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KEVINAA · December 25, 2024

Vesper · January 1

Vesper · January 18

The only seven Greek recipes you’ll ever need

From kleftiko and the perfect Greek salad to spanakotyropita — here’s how to rustle up authentic Hellenic dishes at home

https://www.thetimes.com/life-style/food-drink/article/simple-greek-recipes-odysea-fk6ggn5tx

Horiatiki (Greek salad) and spanakotyropita. “Never tell a Greek to buy a 200g bag of feta. They will laugh at you. It’s too small,” says Odysea’s Panos Manuelides

When Panos Manuelides decided he was going to sell Greek sea bass to Londoners in the Nineties, he didn’t ask for advice from anyone.

Instead, armed with a box of fish that had been caught off the Greek island of Chios less than 24 hours before, put on ice and flown overnight to Heathrow, he looked up the address for Tesco’s HQ, drove there and knocked on the door.

“Fish doesn’t keep, so I had to be quick,” he says. “They asked if I had an appointment, which I didn’t, but I think they felt sorry for me and let me in.” Less than a year later, Manuelides had brokered a deal that got his fresh fish on the supermarket’s counter.

Today, Manuelides’s specialist food company, Odysea, which he founded 34 years ago, imports award-winning foods from Greece. Odysea was the first to bring high-polyphenol extra virgin olive oil to market this year and is the only supplier in the country to sell raw honey. “Our products must be special. They need to have a PDO (protected designation of origin) or have a story,” Manuelides says.

He doesn’t have the background you would expect for a food specialist. He has a degree in mathematical science and a master’s in information technologies from LSE. But he wasn’t a typical student when he arrived, aged 18, in the mid-Eighties from Athens, where he was born. “I knew how to cook. In a Greek family, life evolves in the kitchen. I did my homework there, and when someone knocked at the door we invited them into the kitchen,” he tells me. “A friend once asked me to buy mayonnaise. I said, ‘Don’t be so silly — we make it ourselves.’ ”

You cannot talk about Greek food and Odysea without also mentioning cheese. In 1998 Greece was the biggest consumer of cheese in the world, with the average person eating more than 27kg each year. “There is a joke at home that you will never tell a Greek to buy a 200g bag of feta. They will laugh at you. It’s too small.”

But feta is not the only cheese Greeks eat. Odysea sells manouri, mizithra, galotyri and mastelo to name a few. Does Manuelides have a favourite? “No, I am Greek. I love them all.” Hannah Evans

ROMAS FOORD FOR THE TIMES MAGAZINE

1. Gigante yahni (oven-baked giant beans)

Serves 8 as a side dish

It’s one of the unofficial dishes of Greece.

Ingredients

• 250g dried giant beans – we use Agrino Fasolia Gigantes Elefantes, but you can also use 2 x 400g jars of pre-cooked beans in brine
• 240ml extra virgin olive oil
• 3 garlic cloves, crushed
• 1 large onion, chopped quite small
• 1 x 400g tin of peeled tomatoes, liquidised
• 1 large carrot, grated
• 1 tbsp chopped celery
• 1 tsp oregano
• 1 tbsp sugar
• Small bunch of finely chopped flat-leaf parsley
• Salt and pepper

Method

1. If using dried beans, soak them in water overnight, then drain and place in a pot of cold water. Bring to the boil and simmer for 5 minutes. Drain, wash off all the froth, then place again in a saucepan and cover with cold water by about 15cm. Bring to the boil, add salt and simmer for about 60 minutes or until cooked al dente. Drain and keep the cooking liquid aside.
2. Preheat the oven to 165C fan/gas 4½. In another saucepan place the extra virgin olive oil, garlic, onion, tomatoes, carrot, celery, oregano and sugar, stir and cook until all the water has evaporated and the mixture starts to sizzle in the oil.
3. Add the cooked beans, parsley, salt and pepper to taste and 230ml of the reserved liquid (or hot water). Mix well, empty into a deep ovenproof dish and top with lots of freshly ground black pepper.
4. Bake for 45-60 minutes until all the water has been absorbed. Enjoy the beans at room temperature.

ROMAS FOORD FOR THE TIMES MAGAZINE

2. Kleftiko

Serves 4

This is a slow-cooked lamb dish and the slower you cook it, the better. My twist is preserved lemon rather than fresh lemon.

