Yellow Fever II - A unit drink

Let’s talk about “unit-drinks”. What??? 

Imagine craving a nice drink, but you’re driving your car. You would like a cocktail, but you want to make sure you’re within the legal limits for driving. Of course, you should try to avoid drinking and driving, but in Belgium up to two units is still safe and allowed. 

Or maybe you want to have a drink, but you are worried about your health and you want to stay within limits as published by the government. Reports state you will stay healthy if you don’t drink more than 10 units per week. If you know that some cocktail recipes hold 2, 3 or even 4 units of alcohol, you might need to think this over. 

One unit of alcohol in Belgium is 12,7ml or 10g of pure alcohol. Other countries might use different limits. In the UK one unit is only 10ml or 8g of pure alcohol. Because alcoholic drinks come in different strengths and sizes, units are always an excellent way to display how strong your drink is. 

It also shouldn’t be wrong to ask your bartender how many units are in a specific drink, or ask if they serve “unit-cocktails” that contain exactly (or maximum) one unit of alcohol. 

This week I was experimenting with unit recipes and I will share some in the next few days. Often these are longdrink recipes, using a mixer that’s spiked with a relatively small amount of spirit. These drinks won’t give you a real kick of alcohol, they are lighter drinks perfect to serve for a conversation with friends. You’ll keep a clear mind and still enjoy a tasty drink. 

Yellow Fever II

Ingredients

20ml Whisky

20ml Clément Creole Shrubb (or Triple Sec)

10ml Simple syrup

200ml FERM Kombucha Ginger & Lemongrass

Method

Add whisky, syrup and triple sec to your highball glass with a few ice cubes. Stir for 10 seconds. Add more ice, top it with the kombucha and give it a few more gentle stirs. Garnish with citrus or lemongrass. 

Disclaimer: All pictures and texts are copyrighted by Geert Conard and Esito Management & Communications unless stated otherwise in the article. While some items might have been gifted by the producer or distributor, these are in no way paid promotions or recommendations

Ti'Punch Day

Sometimes it can be pretty easy to blog about drinks. Last week I received a parcel from Clément Rhum with all the ingredients and tools I needed to stir (or swizzle) a nice Ti’Punch cocktail. The Ti’Punch is a classic sour cocktail from Martinique that’s related to the Daiquiri, but with lime in a spotlight role. March 16 is International Ti’Punch Day, a perfect excuses for all of you to mix one of these yourself.

I know that some people are not very fond of Rhum Agricole, but the Ti’Punch is absolutely the perfect recipe to try this kind of rum. I can tell you the taste is somewhere in between a Daiquiri and a Caipirinha (when made with a good quality Cachaça) and leaning much more in the direction of the Caipirinha. 

Ti’Punch

Ingredients
60 ml Rhum Clément White Rhum Agricole
5 grams of cane sugar
Fresh Lime (or 20 ml of lime juice)

Method
Normally the Ti’Punch is always stirred directly in the glass. Add a tablespoon of sugar to a tumbler. Add the Clement Rhum. Squeeze a lime wedge (or add 20 ml of lime juice). Add ice and stir or swizzle to perfection. Garnish with some extra lime wedges.

Remark
For this drink ice is optional. Lots of people like the Ti’Punch neat, I prefer some ice.

Disclaimer: All pictures and texts are copyrighted by Geert Conard and Esito Management & Communications unless stated otherwise in the article. While some items might have been gifted by the producer or distributor, these are in no way paid promotions or recommendations. 

The One with the sidecar - Friends tribute

“How you doin’?”. Friends was without any doubt the most popular sitcom of the 90s (The series was originally broadcasted 1994-2004 with many reruns after that decade). It’s impossible to count the times I laughed out loud with Chandlers jokes or stupid things done by Joey, Rachel or Phoebe. A few months ago they announced a special ‘reunion’ show (The One Where They Get Back Together) with all the actors looking back on this great adventure. 

