Cocktail Hour
The directors of an award-winning absinthe bar share their passion for magical cocktails in a new book - here are 4 intriguing cocktails to stir up a storm.
An art deco jewel and epitome of luxury, Claridge’s, in London’s swanky Mayfair, has been a sophisticated setting for celebratory cocktails since 1856 – and now you can recreate the world’s fi nest concoctions at home. Try these luxurious recipes from Claridge’s: The Cocktail Book...
1. The Flapper
Created for the opening of Claridge’s Bar in 1998
INGREDIENTS: 15ml Briottet Crème de Cassis, 15ml Boiron strawberry purée, Laurent-Perrier La Cuvée NV Champagne, to top up, 1/2 a strawberry to garnish.
METHOD: In a cocktail shaker, stir the crème de cassis and strawberry purée together, then fi ne-strain into a flute.
Top up with champagne and garnish with half a strawberry on the rim of the glass.
2. French 75
Created by Harry MacElhone, ABC of Mixing Cocktails (1923)
INGREDIENTS: 25ml Plymouth Gin, 10ml lemon juice, 15ml sugar syrup, Laurent- Perrier La Cuvée NV Champagne, to top up, lemon twist to garnish.
METHOD: In a cocktail shaker, shake all the ingredients, except the champagne, with ice cubes, then fi ne-strain into a flute. Top up with champagne and garnish with a lemon twist.
3. Claridge’s Bar Martini
INGREDIENTS: 3 sprays of Noilly Prat Original Dry Vermouth, 125ml of your preferred gin or vodka, frozen, lemon twist or olive to garnish.
METHOD: This is a much drier version of the classic martini and one that guests at Claridge’s enjoy the most. The coupe and the gin or vodka should be kept in the freezer at –19C and the garnish prepared first to ensure the drink is served as cold as possible.
When you’re ready to serve, collect the glass from the freezer and spray with the vermouth. Pour in the gin or vodka, garnish with a lemon twist or an olive, and drink immediately.
4. Black Pearl
Created by Jorge Oliveira, Claridge’s Bar, London
INGREDIENTS: 20ml Zubrowka Bison Grass Vodka, 10ml Botanist Islay Dry Gin, 10ml Chambord, 15ml Briottet Crème de Cassis, 50ml pink grapefruit juice, 20ml lemon juice, 6 blueberries, 3 blackberries, plus an extra blackberry, halved, to garnish.
METHOD: In a cocktail shaker, shake all the ingredients with ice cubes, then fine-strain into a chilled rocks glass over an ice block. Garnish with a halved blackberry placed carefully on top of the ice.
Claridge’s: The Cocktail Book, is published by Mitchell Beazley. Photography by John Carey.