Ingredients

• 4 medium-sized potatoes, peeled (optional)
• 100ml extra virgin olive oil
• 1 tsp Dijon mustard
• 4 lamb shanks
• 4 garlic cloves
• 4 bay leaves
• 1 preserved lemon skin only, quartered (optional)
• Salt and pepper, to taste
• 1 tbsp dried oregano

Method

1. Preheat your oven to 130C fan/gas 2.
2. Cut 4 pieces of parchment large enough to hold 1 shank and one potato (if using).
3. Cut the potatoes in 4 segments vertically, place in a bowl with the extra virgin olive oil and mustard and toss the potatoes to cover them with the mixture.
4. In each parchment add 1 lamb shank, 4 potato segments, 1 garlic clove, 1 bay leaf and a quarter of the lemon skin, then sprinkle with salt, pepper and oregano.Fold the parchment carefully around the lamb and potatoes and secure with string to make a parcel.
5. Spray the parcels with water, place in a heavy oven dish and cover securely with foil by folding the foil around all the edges of the oven dish; or use an ovenproof casserole with a lid.
6. Cook in the oven for 4-5 hours.

ROMAS FOORD FOR THE TIMES MAGAZINE

3. Tzatsiki

Serves 5-6 as a dip

My top tip: make sure you squeeze all the water out of the cucumber.

Ingredients

• 1 large cucumber, skin on, grated
• 500g authentic Greek yoghurt
• 50ml extra virgin olive oil
• 2 large garlic cloves, crushed
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 tbsp white wine vinegar (optional)

Method

1. Strain the cucumber in a sieve for a while, then squeeze out as much of the liquid as possible.
2. Put everything in a bowl and mix until the oil blends with the yoghurt.

ROMAS FOORD FOR THE TIMES MAGAZINE

4. Skordalia (Greek garlic dip)

Serves 8

It will keep in a sealed glass jar for one week in the fridge.

Ingredients

• 140g blanched almonds
• 70g bread (you can use up any stale bread you may have)
• 6 garlic cloves (more or less according to taste), with any green centres removed
• 60ml white vinegar
• 2 tsp salt
• 210g mashed potato
• 280g Greek strained yoghurt
• 240ml extra virgin olive oil

Method

1. Soak the almonds in water for 1 hour, then drain. Soak the bread in water for about 30 minutes until it’s completely saturated, then squeeze the water out.
2. In a food processor, blend together the garlic, almonds, vinegar and salt until smooth. Add the potato, bread and yoghurt then blend again.
3. With the motor running slowly, pour in the olive oil to blend with the mixture. The skordalia should be thick enough to hold its shape, with a consistency similar to that of hummus. Taste and adjust the salt and vinegar if necessary.
4. Refrigerate for 1 hour before serving. Serve with warm pitta bread or a selection of meze. In Greece, we eat it with fried battered fish and beetroot.

ROMAS FOORD FOR THE TIMES MAGAZINE

5. Spanakotyropita

Serves 8

You can use other cheeses in this recipe, but cheese in Greece is feta.

Ingredients

• 1kg fresh spinach
• Salt and pepper
• 1 medium-sized onion, chopped
• 120ml extra virgin olive oil, plus extra for brushing the baking dish and pastry, as needed
• 80g chopped spring onions
• 1 leek, thinly sliced
• 12g chopped dill
• 2 eggs
• 200g-300g feta cheese, crumbled
• 10-12 sheets filo pastry

