Southern Belles

Kentucky Peach cocktail - glass by Toasted Glass

This week, my thoughts have turned back to bourbon. Perhaps it's the chill in the air that makes the smooth vanilla and spice of a rye bourbon seem so appealing right now...? Perhaps I'm running out of Gin-spiration...? Whatever the reason, it felt like the time was right to crack open the bottle of Buffalo Trace (again) and mix up some new drinks.

Any regular readers will know that bourbon is not necessarily my drink of choice, but I have mixed up the occasional Manhattan and in an earlier post, (Kentucky Fried) discovered that given enough of a cocktail makeover, bourbon has what it takes to be a tip top tipple. Obviously, hardened bourbon drinkers may crack their hairy knuckles in consternation, but that's just fine; they can continue to swig it neat from a chipped mug and good luck to them. I, on the other hand, will be taking my medicine with a large spoonful of sugar and probably some lemon and mint. It might not be macho, but it sure does taste swell.

Bourbon is a grain spirit, made, using predominantly corn (at least 51%), but the remaining 49% can come from a combination of barley, rye and wheat. Using more wheat than rye will result in a smoother, creamier bourbon as wheat allows the sweetness of the corn and the vanilla (from ageing in oak barrels) to shine through. A bourbon made with rye will have a higher concentration of  spice notes such as pepper, nutmeg and cinnamon. It typically has more 'bite' than it's wheatier counterparts and the end result of your cocktails will vary depending on the type of bourbon you use. Buffalo Trace contains rye and is therefore a little spicier, but is by no means at the spiciest end of the spectrum. It's a good, all round bourbon that adds a little bite without totally overpowering. That said, don't be afraid to experiment with other bourbons - you might just find your new, favourite drink.

One of my favourite cocktail ingredients, of late, has turned out to be ruby port. It seems that barely a week goes by when I'm not sneaking in yet another port based beverage and surprise surprise, I'm at it again.

My inspiration originally came from a cocktail recipe I stumbled across, that used red wine and bourbon. I had made a mental note to give it a try and then got sidetracked and forgot all about it. When I tried to recall it, the details were hazy, but I knew that some kind of sweetening would be necessary to bring the flavours together. That's when I realised that using port would bring the flavour I was looking for, along with the sweetness that was required. The addition of triple sec brings a bittersweet orange note that blends with spice of the bourbon and the brambly fruitiness of the ruby port. A spot of fresh lemon juice prevents the cocktail from descending into cloying sweetness - perfect...

Scarlett O'Hara

Ingredients
1 oz Buffalo Chase bourbon
2 oz Cockburns Ruby Port
1/2 oz Triple Sec
1/2 oz freshly squeezed lemon juice
Twist of lemon zest to garnish

Before cutting your lemon to squeeze it, use a sharp knife and cut a wide strip of zest from your lemon.
Add everything apart from the the lemon zest to a cocktail shaker with a handful of ice.
Shake hard for 20 secs and strain into a chilled martini glass.
Garnish with a twist of lemon zest.

Scarlett O'Hara cocktail - glass by Toasted Glass

This next cocktail is basically a martini style version of my 'Bird on the Wire' cocktail, created as a bespoke cocktail for a client, but I'm sure they won't mind this apprehension and adaption of their drink. Some things are too good to keep under wraps..

Southern Passion

Ingredients
2 oz Buffalo Trace bourbon
1 oz Giffards Passion Fruit Syrup
1 passion fruit
1 oz freshly squeezed lime juice
6-8 mint leaves
Twist of lime zest to garnish

Before cutting the lime to squeeze it, take a paring knife and cut a strip of zest from the peel.
Halve the passion fruit and scoop out the pulp and add to a cocktail shaker.
Add everything apart from the zest and muddle (squish)the mint leaves to release their minty essential oils.
Add a handful of ice and shake hard until the outside of the shaker develops a frosty bloom.
Strain into a chilled martini glass and garnish with a twist of lime zest.

Southern Passion cocktail - glass by Toasted Glass

This last cocktail combines Buffalo Chase bourbon with Cartron Creme de Peche de Vigne which may not seem like an obvious pairing, but actually, peaches are big news in the Southern States and the fruit pairs well with the vanilla, spice and nuttiness of bourbon. 

I am a huge fan of the fragrant taste of peaches, but when it comes to alcohol, not all peach liqueurs are made the same, but Cartron Creme de Peche is made using lots of beautiful vine peaches and is bursting with natural flavour. When making this cocktail, ensure that you use a peach liqueur that is made using the 'creme' method of macerating real fruit and contains no artificial flavouring.

