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The fun lies in the mixing, not changing the recipe upside down. A little tweaking here or a little stirring there can create a whole new concoction altogether. That’s the magic of cocktails. To add something extra to an otherwise good-but-bland party menu, all it takes is just one ingredient. However, before you experiment, get these basics right.
Rules of alcohol
- Vodka: Use only for those drinks where the flavour is dependent mainly on other ingredients like fruits.
- Rum: Rum is sweet, so avoid using too much sugar in your drink. Instead, use lime, mint, or fizzy drinks like ginger ale, soda, etc to counter the sweetness of rum.
- Whisky: Scotch doesn’t lend to a cocktail because they are smoky. Use American whiskies like Tennessee or Jack Daniels because they are stored in maple-wood barrels which add sweetness to the whisky. Also, they are made from corn instead of barley making it smoother and easier to mix with other flavours.
- Red wine: Use light-bodied fruity Pinot noir or shiraz with red pulpy fruits — cranberries, strawberries, black currants, etc.
- White wine: Use Australian or Chilean Chardonnay or Indian chenin blanc with earthy herbaceous flavours — rosemary, thyme and citrus fruits like grape fruit, pomegranate, etc.
- Beer: Go for herbaceous and citrus fruits. Use draft beer because it’s light.
Grappa Colada
Classic: The regular Pina
Colada uses white rum,
Malibu, coconut cream and pineapple juice.
Twisted: Ingredients: Half a measure Grappa (instead of rum, it is equally potent), half a measure Malibu, 30 ml coconut cream, 90 ml pineapple juice, 5-6 ice cubes.
Method: Take ice cubes in a cocktail shaker. Add Grappa, Malibu, coconut cream and pineapple juice. Instead of blending, shake it and pour it with the ice into a tall glass. Better still, pour the drink into a whole pineapple (with the centre removed), place a straw and serve after garnishing with pineapple wedge. You can even make this drink using a bourbon or a Tennessee instead of rum.
Strawberry wine cosmo
Classic: The cosmopolitan takes a measure of vodka, half a measure of cointreau and cranberry juice, shaken and strained into a martini glass.
Twisted: Ingredients: 4-5 juicy strawberries (with tops cut), 4-5 lime chunks (without seeds), 90 ml red wine (instead of vodka; French or Californian Pinot Noir/Indian Shiraz will do.), 60 ml cranberry juice and ice.
Method: In a cocktail shaker, muddle strawberries with lime chunks. Add ice, pour red wine and cranberry juice. Shake vigorously and strain into a cocktail shaker. Do not double strain, so that some of the pulp of the strawberries passes through into the drink. Garnish by floating one of the strawberry tops with leaves attached, into the drink. Serve chilled.
With low alcohol,enjoy many without fear of a hangover. Perfect for a Sunday brunch; it’s also an excellent ladies’ drink.
Pomegranate Caipiroska
Classic: Uses lime chunks muddled with raw sugar, topped with crushed ice and vodka.
Twisted: Ingredients: 4-5 big pomegranate chunks with seeds, pips, skin, fibres, etc. (instead of lime chunks), 2-3 lemon chunks (for the sourness), 1 tsp sugar, a full measure vodka and crushed ice.
Method: In an old-fashioned glass, take pomegranate chunks, lemon chunks, sugar and muddle. Muddle enough for a good amount of the pomegranate juice to be extracted.
But be careful that you don’t put too much pressure, else the skin may impart excessive bitterness to the drink. Top the glass with crushed ice, add a full measure of vodka, give it a short shake, pour the mix back into the same glass and serve.
The pomegranate seeds bring a slight sweetness while the skin imparts a slight bitterness (as opposed to the lime peel in the original drink).
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