Mixing it up for summer - recipes

Published Nov 9, 2011

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It’s time to switch from heavy red wines in front of the fire to light, refreshing cocktails with sand between your toes.

For those warm summer evenings at home with friends it’s always good to have a few easy cocktail recipes up your sleeve.

Grey Goose Vodka arranged a cocktail lunch at The Grand in Cape Town recently to give us a chance to learn more about the art of preparing refreshing alcoholic beverages.

As we kicked off our shoes and layered on the sunscreen, we sipped on the welcome drink, a tall Le Fizz – vodka, fresh lime juice, elderflower cordial and sparkling water.

While the focus was mainly on the drinks, lunch was a lavish affair with two enormous salads, shrimp tempura, beef carpaccio and mixed grilled veg crostini to start.

The saltiness of the carpaccio was a perfect combination with the cool freshness of the second cocktail, Calme Ideale (Ideal Calm) which calls for vodka, Martini Bianco, mint and green iced tea.

Then it was on to the mains with a choice of entrecôte au poivre (sirloin), grilled fresh line fish, grilled chicken breast with yoghurt dressing, linguini mezzanote or penne arrabbiata.

I opted for the generous portion of sirloin and chips to accompany the fruity Lever du Soleil (Rising Sun) while others sampled the cheerful Coucher de Soleil (Clifton Sunset).

Dessert was an irresistibly decadent pavlova with fresh berries, and, combined with the wickedly sugary Candyfloss Dream, it was enough to leave me buzzing for the rest of the afternoon.

The final cocktail was not only the most fun but also a great example of molecular mixology in action as we had the opportunity to pour the drinks ourselves and watch as the bright candyfloss melted into our martini glasses.

Freshly mixed cocktails can add a stylish flair to your entertaining, so here are a few of Grey Goose mixologist Kevin Snyman’s recipes to get you started.

Coucher de Soleil (Clifton Sunset)

25ml vodka

1 spoon blueberry jam

3 basil leaves

50ml cranberry juice

2 dashes bitters

Blue berries for garnish

Add vodka, blueberry jam, basil, cranberry juice and bitters to shaker; add cubed ice, shake until chilled. Serve in a whisky tumbler.

Unlike its Sunrise sister, this cocktail is a little bolder with strong hints of basil coupled with the sweet taste of blueberry. The addition of bitters and cranberry juice helps lengthen the cocktail, which adds the full character to the drink. Served perfectly in a short glass over cubed ice.

Lever du Soleil (Rising Sun)

25ml vodka

1 spoon orange and ginger marmalade

50ml grapefruit juice

2 dashes bitters

Grapefruit slice for garnish

Add vodka, marmalade, grapefruit juice and bitters to shaker; add cubed ice, shake until chilled. Serve in a martini glass.

A refreshing, clean drink with great mouth feel brought together by sweet and bitter flavours. Grapefruit juice combines perfectly with the orange and ginger marmalade and bitters gives it an edge. Keep this drink in your mouth for a few seconds to appreciate its delicate tones.

Dragon’s Breath

25ml vodka

75ml fresh orange juice

Bitters in spritzer

Lighter

Pour the vodka into a cocktail shaker with the fresh orange juice. Shake and strain into a chilled martini glass.

Place the lighter just above the liquid and light. Spray a gentle amount of bitters through the flame over the liquid. Garnish with orange zest.

The flame adds to the flavour. - Cape Times

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