m not sure if I should have replied “that’s not hard,” but I went with humble acceptance of the compliment and a sneaky shot of Don Julio.

MixMarch #26: The Pharmacological Stimulant

Dick Bradsel came up with this drink at a Bar called the Pharmacy in London. There are legends of a supermodel walking in and asking for a drink to “wake her up and fuck her up”. I’m not sure if that actually happened but in the voice of Steve Coogan, playing Mancunian impresario Tony Wilson, “If you have to choose between truth and the legend, choose the legend.”

This little version was served up last night at the Modern Martini challenge at Mojo coffee headquarters in Wellington. The coffee is roasted a whole ten feet from where the drink was made, so I reckon this might just have been the best drink in the world, for a few minutes, at least. When coffee is this good, you don’t to add sugar.

The Pharmacological Stimulant

60mls 42Below Manuka Honey vodka, 30mls of the finest coffee, freshly made. Garnish with three beans, repeat until your eyes stay open like they’re held there like matchsticks.

MixMarch #25: The B&B

The second drink that Simon Difford made at his Masterclass session was the B&B. A fusion of vodka and tequila, the B&B is named for Professor Jacob Briars and Julio Bermejo, of Tommy’s Restaurant in San Franciso.

The drink features another of Simon’s soon to be released range of cocktail bitters, this time Lavender. It also uses Agave Sec, a Triple Sec sweetend with the syrup of the fruit of tequila itself.

The B&B

30mls 42Below Manuka Honey vodka, 30mls Herradura tequila, 22.5mls Agave Sec, 15mls lime juice, 3 dashes Difford’s Lavender bitters. Shake over ice and strain up.