The Cocktail

Unquestionably, the cocktail culture is enjoying a huge resurgence. We generally have our favourites - mine is currently a ‘Molly’s’ Old Fashioned – a variation on the classic made with Jack Daniels, sugar, Angostura bitters, cherry juice, orange juice and club soda, a slice of orange and 2 cherries for garnish. The recipe is one I learned from a dear friend in the USA – it’s simultaneously sweet and bitter, there’s no mistaking the seductive lure of bourbon and there’s just enough soda to refresh the palate between sips. 

Restaurants with even a simple bar set-up should be able to make basic cocktails (a blend of two or more ingredients – shaken, built, blended or stirred). Classic cocktails are drinks that have been famous for decades, and should be staples in decent bars and restaurants.

The Negroni is a popular classic stirred cocktail, a brilliant aperitif: strong, expect some bitterness and a tease of sweetness - if made well it will ensure you’re ready for dining. A traditional recipe requires equal parts of a really good gin (try the NZ made Reid & Reid or Black Sparrow), Red Vermouth (such as Gonzalez Byass ) and Campari (bitter orange). The trick in assembly is to work fast: use a lot of ice to chill the ingredients, stir for at least 30-60 seconds in a mixing glass and pour into a heavy-set rock glass. Always squeeze a little oil from the orange peel on top, wipe the edge of the glass with the same peel then drop it into the drink.