Cocktail hour

 

Friday night always has cocktail hour here at 'Maison des Guichets'.

 After the loss of the diary, I spent the week trying to remember what I had planned, I plan everything from the glass to use, to the nibbles for 'l'apero' , and the china and linen, I hit on an idea that was very close to my heart.

And Yorskhire cocktails and apero were planned

On my way home yesterday, I collected some gin and vodka from The Herbal Gin Company in Newton Aycliffe, yes Aycliffe gin, how brilliant is that and right on my flightpath home! 

The cocktails ( yes there were two last night) were

G & Tea and Rhubarb Martini

so here are the recipes if you want to give it a go.

G & Tea

I went with the 1/3rd gin to 2/3 tonic method of measure and used an Old Fashioned glass instead of a Hiball.

1/3 The Herbal gin company Diamond Gin ( or any gin that you have in)

2/3 of your favourite tonic ( I used Schweppes the best in my opinion)

A teabag of choice ( mine was a Yorkshire Gold teabag)

Ice and a slice of lemon.

Steep the teabag in the gin for about an hour.

Add to a shaker (cobbler)  with ice.

Shake gently and strain in to your glass.

Add tonic and slice of lemon.

Sit back, sip and think of Yorkshire

                                                                  Rhubarb Martini      

This strictly how I make a martini and recipes differ.

20 ml The Herbal Gin Company Diamond Vodka ( or any vodka you have in)

Extra dry vermouth ( slosh it in, technical term for 'I like it so don't scrimp')

Slice of rhubarb an strip of 'skin' to decorate a cocktail stick

Ice

In a shaker (cobbler type for ease), place slices of fresh rhubarb. Muddle these to extract flavour and colour, add the gin, vermouth and ice.

Shake gently to extract more colour and flavour from the rhubarb. Strain into a martini glass. 

Add slice of rhubarb and 'ribbon' .

Both of these cocktails are very easy to make.

And then there nibbles or 'snapas' as I christened it .

I made mini Yorkshire puds ( in a mini muffin tin, bought for upcoming garden party), added roast beef strips and made 'Yorkshire Salad to company them.

Yorkshire salad is a delight, round green lettuce ( not iceberg or Romaine) chopped up onion, small amount of chopped up mint ( optional) pinch of sugar and malt vinegar. Yorkshire puds will never be the same after you try them with this.

There were chips ( in the wrapper) Northern 'guacamole', which were really mushy peas.

Black pudding balls with a melted Wensleydale inner. I made these and they were fiddly but very tasty and  I forgot to take a picture of  it cut!

For sweet 'Snapas' there was fruit cake with Wensleydale cheese ( VERY Yorkshire) , liquorice ( couldn't get any Pontefract cakes!), and of course some Terry's chocolate.

Well that was my Friday cocktail hour, and chuffing enjoyable it was too.