Over Christmas I decided to up my coughtail knowledge and recipes and this year I'm going to aim to try and perfect them.
My list:
- Margarita (got a pretty good recipe down, just needs some minor changes)
- Old Fashioned (getting the amount of bitters just right is a challenge)
- Cosmopolitan (I think I got this down, just need to get a better strainer)
- Whiskey Sour (very easy to make, a no brainer)
- Moscow Mule (I think mine are ok, i have a friend who loves them and says I need more vodka/ginger beer balance)
- Mojito (I find them a bit fiddly to make, might put it to the back of the list)
- Manhattan (not tried yet)
- Cuban Mule (a Moscow Mule with rum instead. Not tried yet)
Oh, and if anyone is wondering whether to get a Boston shaker or a cobbler shaker, get a Boston shaker.
Sounds like we have pretty similar taste in coughtails. A year or two ago I started putting together a bar, starting with gin, scotch, dark rum, white rum, bourbon, tequila and contreau.
It's now grown to include a range of liquers, mixers, syrups and a few top shelf bottles. Each time I go away I look for something exotic (and expensive in Au but cheap where I am). On my list at the moment is an elderflower liquer and drambui.
It's been really enjoyable building a bar. I've discovered I like bourbon a lot. Gin, well lets just say I wish I liked it more.
I notice you like whiskey sours, sure it's a no-brainer, but there are a million variations. It's my favourite coughtail, my go-to at a bar and one I am always working on improving. I want to share my personal favourite recipe.
2 oz Rye (Bulleit rye is a great middle shelf, fit for purpose. Top shelf I like rittenhouse. Bottom shelf wild turkey, stay clear of jack daniels!)
0.5 oz fresh lemon juice
0.5 oz fresh lime juice
0.3 oz sugar syrup (vary this to your taste, I like mine quite tangy)
1 teaspoon contreau
Several dashes bitters. I use angostura, but I image there are better options
Shake the cough out of it over ice. That's right, no egg white.
Strain into a chilled short glass, preferably with no ice, can use an ice sphere if you really want.
Now using a spoon just touching the surface of the drink, carefully float about 0.5 oz red wine (shiraz or merlot) over the top.
Garnish with 2 (or 3) marachino cherries and a twist of lemon rind.
I know there is a lot going on in this coughtail, arguably too much. But, that's how I like it ! Hope you do too.
PS. Manhattans are AMAZING. But you need top shelf ingrediants and specialty vermouths. Check out a scoff law. Kind of a mix between a whiskey sour and manhattan with grenadine thrown in. Yum. With the mule, try a dark n stormy. Spiced dark rum, ginger beer, lime.
If anyone has any other recipes to share I'd like to give them a try.