Kentucky Peach

Ingredients

2 oz Buffalo Chase bourbon

1 oz Cartron Creme de Peche de Vigne

1 oz freshly squeezed lemon juice

1 teaspoon sugar syrup

Twist of lemon zest and sprig of mint to garnish

Before cutting your lemon to squeeze it, use a sharp knife and cut a wide strip of zest from the peel.

Add everything apart from the the lemon zest and sprig of mint to a cocktail shaker with a handful of ice.

Shake hard for 20 secs and strain into a chilled martini glass.

Garnish with a twist of lemon zest and sprig of mint.

Tip - slap the mint gently between your palms to release the aroma, before garnishing the cocktail.

Kentucky Peach cocktail - glass by Toasted Glass

This week's cocktails were served in these Vintage Pin Up cocktail glasses; The Scarlett O'Hara cocktail was brought to you by lovely brunette, Jane; Southern Passion came courtesy of bombshell blonde, Marilyn and Kentucky Peach was served up by lovely Rita, redhead. Who's your favourite?

Vintage Pin Up Cocktail Glasses by Toasted Glass

One for the ladies...

Bittersweet Ruby cocktail - tumbler by Toasted Glass

It has been a busy old week at Toasted Glass HQ and although we are barely into Autumn, the Christmas orders are already beginning to roll in. As sole designer and painter, this means that my time is largely spent, paintbrush in hand, hunched over, wishing my studio wasn't the coldest room in the house. However, help is on it's way, in the form of a free standing gas heater, so I will have no cause for complaint and of course, at the end of a long day of painting, there's always the promise of a cocktail to refresh and invigorate. Strangely, despite the cold, I am no less inclined to charge my shaker with ice and create a new libation and seeing as I have been painting rather a lot of Vintage Pin Up Girl designs lately, I thought I would create some drinks for them.

Of all the drinks I made this week, the Bramley Blue was Mr TG's clear favourite. If I want to curry his favour, I can guarantee a positive response to any drink I create, that contains lime, mint and sugar and I have noticed he is also rather partial to a dash of triple sec. However, having used the last of the triple sec in last week's creations, I turned to it's rather garish counterpart, blue curaçao. 

Blue curaçao can vary, depending on the brand you buy, but essentially, it is made with citrus peel (from the laraha fruit), as is Curaçao triple sec, although some, such as Bols Blue Curaçao, also have added spices. The overriding flavour of both liqueurs, however, is that of orange and of course, it is sweet, so despite the comedy colour, it actually mixes well with many  drinks, but if you find it a little off-putting, just use triple sec instead.

The star of this drink is the Chase Bramley Apple Vodka, a purchase made whilst taking a guided tour of the distillery earlier this year. It has a slight sweetness, tempered with the sharpness of Bramleys and a very natural, apple flavour. In short, it is delicious and can be enjoyed, ice cold and straight up as well as being a fine addition to the cocktail cabinet.

Bramley Blue

Ingredients
2 oz Chase Bramley Apple Vodka
1/2 oz blue curaçao
1/2 oz simple syrup
6-8 mint leaves
1 oz freshly squeezed lime juice
Sparkling water to top up
Strip of lime zest for garnish

Before cutting the lime for squeezing, pare off a thick strip, using a small, share knife, ensuring the pith is left behind.
Add the mint leaves and simple syrup to a cocktail shaker and muddle (squish) gently to release the essential mint oils
Add everything else apart from the sparkling water and garnish to the shaker with a handful of ice.
Shake hard for around 20 secs and then strain the contents into an ice filled tumbler.
Top up with a dash of sparkling water and garnish with a strip of lime zest, twisting it over the drink to release the citrus aroma.

Bramley Blue cocktail - tumbler by Toasted Glass

This next drink contains my two, latest purchases from my favourite purveyors of fine spirits and liqueurs, Amathus Drinks; Van Wees Three Corners Gin, distilled in Holland using only juniper and citrus as it's botanicals; and Cartron Creme de Peche de Vigne, a superior peach liqueur that uses a maceration of real fruit, rather than any artificial flavourings. The result is a slightly floral and fresh flavour with plenty of citrus to counteract the sweetness of the peach.

Juniper, Lemon and Peach

Ingredients

2 oz Van Wees Three Corners Gin

1 oz Cartron Creme de Peche de Vigne

1 oz freshly squeezed lemon juice

1/2 oz simple syrup

Sparkling water to top up

Strip of lemon zest for garnish

Add all of the ingredients apart from the water and the garnish, to a shaker with ice.

Shake hard until the outside of the shaker begins to frost and strain in to a chilled, ice filled tumbler.

