Like the very wise proverbial saying goes: when life gives you lemons, make lemonade! Except for, in this case, it’s cocktails. While we spend the coming days under lockdown – with no end date in sight – we asked a few of London’s best bars to share some of their favourite cocktail recipes to recreate at home and help make the most of our evenings at home. Better yet, invite friends and relatives and savor over a live Zoom session or FaceTime.
Scarfes Bar, Rosewood London
An oldie but a goodie, Scarfes Bar at Rosewood London shares their classic Dry Martini recipe.
Ingredients:
60ml Gin or Vodka
15ml Dry Vermouth
2 dashes Orange Bitters
Method:
Stir all ingredients together
Pour into coupette glass (or next best thing in your house)
Garnish with an olive, twist of lemon or a small pickled onion
Show it off and tag @Scarfesbar #ScarfesBar
St James Bar at Sofitel London
When-not-in-Rome, the 5 to 7 celebrates the sacred Italian concept of Aperitivo. With Campari-infused coffee, Amaro Montenegro and pink grapefruit soda, this cocktail will give you a delicious taste of La Dolce Vita from your kitchen.
Ingredients:
10ml Amaro Montenegro
20ml Campari infused with coffee
45ml Antica Formula
Top up with pink grapefruit soda and add twist lemon and twist orange as garnish
Method:
Stir all ingredients and strain them into a chilled glass
For the Campari coffee, infuse 1 campari bottle with 20 coffee beans for 24 hours and strain it
Coupette
London bar Coupette has teamed up with Whiskey Exchange to create a bespoke cocktail bundle so Londoners can enjoy making a world clas cocktail at home. Designed by head bartender Andrei Marcu, the cocktail entitled Harvard Drop Out can be created at home and will tantalise taste buds with three simple ingredients. The bundle includes a bottle of Courvoisier VS Cognac, Croft Triple Crown Port and Tio Pepe Palomino Fino sherry.
Ingredients:
30ml of Courvoisier VS Cognac
50ml of Croft Triple Crown Port
10ml of Tio Pepe Palomino Fino sherry
Method:
Pour into mixing glass, add ice and stir
Strain into a small coupette and garnish with orange peel to serve
The Basil Smash by Amplify
The Basil Smash, by non-alcoholic spirit brand Amplify, combines sweet and savoury for a quenching and simple drink, ideal for this spring-time sunshine.
Ingredients:
50ml Amplify
50ml Lemongrass Syrup
10ml Lemon Juice
Soda Water
Handful of basil leaves to garnish
Method:
Shake the Amplify, lemongrass syrup and lemon juice together and strain into a highball glass
Top up with soda and garnish with fresh basil leaves
Our girl has travelled the world from a young age. Deborah can be found covering new openings or alternatively on a beach in Ibiza – her spiritual home.