Bartenders Forums

Thursday 28th July 2011, by Andy

There are so many variations on cocktail recipes that I thought it would be a great idea to get a bunch of bartenders together and have a chat about them.  It won't be all talk though, as we'll be making drinks trying to decide which versions and variations we like the best.

Naturally I'll let you know the results!

Spritz Up & Groom at Glorious Goodwood

Monday 25th July 2011, by Andy

As many of you will know this week is an important week in the race calendar, with a full card at Glorious Goodwood from the 26th to the 30th July.

So given that I do love a day at the races, and coupled with the fact that there is a rather special Tanqueray Bar there this year, I'm planning a trip down there and I suggest you consider doing the same of course!

Not only will the Tanqueray Bar, located in the Gordon Enclosure, be serving fabulous cocktails including the Tanqueray Tiny Ten, but the ‘Spritz Up and Groom’ team will also be on hand to make sure I look my best throughout the day; offering either a shoe shine or makeover between 2pm and 5pm each day, superb!

Anyway, I'll let you know how I get on, and who knows; maybe I'll see you there!

In the mean time why not rustle one of these up at home:

Tanqueray Tiny Ten

50ml Tanqueray Ten Gin
75ml Pink Grapefruit Juice
15ml Sugar Syrup

Shake all of the ingredients with ice and double strain them into a chilled cocktail (martini) glass; then garnish with a twist of pink grapefruit peel.

New York Review

Sunday 24th April 2011, by Andy

So I'm off to the other side of the pond to see how they do it stateside, I haven't been to New York for a while so I'm keen to see if the city, the drinks, the bartenders and the service are up to scratch.

I'll let you know how they shape up when I get back!

Jamie Stephenson’s World Record Attempt

Monday 05th July 2010, by Andy

Fellow Yorkshireman and South Holderness survivor Jamie Stephenson attempts to set a new world record for the most number of cocktails made in one hour at the Boutique Bar Show in Manchester.

He had the recipes, he had the bar, he had the skills, all he needed was somebody prepared to stand still with a clipboard for 60 minutes and he was ready to rock; and given that i know my way around a clipboard I was drafted in to be the 'official adjudicator'.

Check out the video to see how Jamie got on here.

ANDY’S TEQUILA MASTER CLASS AT FORTNUM & MASON

Thursday 12th November 2009, by Andy

Last month i was fortunate enough to be invited by Visit Mexico to hold a series of master classes at Fortnum & Mason.  This gave me a chance to russle up a few of my favourite Tequila cocktails and try them out on the unsuspecting public; and just for an extra bit of fun i matched each of the drinks to a different chocolate selection from Fortum & Mason's very own confectionary department.  The results were fantastic and i would like  thank everyone who attended for coming with an open mind and an open palate.

Earl Grey Margarita

The first drink I started off with was a twist on a Classic Margarita, replacing triple sec with another sweetening agent, in this case Earl Grey tea syrup.  To make this simply add 4 Earl Grey tea bags to ½ pint of caster sugar and ½ pint of hot water, stir until the sugar dissolves and the mixture turns a light tea colour, be careful not leave the tea bags in too long as the tannins will make it bitter.

50ml Siete Leguas Blanco Tequila
15ml Earl Grey Tea Syrup
25ml Fresh Lime Juice

(If you like a little extra smokiness add in 2.5ml Qi Black Tea Liqueur to the mix)

Shake all of the ingredients over ice and double strain into a chilled margarita coupette.

Fuego Manzana

I followed that up with one of my all-time favourite Tequila cocktails, created by The Man, The Smith, The Legend, my good friend Danny Smith, a wonderful balance of spicy chilli and soothing apple juice.

50ml Herradura Anejo Tequila
15ml Apple Liqueur
25ml Pressed Apple Juice
25ml Fresh Lime Juice
1 Teaspoon Caster Sugar
2cm Red Chilli

Lightly muddle the chilli with the sugar in the bottom of a shaker, add the other ingredients and shake over ice, double strain into a chilled cocktail glass, pop a red chilli on the rim as a garnish.

Basil & Black Pepper Margarita

Now how do you follow a drink like that?  Well it just so happened I had this little beauty up my sleave, created by Intoxicology’s very own drinks diva Alex Hughes for the Locale Restaurant Group.

50ml Patron Reposado Tequila
8-10 Medium-sized Basil Leaves
25ml Fresh Lime Juice
15ml Agave Syrup

Shake all the ingredients together over ice and double strain into a margarita coupette with half a black pepper rim; to create this effect simply rub a lime wedge around half the rim of the glass and roll the outside edge into a saucer of freshly cracked black pepper.  Garnish with a floating basil leaf.

Anejo Chocolate Old Fashioned

To top it all off I unveiled a recipe I’d developed for the Dia de los Muertos (Mexican Day of the Dead Celebration) edition of Market Kitchen.

60ml Don Julio Anejo Tequila
5ml Dark Crème de Cacao
3-4 Dashes Chocolate Bitters
1 Teaspoon Moscovado Sugar

Add sugar, bitter s and cacao into the base of a rocks glass and muddle gently, add three large ice cubes and 20ml of the Tequila and stir 30 times, add 3 more large ice cubes and a further 20ml of spirit and stir again another 30 times; finally add in 3 more large ice cubes and the remaining Tequila and give the mixture a final 30 revolutions.

 

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