Add a dash of sparkling water to top up the drink.

Garnish with a strip of zest, twisting it to release the essential oils.

Juniper, Lemon and Peach - tumbler by Toasted Glass

This final drink combines the bitter orange of Campari with the sweetness of ruby port to create a complex mix of flavours that give this cocktail real depth.and of them all, this was possibly my favourite drink of the week - I can't seem to get enough of port in cocktails at the moment. Plus, I just love that unexpected, slightly bitter aftertaste from the Campari - delicious!

Bittersweet Ruby

Ingredients

2 oz Cockburns Ruby Port

1 oz Campari

1 oz freshly squeezed lemon juice

1/2 oz simple syrup

Dash of sparkling water

Strip of lemon zest

Add all of the ingredients, except for the sparkling water and garnish, to a shaker with ice.

Stir with a bar spoon (long handled, like a sundae spoon) until the outside of the shaker develops a frosty bloom.

Strain the contents into an ice filled tumbler and top with a dash of sparkling water and a twist of lemon zest.

Bittersweet Ruby cocktail - tumbler by Toasted Glass

Beer Cocktails

Mr TG's Weissbier in more effervescent days - glasses by Toasted Glass

There has been a bit of a theme running through the posts of late, albeit, unintentional, and this week is no exception. Firstly, couple of weeks ago, we had a surfeit of pears, so I made pear nectar. Next, it was peaches, so I made peach nectar and this week, it's Weissbier so we are making Beer Cocktails, as close to 'beer nectar' as you can get.

You see, Mr TG has developed a bit of a taste for German Weissbier and actually, although beer is generally not my thing, I have to concede that it is quite tasty. So tasty in fact, that I thought it a jolly good idea when he discovered you could buy a 5 litre keg at a considerably more reasonable price than by the bottle. However, what we didn't realise is that it immediately starts to go flat as I believe these little barrels are designed for serving at parties and not intended to be stored in the fridge for a cheeky glass of beer of an evening. So what do you do with a couple of litres of rather lifeless Weissbier? Why you make some cocktails, of course...

All of the following cocktails are actually delicious and worth buying a bottle or two of fresh Weissbier to enjoy them at their best. When buying weissbier for this purpose, I recommend you buy a German brand such as Erdinger or Paulaner as oppose to a Belgian Witbier, which has very different tasting notes due to the tradition of brewing it with orange peel and coriander. I tried making Mr TG's beloved 'Flintoff' cocktail with a Belgian Witbier and the result was not up to par. No doubt there are some great cocktails to be made with it, but that's for another time.

Today we are all about the Bavarian Weissbier which is generally cloudy, naturally sweet with an often, quite distinctive, banana note, not to mention, clove and vanilla - basically, very delicious. It is actually quite a highly carbonated beer, hence the big frothy head you associate with German beers, which helps counterbalance the malty sweetness of it. However, for the purpose of making cocktails, it is best to pour out what you need and allow it to settle, before adding it to the mix. Otherwise, you may have a few frothy overspills to clear up. Of course, there were no such worries for Mr TG and I, given that the fizz had long since departed from our brew, but even so, the use of a shaker is not recommended, except as static, mixing receptacle.

The first cocktail is not one I can claim to have invented and there are many variations on the theme. Basically, it's a Mojito, but instead of topping up with sparkling water, you are using beer. If you are using a Rhum Agricole like Clements, which is a very young, white rum, with almost citrus notes to it, I recommend a less hoppy, lighter, more citrus tasting beer, like Corona, but with the Weissbier, I found  a mix of white rum and dark rum worked better.

Beer-jito

Ingredients
1 oz Clements Rhum Agricole
1 oz Havana Club Añejo 7 años
1 oz lime juice
8 mint leaves
1 oz sugar syrup
3 oz Weissbier
Sprig of mint to garnish

Muddle (squish) the mint in the bottom of a cocktail shaker or large glass with the lime juice.
Add the rest of the ingredients, plus a handful of ice and stir with a bar spoon (long handled like a sundae spoon) for about 20 secs.
Strain into an ice filled tumbler or hi ball glass and garnish with the sprig of mint.
Tip - if you slap the mint very gently between your palms, it will release the essential oils and enhance the minty aroma of your creation.

Beer-jito - glass available from Toasted Glass

I'm not sure what exactly inspired me to make this next drink, but I think it will be a moment of inspiration, I'll be eternally grateful for. It's very simple to make and would be a great one to scale up the quantities and serve as a punch at parties.