Method

1. Preheat your oven to 165C fan/gas 4½.
2. Wash the spinach, chop coarsely and place in a bowl, then sprinkle with salt. Leave for 10 minutes, then squeeze the spinach to remove excess water, put in a colander and set aside.
3. Gently fry the chopped onion in the olive oil for 10 minutes or until a light golden colour, add the spring onions and leek and cook until they wilt. Add the spinach and stir everything together until it’s a light colour. Stir in the dill and salt and pepper to taste, then cook until the mixture starts sizzling. Remove from the heat and let the mixture cool. All the water from the spinach should be absorbed.
4. In another bowl, beat the eggs and add the crumbled feta. Add the egg and feta mixture to the cooled spinach mixture and mix well.
5. Brush a 25cm x 30cm baking dish with extra virgin olive oil, then line with a sheet of filo. Repeat the process using a total of 6 sheets, brushing each sheet with extra virgin olive oil before adding the next and leaving any sections of overhanging filo as they are for now. Spread the spinach mixture evenly over the filo, then fold the overhanging parts of filo back over the spinach filling, brushing with extra virgin olive oil as you go.
6. Lay the remaining sheets of filo on top, brushing each sheet with extra virgin olive oil. Trim off the edges as necessary and tuck in the pastry all around the dish. Brush the top with extra virgin olive oil and use a sharp knife to lightly score the filo in squares, making sure you do not cut too deep to expose the filling.
7. Bake for approximately 45 minutes until the top is golden brown. Remove from the oven and leave to stand for 30 minutes before cutting into portions for serving.

ROMAS FOORD FOR THE TIMES MAGAZINE

6. Horiatiki (Greek salad)

Serves 4

In Greece we don’t cut the feta into cubes: we place a whole slab on top of the salad (you use your fork to break off what you want). It should only be dressed with the best virgin olive oil and dried oregano.

Ingredients

• 80ml extra virgin olive oil
• 1 tbsp red wine vinegar
• ½ tsp Dijon mustard (optional)
• ½ tsp Odysea Pine & Fir Tree Raw Honey
• Pinch of salt
• 1 red onion, sliced
• 1 or 2 large tomatoes, roughly chopped — use more or less according to size and preference
• 1 large cucumber, skin on, sliced
• Handful of large capucine capers
• Handful of Kalamata olives
• 1 x 200g block of good-quality feta
• Oregano, to taste

Method

1. To make the dressing, put the olive oil, vinegar, mustard, honey and salt in a jar, seal and shake vigorously for about 30 seconds until emulsified.
2. Put the onion, tomatoes and cucumber in a bowl, add the capers and olives and mix well. Drizzle over the dressing and mix again; any unused dressing can be kept in the fridge. Place the block of feta on top and scatter with oregano.

ROMAS FOORD FOR THE TIMES MAGAZINE

7. Baked feta parcels with raw honey

Serves 2-4 as a side dish

If you don’t have sesame seeds, use other seeds, oregano or spicy pul biber instead.

Ingredients

• 2 sheets filo pastry
• Extra virgin olive oil, as needed
• 1 x 200g block of good quality feta, cut in two
• Raw Greek honey
• Sesame seeds (optional)

Method

1. Preheat oven to 160C fan/gas 4.
2. Lay a sheet of filo on a flat surface and brush the top side with olive oil. Place one block of feta towards the bottom of the shorter side of the filo, then lift the bottom part of the filo over the feta. Keep rolling up the feta in the filo, tucking in the ends of the filo as you go to form a parcel and brushing with olive oil before each fold. Repeat with the second sheet of feta and the second block of feta.
3. Place on a baking tray, seam-side down, and bake for 20 minutes or until the filo is a golden colour.
4. Gently toast the sesame seeds if using, taking care as they catch quickly. When the parcels are cooked, drizzle them immediately with honey and sprinkle with sesame seeds.

Vesper · January 18

The best whiskies for Burns Night

From a bargain supermarket single malt to boutique blends, Jane MacQuitty picks her top bottles

https://www.thetimes.com/life-style/food-drink/article/best-whiskies-burns-night-9phlztf0k

A warming smoke, fire and peat dram to celebrate Robbie Burns’s birthday next Saturday is just what this cold, dreary month needs. What amazes me is the flood of new blends, casks, ages, strengths and wood regimes that wash up here every year. Scotland has about 150 distilleries but its whisky blenders are hellbent on creating not just the signature styles that made them famous but hundreds of different expressions. Getting to grips with Scotland’s five leading whisky regions — smoky, peaty Islay, soft Lowland, fruity Speyside, the silky fudge of Campbeltown and heathery Highland — is not enough. There’s an explosion of complex new flavours to digest, from citrus and floral, through butterscotch and spicy Dundee cake, right up to the medicinal, tarry whack of an aged Islay.

