The Recipe of this week is... a Cocktail: Primo Basilico

This week another recipe from Chef José Avillez book: O Cantinho do Avillez. A cocktail that my friends loved on the last cocktail party we did at home...

You will need:

75 ml gin

35 ml lemon juice

25 ml simple syrup

8 basil leaves

3 drops of Pernod

20 ml egg white

ice cubes

Lemon zest

Simple syrup:

100 gr sugar

60 ml water

For the simple syrup, bring the sugar and the water to boil in a pan. Let it boil for 30 seconds, remove from the heat and let it cool.

Put the basil leaves in a shaker and pound well. Add the Pernod, the lemon juice, the gin, the syrup, the egg white, close the close it and shake. Open the shaker, add a few ice cubes and shake again until the shaker is very cold. Open the shaker and, with the help of a strainer drain the cocktail into the glass. Squeeze the lemon zest over the cocktail to give extra freshness, to release the oil. Finally, run the zest around the rim of the glass and serve it immediately.

Back to Cocktails: Negroni

This cocktail was born on the twenties in Café Casoni, a meeting place of Florence aristocracy . A count called Camilo Negroni used to have a cocktail called Americano, created by Cesare Campari and made of Campari and Martini Rosso. Tired, he asked the barman, Fosco Scarselli to add gin, a drink which the count had tasted in his trips to London. It is believed that count Negroni was a happy and bohemian person as this cocktail triggers the humor... in Javier de las Muelas  Cocktails and Drinks book

This is a very easy cocktail:

In an old fashioned glass full of ice, add:

1/3 of Gin 

1/3 of Bitter Campari

1/3 of Martini Rosso

Mix with a bar spoon and add a slice of orange to finish...

Hope you enjoy it!

For Gin and cocktails lovers of here is a classic cocktail to finish the weekend, especially dedicated to Bulldog fans:

In a shaker with ice add 1 1/2 oz. of Bulldog Gin, 1 oz. fresh lime juice and 1/2 oz. sugar syrup, stir well.

Serve in a frozen Martini glass.

Note: 1 oz. = 1 ounce = approx. 30 ml

San Sebastian G&T

I must confess that despite day by day I love it more what I'd call the Gin culture I am just a beginner in this world, reason why I don't dare to publish a detailed review of any Gin.

More than a G&T today I'll let you a different recipe that I found on Martin Miller's homepage and that I've just tried after my first contact this excellent premium Gin.

You will need:

Glass: Hi-ball or similar

Method: Build it over cubed ice in glass

Garnish: Lemon & Orange peel

50 ml Martin Miller's Gin

10 ml fresh Orange juice

10 ml fresh lemon juice

Dash orange bitters

Tonic Water (I used fever three)

A different Gin Tonic #1

After trying several brands of insect repellent, this summer I've discovered the best - Gin Tonic. Despite it may not be a scientific statement there are two facts: I am one day away of finishing my holidays in Troia without any mosquito bite till now an impossible mission at least for me... and on the other hand I substituted the use of repellents by Gin & Tonic, obviously not because the quinine effect to prevent the mosquitoes but because it is a perfect way to refresh yourself on the hot summer days.

You will need: 

50 ml Citadelle

140 ml Fever Tree Tonic Water

2 mint leaves

1 slice of green apple

Ice

As to prepare any G&T start by cooling your glass; smash the mint leaves with  the Gin in order to free all mint flavours; fill the glass with Ice; add a slice of of green apple by the side of the glass and finish adding the Tonic with the help of a bar spoon in order to preserve the tonic properties...

White Lady, a fresh cocktail for the summer...

I must confess I'm a passionate about "cocktails world". There are thousands of possibles combinations, each one with different intensity, power or flavour in other words an excellent way to explore your creativity...

Today I'll tell you my first recipe from Javier de las Muelas book, one of my favourite presents from last Christmas.

White lady, is a very elegant and fresh cocktail, perfect to serve with a sea food starter like shrimps or oysters...

Ingredients:

1/4 of lemon juice 

1/4 of Cointreau

2/4 of Gin

Shaker

Put all the ingredients into a shaker with a lot of ice, shake it and serve it in a Martini glass