CITRUS ADDS A ZEST AND A ZING TO LIFE. IT’S A BROADLY APPEALING FLAVOUR OR AROMA USED IN A VARIETY OF DIFFERENT THINGS. FIONA MCDONALD LOOKS AT ITS ROLE IN GIN.
Spirits
SHAKEN AND CHILLED
WHEN IT COMES TO SPIRITS, THE ONE WITH A HUGE CHUNK OF THE GLOBAL MARKET SHARE IS VODKA. VERSATILITY AND NEUTRALITY IS ITS STRONG SUIT BUT IT’S MICKING GIN BY BECOMING MORE ARTISINAL.
SOUTHERN MEDICINE
A COCKTAIL WHICH INSTANTLY EVOKES SEERSUCKER SUITS, GLASSES SWEATING WITH CONDENSATION AND DRAWLING CONVERSATIONS HELD ON THE VERANDAS OF ANTEBELLUM MANSIONS – THE MINT JULEP.
WHISKY 101
A COMMON MISTAKE IS TO ASSUME THAT BOURBON AND AMERICAN WHISKEY ARE ONE AND THE SAME. AS FIONA MCDONALD WRITES, ALL BOURBON IS WHISKEY, BUT NOT ALL WHISKEY IS BOURBON
BITTER – BUT NOT TWISTED!
WE DROPPED TO LEVEL 1 AS APERITIF SEASON BEGINS. COINCIDENCE? CAN’T BE. WE’RE TALKING ABOUT CAMPARI AND APEROL HERE, LEARN FROM THE ITALIANS AND TAKE YOUR COCKTAIL GAME UP A LEVEL.
THE RISE OF RUM
RUM. IT’S NOT A NEW SPIRIT, BUT IT’S STEADILY BEEN GROWING IN POPULARITY IN SOUTH AFRICA OVER THE LAST FEW YEARS – AMONG HIP DRINKERS, AT LEAST. LEAH VAN DEVENTER LOOKS AT THE HISTORY OF RUM IN THE COUNTRY.
BE THERE OR BE SQUARE
THE BRIEF WAS AS SIMPLE AS IT EVER IS: FIND THE RECIPE AND A BIT OF A BACK STORY ABOUT THE GINGER SQUARE COCKTAIL. EASIER SAID THAN DONE. IT SEEMS TO BE A DRINK THAT BARTENDERS HAVE FORGOTTEN ABOUT.
SING A SONG OF COGNAC
WHAT DO EMPEROR NAPOLEON BONAPARTE, SNOOP DOG AND STORMZY HAVE IN COMMON? FIONA MCDONALD SAVOURS THE TALES ASSOCIATED WITH FRANCE’S FAVOURED DISTILLED SPIRIT.