Unlike gin and vodka, which can be distilled in a day, good whisky takes at least ten years to show its true class. Still, even at the Aldi and Lidl single malt level, where the oldest whisky won’t be much more than the statutory minimum of three years, there are some decent drams here for less than £20 — see star buys. Spend twice that, if you can, on the tasty Kilchoman 46 per cent Islay blend at Marks & Spencer. It’s from a family-run field-to-bottle distillery that does the lot, including growing and malting its own barley. Or plump for Johnnie Walker’s brilliant Green Label 15-Year-Old blended malt (43 per cent, Waitrose, £49). It’s an elegant, ginger biscuit snap mix of four different distilleries’ malts, with the woodsmoke and fruit of Skye’s Talisker at its heart. Talisker’s own 10 Year Old is a sparky, sea spray and richly fruited 45.8 per cent wonder, well worth splashing out £51 for at Sainsbury’s.

Each whisky cask is unique, regardless of the same water, air, still and malt used in its creation, and batches do vary despite distillers’ determination to maintain consistency in big brands. If that’s not difficult enough, I am in awe of the skill required by boutique whisky makers such as Compass Box and Woven to create their showstopping blends. Check out Compass Box’s amazing 46 per cent Nectarosity, thewhiskyexchange.com, £52.25, with its glorious, silky, cinnamon-spiced stone fruit and tingly, salt lick finish care of sherry, bourbon and American oak butts. Woven goes a step further, combining whisky aged in Scottish, Irish and even English casks, plus American bourbon barrels, to create an aptly named but very unusual 46.1 per cent Superblend, thewhiskyexchange.com, £48.50, bursting with toffee, smoke, spice and all things nice.

From left: Ben Bracken Islay Single Malt; Kilchoman Single Malt; Ledaig Aged 10 Years Single Malt; Glen Marnoch Single Malt

Whisky stars

Ben Bracken Islay Single Malt Whisky
40 per cent, 70cl, Lidl, £17.99
A wonderful smoky, peaty, seaweed-and-tobacco-leaf star, it’s the best bargain supermarket single malt.

Kilchoman Islay Single Malt
46 per cent, 70cl, Marks & Spencer, £40
A strong, stylish, peaty Islay single malt with an appealing toffee, golden raisin and citrus peel finish.

Ledaig Aged 10 Years Mull Single Malt
46.3 per cent, 70cl, thewhiskyexchange.com, £39.95
A gorgeous, fruity, sea breeze-tangy peat smoke and black pepper malt from Mull’s Tobermory, founded in 1798.

Glen Marnoch Speyside Single Malt
40 per cent, 70cl, Aldi, £17.99
A satisfying digestive biscuit and rich fruitcake of a single malt with a pleasingly fiery, citrus finish.

From left: Bordeaux Supérieur; Macerao Moscatel Naranjo; Antonin Rodet Chardonnay; Kanonkop Kadette Pinotage

Supermarket wines of the week

2022 Bordeaux Supérieur, France
14 per cent, Lidl, £5.99
A bordeaux glut steal of an easy-swigging, fruit-first claret with lashings of juicy, plump, plummy merlot fruit.

2022 Macerao Moscatel Naranjo, Chile
13.5 per cent, Waitrose, £7.99, down from £8.99
Cheer up a dull day with a musky, spiced quince of a moscatel grape orange wine — it’s a handy big food bottle.

2023 Antonin Rodet Chardonnay, France
13 per cent, Morrisons, £9
A rich, nutty, creamy, oaked Midi chardonnay, from the burgundy house of Boisset, that punches well above its weight.

2022 Kanonkop Kadette Pinotage, South Africa
14 per cent, Booths, £13, down from £15
A peerless, dark, dusky pinotage with complex, velvety tannins and fat bramble fruit from a stellar Stellenbosch estate.

Vesper · February 12

2 Wine Pros Choose Their Favourite Bottles For Valentine's Day

Frederic Grappe is the founder of Dynamic Vines, the UK’s leading importer of premium biodynamic and organic wines – which recently opened a great wine bar and shop in East Dulwich. Hannah Crosbie is the Guardian's new wine critic and a Sunday Brunch regular. Here, they pick some of their favourite bottles for Valentine’s Day.

