As promised, here are the recipes for the cocktails served at my recent birthday party by my favorite mixologist, Mike Canlas.
I hail his gin and tonic as one of the best I’ve ever savored. It goes down fine—with no lingering bitterness.
Reminders:
Pick only the finest ingredients.
Choose the best-quality liquor, a brand that satisfies you, if you were to drink it neat.
Use only fresh fruit juices, if possible. It always makes the drink taste better.
Make your own syrups, too, if you can. This way, you are in control of the sweetness and intensity of flavors, altering it to your satisfaction.
Good-quality mixers play a major role. They help produce pristine-tasting drinks.
A drink must be visually exciting. Garnish the drink creatively with fresh ingredients and the right ones. What you put in the glass must complement the beverage.
The proper proportion and ratio will dictate whether you have an exceptional or mediocre drink. There are rules and measures to follow but don’t let them limit you.
Feel free to express yourself through the cocktails you make. Who knows, you might invent a new cocktail!
Gin & Tonic
60 ml gin
1-2 lemon wedges
90 ml tonic water
Pour ingredients in a glass with ice. Stir for 5 seconds.
Garnish with lemon wedge, cucumber ribbon slice, green apple slices.
Tips: Get good gin and high-quality tonic water. We used Roku Gin at my party. Other suggested brands are Hendricks and The Botanist.
Cosmopolitan
45 ml vodka citron
30 ml triple sec
15 ml lime juice
45 ml cranberry juice
Shake all ingredients in a shaker with ice and strain into a cocktail glass. Garnish with lemon peel and cherries.
Tips: A good-quality vodka should be smooth and odorless.
Substitute Grand Marnier for triple sec for a richer, cleaner orange flavor. Use cranberry juice that is not too watered down.
Suggested vodka brands: Grey Goose and Absolut Citron
Whiskey Sour
60 ml bourbon whiskey
30 ml lemon juice
1 egg white
15 ml simple syrup
Dry shake (shake without ice) lemon juice, egg white and syrup in a shaker to create a very smooth and frothy texture for a fuller mouth feel.
Pour whiskey in an old-fashioned glass with ice.
Garnish with lemon wheel and cherry.
Tips: Good bourbon or rye whiskey. Everything must be fresh (fresh egg whites and fresh lemon juice).
Suggested bourbon brands: Jim Beam and Maker’s Mark.
Manhattan
60 ml bourbon/rye whiskey
30 ml sweet vermouth
Dash of bitters
Shake all ingredients in a cocktail shaker with ice, strain and pour onto a chilled martini glass or champagne bowl.
Tips: Vermouth is not very easy to come by. It is not a commonly used liquor locally. Mike suggested that if you come across some good-quality ones, buy them. Choose one that has a deep red color to make a better colored cocktail.
Suggested bourbon brands: Jim Beam, Wild Turkey
Tom Collins
45 ml gin
30 ml lemon juice
15 ml simple syrup
Soda water
Fill glass with ice cubes, pour gin, lemon juice and simple syrup then stir for 5 seconds. Top up with soda water.
Tips: Use a nice gin with good botanicals, a nice simple syrup, and fresh lemon juice.
Suggested brands: Hendricks, The Botanist
Mike Canlas, tel. 09209624527