Ruby in the Weiss

Ingredients
1 oz Ruby Port (I used Cockburns)
1 oz Triple Sec
1 oz freshly squeezed lime juice
4 oz Weissbier

Add all of the ingredients to a the bottom of a shaker or large glass, with ice.
Stir with a long handled spoon for about 20 secs, then strain into an ice filled tumbler.

Ruby in the Weiss - glass by Toasted Glass

This final cocktail is loosely based on one of my favourite tequila drinks, El Diablo and is such a fabulously spooky colour, it's just crying out to be a Halloween party special.

Devil's Brew

Ingredients
2 oz tequila resposado
1 oz freshly squeezed lime juice
2/3 oz creme de cassis
1/3 oz blue curaçao
2 oz Weissbier
2 oz ginger beer
Strip of lime zest to garnish

Firstly take a sharp paring knife and cut a strip of zest from your lime before you squeeze the juice out.
Next, add all of the ingredients, apart from the zest, to a cocktail shake or large glass with ice.
Stir for 20 secs and then strain into an ice filled tumbler.
Twist the strip of zest over the rim of the glass, to release the essential oils and garnish the drink.

Devil's Brew - glass by Toasted Glass

Just Peachy...

Sweet Rosemary cocktail - glass by Toasted Glass

This week's post has been brought to you, courtesy of Lockets, Olbas Oil and Kleenex Balsam Tissues, without which, none of this would have been possible. I am currently in the midst of Lady Flu and viewing the world as though I had a vaseline smeared fish bowl on my head - none of which is conducive to good mixology, taste being an integral part of the process. Luckily however, the week began in less snot-centric circumstances and I was able to create a few peachy numbers before the flu fairy descended upon me, sprinkling me with her germ-laden, fairy dust. 

Why peaches, I hear you ask? Well, the truth is that Mr TG returned from a hard day's foraging in the supermarket, laden with multiple punnets of white peaches which had been reduced in price. They were a tad on the hard side, so we left them to ripen in the bowl, but after two days of waiting patiently, they were still looking more useful as cricket balls, than a fruity treat. Not wishing to admit defeat, I decided to turn them into peach purée - worst case, we'd drinking Bellinis all week...

So, should you find yourself in similarly saddled with a bowl of hard peaches, this is what to do to make them into peach nectar.

Peach Nectar

Firstly, score the skin of the peaches with a sharp knife, to make several crosses over the surface - this will allow the skin to loosen when you blanche them.

Place the peaches in a pan of water so that they are covered and bring quickly to the boil - if the peaches are really hard, allow to boil for minute or two.

Remove from heat and run immediately under the cold tap - this should loosen the peach skin and make it easy to peel off.

Cut the peaches in half and remove the stones.

If the peaches are still very hard, place all the cut pieces into a saucepan with just enough water to cover the bottom and simmer for a few minutes until soft, ensuring the pan doesn't boil dry.

Remove from heat and allow to cool.

Push through a sieve with the back of a spoon and store in an airtight container. 

Add a little water and or sugar, if necessary.

As this peach nectar has no preservatives, you should aim to guzzle it within a day or two, which means lots of cocktailing opportunities, or you could just drink it as juice, but where's the fun in that?

This first cocktail brought a touch of summer sun to an autumnal evening. It plays the sweetness of peach against the tang of grapefruit and tops it off with a touch of fiery ginger beer. The combination of sweet and spicy Añejo 7 Años Havana Club, dark rum with the citrus notes of Clement Rhum Blanc Agricole give the drink lots of flavour layers in the tradition of a Tiki style cocktail.

Peach Tiki

Ingredients

1oz Añejo 7 Años Havana Club

1oz Clement Rhum Blanc Agricole

1oz peach nectar

1oz freshly squeezed pink grapefruit juice

A little ginger beer to top up

Strip of pink grapefruit zest to garnish

Using a sharp paring knife, cut a strip of zest from the peel of the grapefruit and set to one side.

Add everything, but the ginger beer to a cocktail shaker and shake hard for about 20 secs.

Strain into a large tumbler or highball filled with crushed ice and top up with a little ginger beer.

Peach Tiki - glass by Toasted Glass

As well as being a gorgeous shade of blush, this next cocktail is a delicate blend of gin and juice, enhanced with the herbal notes of fresh basil. I used Williams Chase Extra Dry GB Gin because it has strong spicy notes of cinnamon and nutmeg that compliment the peach nectar and plenty of juniper and citrus to blend with the pink grapefruit. There are a lot of different flavours going on in one glass, but the result is a delicately perfumed and refreshing  drink.

