We’ve got another burst of hot weather on the horizon apparently, and I can’t think of a better way to cool down that with a delicious cocktail.  I’d never considered using a dessert wine for summer cocktails, but a recent visit to review a restaurant in Kew (Hawthorn if you were wondering – review to come very soon) started me thinking:  At Hawthorn I was offered a white port spritz – delicious and very refreshing.  

 

So, inspired by the idea of using a sweet wine for summer cocktails, I was delighted to discover that Brown Brothers Orange Muscat & Flora (a delicious Australian sweet wine) was already on the case!  

 

With its brilliant gold colour, zesty citrus note and a hint of honey and spice, it’s already one of my favourite ‘stickies’.

 

Brown Brothers Orange Muscat & Flora is a surprisingly inexpensive wine – £8.50 for a 37.5cl bottle in Tesco and it’s as versatile as it is delicious.  It’s fabulous with blue cheese or summer desserts, as well as being such a refreshing cocktail ingredient.

 

So here are a few ideas for you to try – the Martini will go down a treat while watching Wimbledon:

 

ORANGE MUSCAT & FLORA & FIZZ 

Glass: Chilled Glass Champagne Flute 8-10oz

25ml Orange Muscat & Flora

100-125ml Pre-Chilled Regular or Lime Soda in Day Time or 100-125ml Champagne 

(no ice)

Method: 

  1. Add Orange Muscat & Flora
  2. Add Preferred Fizz 
  3. Drop sugar cube seasoned with drops of aromatic bitters 

Garnish Options: 

– Orange Twist 

– Sugar Cubed angostura bitters 

 

HIGH BALL 

Glass: Tall Glass or Wine Glass 14oz

50ml Orange Muscat & Flora

25ml Fresh pink grapefruit juice squeeze

15ml Campari

Soda roughly 100ml (Use glass rim as gauge) 

Cubed ice

Method:

  1. Build Ingredients into glass with cubed ice
  2. Topped a highly charged soda a few inches from top
  3. Light Stir and Swizzle with long bar spoon add more ice & straw

Garnish Options: 

– Pink G Twist 

– Rosemary 

– Tall Straw

Use one, or a combination

 

PRIMA VERA FIX

Glass: Tall Glass 12oz or Wine Glass or Copa 16oz

15ml sugar

4 lime wedges 

50ml – 75ml Orange Muscat & Flora 

125ml soda or tonic

cubed ice

Method: 

  1. Add bar spoon of caster sugar or 15 ml sugar syrup
  2. Add 2 squeezed lime wedges
  3. 3/4 fill glass with ice 
  4. Add 2 squeezed lime wedges 
  5. Add tonic or soda an inch from top of glass
  6. Stir room bottom, Add more ice 

Garnish Options: 

– Lime Wedge

– Sprig mint

– Tall Straw

 

MARTINI OF CHAMPIONS

Glass: Cocktail Coup or Martini Glass

– Gin 25ml

– 50ml Orange Muscat & Flora

– 25ml Lemon

– 3/4 Bar Spoon Marmalade or runny honey 

– See heighten garnish options if you have ingredients in stock 

– No Ice in glass

Method: 

1. Add ingredients into your shaker with ice

2. Shake ingredients with Cubed Ice in shaker

3. Strain into pre chilled cocktail glass without ice

Garnish Options:

– Lemon Wheel or Twist 

– Triangles of freshly toasted bread 

– Butter & marmalade onside 

– Sprinkles of goats cheese

Instead of Marmalade

– Toasted Triangles, slices of Avocado, honey drizzle, rock salt