Tag Archives: Drink of the Week

Drink of the Week: Remy Ginger

Posted on June 7, 2013 | Leave a comment

I’m the first to admit I don’t know a lot about cognac. Sure, I love a good sidecar cocktail, and I’ll pick a snifter of Remy Martin over two fingers of scotch any day. But quiz me on the differences between VS, VSOP and XO when it comes to cognac and I’ll be lucky to get two out of three.

So it was with great curiosity that I attended a lunch at the Yellow Door Bistro last week with Alexandre Quintin, global brand ambassador for a luxury cognac from the house of Remy Martin called Louis XIII. And by luxury I mean, pretty darn expensive (e.g. about $3,000 per bottle). Packaged in a crystal Baccarat decanter, the Louis XIII is a blend of cognacs that range in age from 40 to 100 years old.

The Louis XIII has been aged so long, cobwebs have taken over the cellar.

The cognacs that make up the Louis XIII have been aged so long, cobwebs have taken over the cellar. Image courtesy Select Wines & Spirits.

Quintin spoke about the Louis XIII with reverence, saying that its competition isn’t other cognacs, but instead luxury watches or perhaps a bottle of Petrus wine. “It’s the most sought-after spirit in the world. You need four generations of cellar masters in the house to make one blend,” he said. I immediately pictured myself drinking it with European friends on my luxury yacht whilst sailing the Mediterranean after winning the lottery:

This is how I imagine life with a bottle of Louis XIII.

This is how I imagine life with a bottle of Louis XIII. Image courtesy Select Wines & Spirits.

Sadly, an entire bottle was not in the cards, so I settled for a generously-poured glass of the elixir (estimated cost: $300). Quintin prepared my palate for the Louis XIII by having me sample just a small drop. And then, the fateful first sip. Now, I could try and impress you by describing its “warm fruity notes, hint of maple, and smoky, almost tobacco-like finish,” but who am I kidding? Did I like it? Yes! Because of my new-found knowledge, it tasted way better than a Rolex. Also, because it’s cognac, I could close my eyes and picture myself on the yacht, above — definitely more memorable than a glass of fine wine.

Of course, if you don’t plan on cashing in your RRSPs in order to run out and buy a bottle of Louis XIII, there are other ways you can enjoy cognac this weekend. We started the lunch with this refreshing cocktail, a Remy Ginger, which transformed the sippable Remy Martin VSOP into a guzzle-worthy patio highball. Enjoy!

Cognac doesn't just have to be sipped -- it makes a great patio guzzler in this Remy Ginger highball.

Cognac doesn’t just have to be sipped — it makes a great patio guzzler in this Remy Ginger highball.

Remy Ginger

  • 1-1/2 oz Remy Martin VSOP
  • Ginger ale
  • Ice

Pour Remy Martin VSOP in a highball glass with ice and top with ginger ale.

–Recipe courtesy Select Wines & Spirits

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Drink of the Week: Live Basil Gimlet

Posted on May 31, 2013 | 1 comment

The heat is on to complete the fundraising for the new playground at my daughter’s school, which means I’ve returned to my one constant companion through the madness: gin. Our playground committee communed over G&Ts this week, but I kicked it up a notch last night with this tangy, savoury number, a Live Basil Gimlet.

A garden fresh drink to celebrate spring (and to help forget about playground fundraising).

A garden fresh drink, with basil, to celebrate spring (and to help forget about playground fundraising).

I came across the recipe on NYTimes.com after Googling “cocktails with basil, lime and gin.” Traditional gimlets call for sweetened lime juice (e.g. Rose’s Lime = yuck) and a copious amount of gin. In contrast, this lovely recipe shakes a more modest bit of gin with fresh lime juice, muddled basil and simple syrup. I decided to use honey syrup, with great success. It’s a softer, more natural-tasting syrup, that works well with the other ingredients, like the deliciously fresh basil we are growing in our little herb container this year (pictured above).

The Live Basil Gimlet would be a nice drink to headline the 5th annual Inglewood Kitchen Party fundraiser, taking place June 8th at the Inglewood Community Hall to raise money for the aforementioned playground, given that the theme is patio lanterns. Unfortunately, the signature cocktail I made for last year’s party got everyone hammered, so we’re sticking to beer (so people will remember to spend money to support the playground). But do try one of these at home!

Tart and herbaceous, thanks to the gin and basil.

Tart and herbaceous, thanks to the gin and basil.

Live Basil Gimlet

  • 5 large basil leaves, including one for garnish
  • 1-1/2 oz gin (I used Bombay Sapphire)
  • 3/4 oz fresh lime juice
  • 1/2 oz honey syrup (in a mason jar, combine equal parts honey and hot water; screw on lid and shake until honey is completely dissolved and then cool)

Gently muddle four basil leaves in the bottom of a cocktail shaker. Add the gin, lime juice and honey syrup. Fill with ice, shake vigorously and strain into a chilled martini glass. Garnish with the remaining basil leaf and a lime wheel, if desired.

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Drink of the Week: Cherrykran Pom Pom

Posted on May 23, 2013 | Leave a comment

This gloomy weather makes me thirsty for something bright and pink, like spring should be. Good thing a bottle of Absolut Cherrykran just arrived on my doorstep, along with the recipe for a Cherrykran Pom Pom, a drink that packs way more of a punch than its name implies.

So pretty. Just pretend pomegranates are in season.

The Cherrykran Pom Pom cocktail is so pretty. Just pretend pomegranates are in season. Photo courtesy Absolut Vodka.

You may recall from earlier posts that I am not a fan of flavoured vodkas. I tend to think they taste rather chemically, as was the case with the UV Cake vodka. Since I am not a universal vodka-hater, and I have an open mind, I quickly unscrewed the top on the Cherrykran bottle in the name of research.

While I probably wouldn’t sip it on its own, I like that the Cherrykran has been infused with real fruit; in this case, cherries, white cranberries and plums. When mixed with lemon juice, pomegranate juice and just a touch of simple syrup, as the recipe calls for, you’ve got a slightly sweet, very tart and extremely pretty cocktail. And, just like a spring shower, it will sneak up on you without warning (read: it’s strong but you can’t taste the alcohol, so beware). I would normally tell you to stay dry, but hey, you’re drinking, so go ahead and get wet.

Absolut Cherrykran Pom Pom

  • 2 oz Absolut Cherrykran
  • 3/4 oz lemon juice
  • 1-1/2 oz pomegranate juice
  • 1/2 oz simple syrup* (or to taste — you may find the pom juice is sweet enough)
  • Pomegranate seed garnish (I de-seed 3-4 pomegranates every fall, then freeze the seeds so I always have some on hand)

Shake all the ingredients and strain over ice into a lowball glass. Garnish with pomegranate seeds.

*To make simple syrup mix equal parts sugar and water in a saucepan and heat until sugar is dissolved. Cool and refrigerate.

— Recipe courtesy Absolut Vodka

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