Basil Blush

Ingredients

2oz Williams Chase Extra Dry GB Gin
4-6 fresh basil leaves
1oz peach nectar
1oz freshly squeezed pink grapefruit juice
1/2oz simple syrup
Dash of sparkling water
Sprig of basil to garnish

Add the syrup and basil leaves to a cocktail shaker and muddle gently (squish) to release the essential oils - don't overdo the muddling or the flavour will be vegetal rather deliciously herbal.
Add the rest of the ingredients to the shaker with a handful of ice and shake to mix.
Strain the shaker contents into a chilled tumbler, filled with ice and top with a dash of sparkling water.
Garnish with a small sprig of basil - gently slap the sprig between your palms to release the basil aroma.

Basil Blush cocktail - glass by Toasted Glass

Now I realise that tequila isn't everybody's spirit of choice, but I have grown to love the smokey, earthy flavour of a tequila resposado and find it combines really well with elderflower and rosemary syrup as in the Tufnell cocktail from my Ashes post. Here, I've used these flavours again, but combined them with peach nectar and topped up with a spot of bubbly to add some sparkle and dilute the concentration in the absence of ice.

Sweet Rosemary

Ingredients

1oz tequila resposado
1/2 oz Chase Elderflower Liqueur
1/2 oz rosemary syrup (click here for recipe)
1oz peach nectar
1/2 oz lemon juice
Cava or your fizz of choice to top up
Strip of lemon zest to garnish

Before cutting the lemon to squeeze it, take a sharp paring knife and cut a strip of zest from the peel.
Add the rest of the ingredients, apart from the Cava, to a shaker and shake hard.
Strain into a chilled martini glass or coupette and carefully add some fizz, ensuring you pour slowly to avoid it fizzing over. Allow to settle and gently stir to mix.

Sweet Rosemary cocktail - glass by Toasted Glass

And so we come to the end of the week, when the lurgey caught up with me and I was rendered temporarily off the cocktail radar. I was sorely tempted to treat myself with Penicillin cocktails, but upon reflection, decided that, although undeniably delicious, the health benefits were debatable. Instead, I made a warming, fruity punch, using the rest of the peach nectar, lemon and honey-ginger syrup. I can testify to it's soothing and warming qualities and should you wish to pop a tot of rum in there too, I imagine you'll be perky again in no time!

Rum Tea Remedy

Ingredients

1oz Clements Rhum Blanc Agricole

1oz honey-ginger syrup

2oz water

2oz peach nectar

1oz lemon

Add everything to a saucepan and heat very gently for about 5 mins, never allowing it to boil.

Pour into a suitably heat resistant receptacle, cup hands around it and curl up in a comfy chair, preferably with a warm, snuggly blanket...achoo

Rum Tea Remedy - cup by Toasted Glass

Nature's Harvest (in a glass)

Jolly Sailor Mulled Cider - glassware from Toasted Glass

Only a few, short weeks ago, it felt as though Summer might last forever, but of course, the seasons march on a pace and here we are, pulling on sweaters and wondering when it will be acceptable to crank up the central heating. Thankfully though, there's more to Autumn than just shorter days and chilly mornings. This is harvest time for a plethora of fruits, vegetables and grains, many of which will make an appearance on our plates and some of which should definitely be charging our glasses. British apples, pears, blackberries and plums are all at their best right now and if you are lucky enough to grow your own, you're probably wondering what to do them all, so when you've had your fill of fruit crumble, might I suggest that you turn your culinary skills to the drinks cabinet. After all, a warming tipple is a welcome pleasure as the nights draw in and the temperature drops. But don't worry if you don't have a garden full of fruit trees, the supermarket has plenty of British produce in store right now that will taste better than ever.

For this first cocktail, I actually made some pear nectar, which may sound a little over the top, but was surprisingly, very simple to do and a fabulous way to use up a surfeit of pears. Mine, I hasten to add, were from the supermarket and had inconveniently all decided to ripen at once, simultaneously turning from molar challengingly hard, to squish, within a day. As I couldn't convince my children that they really wanted to eat a bowlful of pears in a sitting, I decided to make them into juice.

Pear Nectar (makes about a pint)

3 large pears
150 ml of water

Chop the pears into quarters - no need to peel or core - and add to a pan with the water.
Bring to the boil, cover and simmer for a few minutes.
Allow to cool and place a sieve over a large bowl.
Mash the pear through the sieve and hey presto...pear juice!

As there are no preservatives, I suggest you use the juice within a day or so, but if you do want to store it for longer, you must keep it refrigerated in an airtight, sterilised container. This is very important as juices can become volatile if not kept in a sterile environment. However, it's so delicious, I can't imagine it will last too long.

