A Brandy Alexander was reportedly John Lennon's favourite tipple so he would no doubt have raised a glass on 31 January.
It's a brandy based cocktail which has a mixture of cognac and crème de cacao and is said to have
first appeared as a decadent cocktail served at the wedding reception
of Princess Mary and Viscount Lascelles in London in
1922.
But the Russian Tsar, Alexander II thought otherwise,
believing that the cocktail was named after him, while a famous opera
critic of the time, Alexander Dragon was convinced
that the drink was named in his honour.
No matter where it originates from, here is a great cocktail recipe so that you can enjoy Brandy Alexander Day.
You will need:
1 parts crème de cacao (alternatively use any good chocolate liqueur such as Klipdrift Black Gold)
1 parts cream
1 part Van Ryn’s 10 year old brandy
Nutmeg
Ice cubes.
To make the cocktail:
Add all the liquid ingredients
to a cocktail shaker, fill the shaker halfway with ice cubes and shake
for about 30 seconds or until the outside of the shaker is getting
nicely frosted. Strain into a glass, traditionally
a cocktail glass or martini glass which, ideally, you’ve been chilling
in the freezer. Garnish with a sprinkle of nutmeg and you’re ready to
celebrate Brandy Alexander Day in style.