MxMo XLVII: Punch – Gin Punch

This MxMo hoster is Mike at Hobson’s Choice. He propose so interesting and so wide theme for this MxMo – Punch. I think that any so big cocktail with many ingredients is appropriate. Some times ago I found one interesting mixed drink in one of my cocktail book – Imbibe! by D. Wondrich. It is Gin Punch. This old and rare cocktail come into my notice with one uncommon ingredient – the Holland Gin. The recipe from Imbibe! by D. Wondrich looks like that:

The Gin Punch garnished with orange wedges and raspberry (Коктейль Пунш из Джина украшенный ягодами и апельсиновыми дольками)

1 TABLE-SPOONFUL OF RASPBERRY SYRUP
2 TABLE-SPOONFUL OF POWDERED SUGAR
1 WINE GLASS [2 oz] OF WATER
1 1/2 WINE GLASS [3 oz] OF HOLLAND GIN
[JUICE OF] 1/2 SMALL-SIZED LEMON
2 DASHES MARASCHINO
2 SLICES OF ORANGE
1 PIECE OF PINEAPPLE

Fill the tumbler with shaved ice.
Shake well, and ornament the top with berries in season.
Sip through a glass tube or straw.

My first interpretation of this recipe include dutch gin (genever, geneva) – Jonge Bols Graanjenever (or Plymouth Gin, or London Dry Gin as D. Wondrich specified). I use berry grenadine by Routin instead raspberry syrup. I decrease a quntity of sugar for 2 little bar-spoon and use 1 oz of fresh-pressed lemon juice:

Gin Punch with fruit and berry garnish (Коктейль Пунш из джина украшенный фруктами и ягодами)

Gin Punch

15 ml raspberry syrup
2 tsp. sugar powder
60 ml water
90 ml Holland gin (genever) / Plymouth gin / London dry gin
30 ml fresh pressed lemon juice
2 dash maraschino liqueur
2 slices of orange
1 piece of pineapple
a few berries
Shake all ingredients (except fruits) with a lot of ice. Pour into tumbler with shaved or crushed ice and garnish with fruit and berries. Serve with a straw.

The Gin Punch in this version is admirable drink. It has very smooth sweet and sour taste with berry and fruit palate. The best results I obtain with genever and Plymouth gin. This mixed drink is so similar to Fraises Fizz.

Original Gin Punch (Оригинальный Пунш из Джина)

Also I try version with raspberry syrup. In original version the Gin Punch is amazing drink. It has very interesting taste with main palate of gin with pleasant raspberry note. It is not so sweet as version with berry grenadine. It is good-balanced light and refreshing drink.

MxMo XLVI: Absinthe – Chrysanthemum Cocktail

The theme of MxMo XLVI (February 2010), which hosted at Thinking of Drinking (actually it is a great blog with great name, the name of this blog is (realy!) the description of my life), is Absinthe. Great choice, Sonja!

The absinthe is one of the great alcohol beverage in the world. It has interesting and dramatic story, mystic way and cloud of pseuds. I do not have real absinthe in my bar, actually. Now I has one of the popular imitation of absinthe – italian liqueur caled XENTA Abseta (with real wormwood contetnt as specified) and historic substitute of absinthe – Pernod. Pernod is one of my favorite liquors, some cocktails with Pernod, like Monkey Gland or Gloom Riser are my favorite cocktails.

The Absinthe Drip (with absinthe spoon and sugar cube) (Бокал с абсентом)

Usually absithe consumed with a lump of sugar and ice-cold water (Absinthe drip). In this way also consumes Pernod and pastis (for pastis like Ricard sugar is optional).

The Pernod Drip (Бокал с Перно, разбавленным ледяной водой)

For this MxMo I prepared two interesting old cocktails with Pernod. First cocktail is famous Chrysanthemum Cocktail, which was found at CocktailDB:

The Chrysanthemum Cocktail (Коктейль Хризантема)

Chrysanthemum Cocktail

30 ml dry vermouth
30 ml Benedictine
15 ml Pernod
Stir. Cocktail glass. Garnish with an orange peel.

The Chrysanthemum Cocktail has unique taste. In the palate are sweet notes, a lot of herbs notes, mint, light honey, star anise… It is awesome cocktail. Actually I was fascinated by Chrysanthemum Cocktail with my first sip.

Also I use in this cocktail XENTA Absenta. The result is not so great, but an interesting too.

If you don`t have the Benedectine in your liquor cabinet you may use in the Chrysanthemum Cocktail sweet vermouth instead Benedictine. The Chrysanthemum Cocktail turn into Duchess Cocktail in this way.

The Duchess Cocktail (Коктейль Графиня)

Duchess Cocktail

30 ml sweet vermouth
30 ml dry vermouth
15 ml Pernod
Stir. Cocktail glass.

The Duchess Cocktail has sweet, herbal and anise flavor similar to Chrysanthemum Cocktail. The palate of the Duchess Cocktail is not so rich as Chrysanthemum but so interesting.

MxMo XLV: Tea – Eglish Cobbler

This MxMo (hosted by Frederic & company at Cocktail Virgin Slut has very interesting theme – tea. Tea, as it strikes me, is not widespread ingredients of cocktail. I know a few cocktail with tea but never prepare or taste they. But I like tea and like cocktails and then participate!

Actually I am a big fan of tea, but only one kind of tea – I love strong, sweet and hot black tea – I love russian tea (without lemon ;) ). This is my method of making the tea:

The glass of russian tea in vintage tea cup holder (Стакан чая в советском подстаканнике)

How make the tea like a kiss (russian method): Please use only best quality black whole leaf tea. Please use thin-walled porcelain teapot. Take a teaspoonful of tea per one cup of tea (200 ml). Give a swill teapot with boiling water (and warm up). Then put tea in the teapot and warm up during half of minute. Then pour over tea boiling water (half of teapot), close teapot and cover the teapot with linen towel. Wait 3 minutes and add boiling water for full teapot. Wait 3-5 minutes. You may see white foam on the surface of tea if you make all right. This foam is significative of tea quality and proper making. The properly making tea must be like a kiss – strong, sweet, hot. I use that sort of tea for this cocktail:

The English Cobbler Cocktail garnished with cape gooseberry (Коктейль Английский Кобблер украшенный физалисом)

English Cobbler

15 ml fresh lemon juice
1/2 tsp. sugar
30 ml strong tea
60 ml Jamaica rum
Build. Serve in highball glass with crushed ice. Garnish with berry. Serve with straws.

It is my first cobbler. Actually cobbler garnish with berry – something like blackberry and raspberry, but I garnish my first cobbler with another berry – cape gooseberry :)

The English Cobbler is interesting cocktail. It has so strong and a little bit tart taste with great rum palate. I use two my rums in this cocktail – sweet and aromatic cuban rum Varadero Oro 5 Anos and awesome Demerara rum – rich, smooth and complex El Dorado 15 y.o. Both cocktails are admiable! I can make the next conclusion – good rums with good tea is good idea :)