Now, of course, you can buy pear nectar from some health food outlets or even make it by whizzing up unsweetened tinned pears, so don't feel you have to go all 'Nigella' in the kitchen. Using fresh produce is always a nice touch, but this cocktail is going to taste delicious, whichever way you prepare it. What really gives it that Autumnal, spiced flavour, is the delicious cinnamon, vanilla and clove syrup and luckily, you can buy it, ready made in a bottle  ( Clément Sirop de Canne available from www.amathusdrinks.com ). Alternatively, you can make your own:

Vanilla, Cinnamon and Clove Syrup

Add a vanilla pod, cinnamon stick and a couple of whole cloves to a pan with one cup of water.
Bring to the boil, reduce heat and add two cups of sugar.
Simmer for 5 mins and allow to cool.
Store in an airtight container in the fridge.

Phew, so you've got your pear nectar, you've got your syrup, let's make some cocktails already!

Spiced Pear Martini

Ingredients

2 oz vodka (I used Sipsmith Barley Vodka)
2 oz pear nectar
1/2 oz freshly squeezed lemon juice
1/2 - 1 oz Vanilla, Cinnamon and Clove Syrup (1/2 oz is enough for me, but if you like it sweet, add a little more)
Cinnamon stick and a strip of orange zest to garnish

Using a paring  knife, cut a strip of zest from and orange - try to leave the pith behind if possible.
Add the vodka, pear nectar and syrup to a cocktail shaker with a handful of ice cubes.
Shake hard for about 20 secs and strain the contents into a chilled martini glass.
Twist the orange zest over the top of the drink to release the essential oils and use as garnish along with the cinnamon stick.

Spiced Pear Martini - glass available from Toasted Glass

Next up is a cocktail that will definitely warm  you up after a chilly day. It combines lots of warming ginger with the earthy spiciness of tequila and the fresh flavour of blackberries. If you can pick your own, so much the better, just give them a little wash before you start.

Tequila, Ginger Bramble

Ingredients

2 oz Tequila Resposado (gold in colour)
1-2 cm root ginger, peeled and finely grated
3-4 fresh blackberries
1/2 oz lemon juice
3/4 oz agave nectar or sugar syrup
Sparkling water to top up
Blackberry to garnish

Add the ginger and blackberries to a cocktail shaker and muddle (squish).
Add the tequila, lemon and syrup with a handful of ice and shake hard.
Strain the contents into a chilled tumbler or hi ball, filled with ice and top up with a little sparkling water.
Stir gently to combine and garnish with a fresh blackberry.

Tequila, Ginger Bramble - tumbler by Toasted Glass

Finally, Autumn hasn't really started before you have your first Mulled Cider and Britain has no shortage of fine ciders to choose from. With the apples, literally falling out of the trees, there is no better time to celebrate that most British of drinks and warm your very cockles, to boot.

I could probably write a whole book, just of Mulled Cider recipes and indeed, I may, but for now, let's settle on just one that will see you through the next cold snap and into the Festive Season. The quantities here will make two generous cups, but if you are entertaining guests in the near future, scale up and give them a warming treat.

Jolly Sailor's Mulled Cider

500 ml dry cider
50 ml dark rum
Peeled zest of 1/2 an orange
1/2 an apple, cut into 4 wedges
1/2 cinnamon stick
1/2 vanilla pod
4 cloves

Put all of the ingredients in to a heavy bottomed saucepan and heat gently - do not allow to boil.
Simmer very gently for about 20 mins and pour into cups with the apple wedges - try to leave the zest etc, behind, as the cups get a little crowded, but be sure to eat the apple at the end - it's delicious!

Jolly Sailor Mulled Cider - glassware by Toasted Glass

Gin-spiration

Gin Xoriguer-available from Amathus Drinks

Last week, my lovely neighbours returned from their family holiday in Menorca and knowing, as they do, my deep appreciation of gin, there were kind enough to bring me back a bottle of the Balearic classic, Gin Xoriguer which is produced in Menorca's capital, Mahon. Now, I am no stranger to Gin Xoriguer, having spent several, rather fabulous summer holidays in Menorca and have drunk many a Pomada under the setting sun, so I was keen to find out if the national drink of Menorca tastes as good, in the absence of the Balearic atmosphere.

Every bar and restaurant in Menorca will serve it's version of a Pomada and you can also buy bottles of it, ready made, although, past experience has taught me that this is best avoided. However, a Pomada, like most cocktails, is open to interpretation and varies wildly, from being prepared with fresh lemons to  basically gin and Fanta Lemon. To be honest, Gin and Fanta Lemon is pretty delicious, but that doesn't make much of a cocktail post, so I decided to make it from scratch and I can highly recommend you try it too. It's fairly simple, very refreshing and dangerously drinkable.