FREDERIC GRAPPE

SPARKLING

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Cru Mari ‘Vermell’, £49

Sicus 2013

This sparkling rosé is from a single vineyard called La Masia that produces at high altitude in Catalonia, Spain with strong maritime influences. Sexy, bright and with delicate bubbles, it’s a light rosé from hand-harvested grapes with ten years on the lees before disgorgement. Perfect to enjoy on its own to start the evening and with fish or shellfish.

Available here

WHITES

VDF ‘Coeur Vaillant’, £43

Caroline Bain 2020

Translating as 'Brave Heart', this is for all those who are feeling a little courageous this Valentine’s Day. Rich, pure, complex and with mineral notes from limestone soils, this textured wine from producer Caroline Bain in the Loire Valley offers a little slice of heaven. Best paired with a rich cheese tart or poached fish with classic sauce.

Available here

Côtes-Du-Rhône ‘Bloom’, £25

Rémi Pouizin x Vin des Potes 2021

For an extra touch of luxury, this exceptional white wine represents an authentic sense of place from L`Enclave des Papes at Visan in France. Aromatic, outgoing and charming, it’s the ideal accompaniment for an Asian-style dinner or some cold cuts and cheese.

Available here

Blaye Côtes De Bordeaux, £23

Matthieu Cosse

This is a blend of sauvignon and muscadelle grapes, perfect for a fruity night in. The goal of the winemakers is to showcase the gluttonous character of the grapes grown in Bordeaux soils, often lacking in other wines produced in the region. Best paired with asparagus spears or a flat fish with creamy sauce or – if you're feeling lazy – a charcuterie board.

Available here

REDS

IGP ‘Terres Burgondes’ Pinot Noir, £40

Emmanuel Giboulot 2022

Producer Emmanuel Giboulot goes for a ‘less is more’ approach with his pure, precise and elegant Burgundian wines. Anyone searching for the perfect red, a bottle of his 2022 works in harmony with grilled meat or something hearty like a beef bourguignon.

Available here

IGP Pella ‘Bucephale’, Xinomavro 2019, £48

Ktima Ligas

This intense, savoury wine is a deep expression of Xinomavro. For the adventurous drinker, it’s considered a more ’serious red’ with high tannins and good structure from long ageing. It’s an ideal match for a rich tomato sauce with pasta, capers and cioppino to warm you through in the cold weather.

Available here

ORANGE

VDF ‘L'Orange’, £25

Domaine de Courbissac

Bring a clean, elegant freshness to your Valentine’s Day celebration with L’Orange. It’s a very classy affair with this bottle. Grown in high temperatures, winemaker Brunnhilde Claux’s orange wines have a fresh and floral aroma which balances perfectly against the more savoury elements of orange wine. Pairs well with olives, light salads or a selection of cheeses.

Available here

Dynamic Vines, 149 Lordship Lane, Dulwich, SE22 8HX

Visit DynamicVines.com

HANNAH CROSBIE

SPARKLING

Blanc de Meunier, £69

Chavost

Special occasions always call for champagne – and people are starting to cotton on that you can get decent champagne outside of the big houses and brands. Everyone seems to be going a bit nutty for Champagne Chavost at the moment – its bottles pop up in cool wine bars from Copenhagen to New York. This wine is made from pinot meunier, the unsung hero grape in a champagne blend that’s edging ever closer to the spotlight. This wine shows its strengths: weight, texture and aromatics.

Available here

Billecart Salmon Rosé Champagne NV in Gift Box, £75

Fortnum & Mason

If you’re after a reliable grande marque, you truly can’t go wrong with Billecart Salmon: my favourite is the rosé. It’s energetic yet not overly fruity like some other rosé champagnes are – it’s poised and elegant.

Available here

Brut Rosé, £15

Graham Beck

If you’re on more of a budget, Graham Beck’s sparkling wines punch well above their price point, with both a rosé and a white sparkling ready to be picked up at any Majestic.

Available here

Piggy Pop Pét-Nat Rosé, £24

Wildman Wine

Looking for something a little funkier? The Piggy Pop rosé is a pét-nat bursting with red fruit flavours and a real gastronomic versatility.

Available here

WHITES

Classic Pinot Blanc, £16.90

Famille Hugel

A delightful and bright pinot blanc, balanced by a real weight and minerality. This is a good gateway drug into delicious Alsace wine.