When I received a bunch of samples from the Lakes Distillery, I just had to make my own tribute drink with their blended whisky which is called ‘The One’. This is a blend of The Lakes Single Malt with malt whisky from Islay and Speyside and grain whisky from the Highlands. Stone fruit and spices in the nose, honey-roasted nuts, dried fruits and wood in the mouth. The Islay whisky adds a gentle smoky touch. Could that BE any better? 

About the cocktail… The Cosmopolitan was already taken by ‘Sex and the City’, so let’s release your inner Ross or Monica and go for another “Oh. My. God” (*) glorious coupe. 

The One with the sidecar

Ingredients
50 ml Lakes Distillery The One Signature Blend whisky
25 ml Clement Creole Shrubb (I you don’t have this, try a good quality Triple Sec or Curacao)
20 ml Lemon juice

Method
Add everything to a shaker with lots of ice. Give it a good shake and fine strain in a chilled coupe. Serve with copious apero bites. As much as possible because Joey doesn’t share food !!!

P.S. Delicious bites dish by De Schuur Holsbeek.

Disclaimer : All pictures and texts are copyrighted by Geert Conard and Esito Management & Communications unless stated otherwise in the article. While some items might have been gifted by the producer or distributor, these are in no way paid promotions or recommendations.

(*) Read with nasal Janice voice.

National Rum Day : Créole Summer

 

Happy #NationalRumDay !!!

Af en toe ga ik eens mee shoppen met de wederhelft en dan kom je wel eens leuke items tegen zoals dit tikiglas. Het glas is een beetje oversized, dus het leent zich wel tot een cocktail die eerder in de ‘longdrink’ categorie zit.

Ik koos voor een zeer fruitige cocktail op basis van een spiced rum en een zeer smaakvolle orange shrubb. Met een totaal van 7 cl rum mogen er ook best wat fruitsappen bij. Een cocktail die lekker wegdrinkt, maar toch opletten met de hoeveelheid alcohol 😉 #dontdrinkanddrive

Als basisspirit voor deze tikicocktail koos ik Chairman’s Reserve Spiced Original Rum van St. Lucia Distilleries. Dit is een blend van gerijpte rums uit beide productiemethodes (pot still en coffey still), op smaak gebracht met lokale kruiden, botanicals en fruit. Er wordt onder meer gewerkt met kaneel, vanille, nootmuskaat, kruidnagel en bittere sinaasappelschillen. In de drankenhandel zou je deze rum kunnen onderschatten vanwege zijn eenvoudige schroefdop, maar dat is zeker een gemiste kans.

Clémént Créole Shrubb is een lekkere blend uit Martinique van zowel witte (ongerijpte) als gerijpe rum agricole, op smaak gebracht met créole kruiden en bittere zongebleekte sinaasappelschillen. Een echte smaakbom, min of meer de rumversie van een sinaasappellikeur. Deze likeur wordt gebruikt in heel wat gerechten en desserten in de Caribische keuken. Smaken van honing, sinaasappel en peper.

Créole Summer

Ingrediënten
5 cl Chairman’s Reserve Spiced Original Rum
2 cl Clément Créole Shrubb
4 cl Ananassap
2 cl vers limoensap
2 cl Orgeat siroop

Bereiding
Alle ingrediënten samenvoegen in een shaker met veel ijs. Dat mag ook geschaafd ijs zijn, maar bij gebrek daaraan gebruikte ik mijn kleinste maat van ijsblokjes. Krachtig shaken. Dirty dump (dus inclusief het ijs) in een longdrink of tikiglas. Eventueel nog wat aanvullen met extra ijs. Versier met eetbare bloemetjes. Cheers !

Disclaimer : All pictures and texts are copyrighted by Geert Conard and Esito Management & Communications unless stated otherwise in the article. While some items might have been gifted by the producer or distributor, these are in no way paid promotions or recommendations.