Pomada

Ingredients

2oz Gin Xoriguer

1oz lemon juice

3/4oz sugar syrup

Sparkling water

Twist of lemon zest

Before cutting the lemon to squeeze it, cut a long strip of zest from the peel, ensuring you leave the pith behind 

Add the gin, lemon and sugar syrup to a hi ball glass and fill with ice

Stir to mix and top up with sparkling water

Stir one more time and garnish with the lemon zest by twisting it over the drink to release the citrus aroma

Tumbler by Toasted Glass

Delicious as the Pomada is, I wanted to see if Gin Xoriguer was more than a one trick pony and so I put it to the test, trying out some classic gin cocktails on the aforementioned, lovely neighbours and Mr TG, none of whom, really share my fervour for the juniper elixir.

This first drink was probably the favourite of our guest's. It is a modern classic, created by London barman, Dick Bradsell and has become a firm fixture on cocktail menus across the country.

Bramble

Ingredients

2oz Gin

1/2 oz Creme de Cassis

1oz lemon juice

1/2 oz sugar syrup

Lemon wedge to garnish

Add the gin, lemon juice and sugar syrup to a rocks glass

Fill with crushed ice and stir to mix

Pour over the Creme de Cassis

Garnish with a lemon wedge

Tumbler by Toasted Glass

The Bramble proved to be predictably popular with our guests and indeed, was most enjoyable, but this next cocktail was probably my personal favourite of the night. It's got gin, it's got champagne...enough said.

French 75

Ingredients

2oz Gin

1oz lemon juice

1/2oz sugar syrup

Champagne

Twist of lemon zest

Before cutting the lemon to squeeze it, cut a long strip of zest from the peel, ensuring you leave the pith behind 

Add the gin, lemon juice and sugar syrup to shaker, with ice

Shake and strain into a chilled champagne glass 

Top with champagne and garnish with the twist of lemon zest

Champagne Flute by Toasted Glass

The French 75 was such a hit that perhaps any drink would pale by comparison, but I have to say I was a little disappointed with this. It didn't seem to have quite the flavour of the others and in fact, one of our guests did compare it to washing up liquid. That  is a little unfair I think, but certainly, it was lacking. The problem turned out to be, in the syrup. The original recipe calls for a raspberry syrup, but generally, grenadine is used in it's place. I thought to use Creme de Framboises, rather than grenadine and discovered that it doesn't quite have the sweetness required. I did make the drink again, using grenadine, as directed, and it was a far more enjoyable experience.

Clover Club

Ingredients

1 1/2oz Gin

3/4oz lemon juice

1/2oz Grenadine

1 egg white

Raspberry to garnish

Add all of the ingredients to a shaker, without ice and 'dry' shake

Add ice and shake one more time

Strain into a chilled martini glass and garnish with a raspberry

Cocktail Glass by Toasted Glass

The White Lady is another cocktail that uses egg white to give it a creamier consistency, without the dairy taste. It is simultaneously sharp and sweet, like a melted lemon sorbet (with gin) and rather fabulous.

White Lady

Ingredients

2oz Gin

1oz triple sec

1oz lemon juice

1 egg white

Lemon wheel to garnish

Add all of the ingredients to a shaker, without ice and 'dry' shake

Add ice and shake one more time

Strain into a chilled martini glass and garnish with a wheel of lemon

Cocktail Glass by Toasted Glass

This last cocktail is one I may well take to ordering when out and about. The Cointreau gives it some sweetness, but not so much as to make you want to drink it like pop and the bitters add a spicy dimension that gives it some depth. It's definitely one to try.

Pegu Club

Ingredients

2oz Gin

1/2oz cointreau

3/4oz lime juice

2 dashes Angostura bitters

Before cutting the lime to squeeze it, cut a long strip of zest from the peel, ensuring you leave the pith behind

Add everything to a shaker with ice and shake hard

Strain into a chilled martini glass and garnish with a strip of lime zest

Cocktail Glass by Toasted Glass

Celebration Cocktails!

Champagne Flute by Toasted Glass

In the Toasted Glass household, cocktails aren't just for special occasions - they are more, a way of life -  but I am aware, that for many, cocktails are saved for celebrations or nights on the town. However, I am of the opinion that half the fun of having a drink, is in the making of it. A little pomp and ceremony lends an air of gravitas to the situation and elevates it from merely drinking, to a more exciting and creative process, rendering me, an artist, as oppose to just a piss artist. Anyway, the only problem with this attitude, is that when there really is something to celebrate, how do you go the extra mile? What can you possibly drink that is more fantabulous than your everyday cocktail consumption?

This was the spiritous conundrum that Mr TG and I were faced with this week as we had much to be thankful for, not least of all, the timely return of the younger TGs to school. Most of all, however, we wanted to toast the launch of Toasted Glass online. Of course, Toasted Glass has been selling online through Etsy and Folksy for close to a year now, but there's nothing quite like having your very own website. Much like buying your first home, it is fraught with difficulties, but the joy of putting all your own things in there, exactly where you want them to go, is something quite special. The whole process has been, very much, a joint effort and not something I could have done without the wonderful Mr TG. I am very proud of our labours and hope you will visit us in our new home at toastedglass.co.uk. There is also a link on the homepage, direct to this blog, so you can shop for glassware and then see it action, here.

So, you can see my quandary - lots to celebrate and the need for some extra special cocktails to help us along. My instincts led me inexorably, to champagne. I am very partial to a glass of bubbly and even more so, to a champagne cocktail, as previous posts will support (see list at the end of this post), so to ring the changes, I went for some pink bubbles. There are many bubbly rosés to choose from - big champagne houses like Veuve Cliquot and Moet produce pink fizz as well as far more pocket friendly cavas rosados from Freixenet and all the big supermarkets. It really is just a matter of preference and budget as to which you choose, but just make sure it is a brut fizz as the cocktails all have some form of sweetness to them that would soon become sickly if mixed with a sweeter wine.

First of all, I rustled up a variation on a Kir Royale, the classic champagne cocktail of Creme de Cassis and champagne. I threw into the mix, an ounce of Chase Bramley Apple Vodka, which has a slight sweetness of it's own, but a very natural apple flavour, from the apples grown in their orchards at Rosamaund Farm in Hereford. Having made a pilgrimage to the farm and distillery this summer (you can read about it by clicking here), I can assure you that the apple flavour is 100% natural. Chase often make products in small batch numbers, so if it is not available, you could try either Smirnoff or Absolut, who are both making naturally flavoured apple vodkas. I haven't tried either, as yet, but the Absolut Orient Apple contains a hint of ginger too, which sounds quite interesting, although perhaps not for this particular drink.

Apple Kir Royale

Ingredients
1 oz Chase Bramley Apple Vodka
1/2 oz creme de cassis
Pink fizz to top up
Strawberry to garnish

Add the vodka and cassis to a shaker, with a little ice and shake briefly, just to cool the spirits down.
Strain into a chilled champagne glass and top with ice cold pink fizz
Garnish with a fresh strawberry

Champagne Flutes by Toasted Glass

Next up, was a cheeky little gin number. There is not much in life that can't be improved with a drop of gin, says I, and this is no exception. The combination of Williams Chase GB Extra Dry Gin which has a lot of juniper and spice, with floral, citrus zest of passion fruit, makes for a flavourful and fresh cocktail with plenty going on to entertain your taste buds.

Gin Passion

Ingredients
1 oz Williams GB Gin
1/2 Giffards Passion Fruit Syrup
1/2 fresh, purple passion fruit
Slice of white flesh peach to garnish

Scoop the pulp from the halved passion fruit and add to the shaker with the syrup, gin and ice.
Shake hard and strain into a chilled champagne flute.
Top with pink fizz and garnish with a slice of white peach.

Champagne Flute by Toasted Glass

This final cocktail was my favourite of all. The combination of bitter, sweet and fresh orange with a dash of fizz to pep it all up, is just delicious. I keep coming back to variations on this theme, with or without fizz and have not found it lacking.

Lady Marmalade

Ingredients
1 oz Chase Marmalade Vodka
1/2 oz triple sec
1/3 oz Campari
1 oz freshly squeezed orange juice
Pink fizz to top up
Twist of orange zest to garnish

Before you cut the orange to squeeze it, take a sharp knife and cut a strip of zest to use as garnish.
Add all of the spirits  and the freshly squeezed orange juice to a shaker with ice.
Shake hard and strain in to a chilled champagne flute
Top up carefully with pink fizz - the combination of fresh orange and fizz can be quite volatile.
 Twist the strip of zest into a spiral, over the top of the drink, releasing the lovely aroma and garnish.

Champagne Flute by Toasted Glass

For more fabulous champagne cocktails, take a wander through some vintage posts on this blog.

Champagne Cocktails

Skinny Cocktails (look for the Pink Grapefruit and Basil Champagne Cocktail)

Wimbledon Cocktails

Easter Cocktails (look for the La Fleur de Paradis)

Mother's Day Cocktails (look for the Elderflower Fizz)