Available here

Gemischter Satz, £8.75

Familie Mantler

I can’t get enough of aromatic white wines at the moment. This absolute steal of a bottle is from Austria, with a peach-laden nose and a vibrant palate.

Available here

REDS

Tom's Block Pinot Noir, £22.99 (was £27.99)

Neudorf

This wine is a truly special pinot noir, currently on offer at Waitrose. Expect aromatic notes of dark cherry and spice, with a gorgeous light body.

Available here

Cotes Du Rhone Villages, £9

Tesco Finest Signargues

This is a rich, intense wine from Tesco’s Finest range. This is a meatier wine, perfect for pairing with red meats or earthy vegetables, if you’re going veggie.

Available here

Hannah Crosbie’s debut book Corker is published by Ebury. Follow Hannah for more wine recommendations here.

Edited February 12 by Vesper

Vesper · February 16

The best cocktail recipes — according to bartenders

This week the Noble in Glasgow shows you how to make the Martinez. Plus: the top drinks from around Scotland

https://www.thetimes.com/uk/scotland/article/the-best-cocktail-recipes-according-to-bartenders-jflz2ck20

The Noble’s Martinez swaps curacao for orange gin

e love a cocktail at Alba, so we’ve asked mixologists from across Scotland to share the recipe for their signature drink. We’ll update the list regularly, so if you’re a cocktail fan, make sure you save this page. And please let us know if you’ve come across any bars or drinks worth shouting about in the comments section below. We’ll check them out ourselves, and add the best of them to our list. Slainte mhath!

Drink of the week: The Martinez

by the Noble, Glasgow

“The Martinez is an age-old classic,” says Ewan Angus, who created this strong but smooth cocktail for the Noble, a new addition to Bothwell Street’s pub scene. “We swap curacao for orange gin and add a small hit of peach bitters and agave or honey to tie it all together.”

Ingredients

• 40ml Malfy Gin Con Arancia
• 30ml Lillet Rosé
• 10ml agave or runny honey
• 2 drops peach bitters
• 1 maraschino cherry or a twist of lemon peel, to garnish

Method

1. Combine all the liquid ingredients in a mixing glass. Fill to the brim with ice and stir for 25-30 seconds until ice cold and slightly diluted.

2. Strain into a chilled coupe or Nick and Nora glass and garnish with the cherry or lemon peel.

Matty Tomaszewski created the Violet Kiss to have luscious berry flavours to suit February 14

Violet kiss

by Fingal hotel, Edinburgh

“I wanted to make something with luscious berry flavours for Valentine’s Day,” says Matty Tomaszewski, the sommelier at the floating Fingal hotel. “You get a zesty, fruity hit from the vodka, smooth berry notes from the liqueurs, and sweetness from the syrup and pineapple juice. We serve it with violet and cassis macarons, made by our pastry chefs.”

• Fingal hotel, Edinburgh review — indulgence and nostalgia in Leith

Ingredients

• 35ml Belvedere blackberry and lemongrass vodka
• 15ml creme de cassis
• 10ml Chambord
• 5ml gomme syrup
• 75ml pineapple juice

Method

1. Pour all ingredients into a cocktail shaker and dry shake.

2. Add ice and shake again.

3. Fine strain into a Nick and Nora glass.

A dance in a glass: the Bolero from the Fife Arms

ALEXANDER BAXTER ALEXBAXTER.CO

The Bolero

by the Fife Arms, Braemar

“We call this one the Bolero because just as the dance combines tango, waltz and Latin, so the flavours in this drink intertwine as if dancing,” says Tomas Smazinas, the head bartender at the Fife Arms, who created this tart, silky, sour cocktail with the bar manager Skirmante Vosyliute.

Ingredients

• 30ml tonka tequila
• 10ml mezcal
• 25ml raspberry cordial
• 5ml Tio Pepe sherry
• Tonka bean dust, to garnish
• Raspberry dust, to garnish

Method

1. If you can’t get hold of tonka tequila, you can add half a teaspoon of vanilla extract to a bottle of tequila and leave to infuse overnight.

2. Add all the ingredients to a cocktail shaker and hard shake for about 20 seconds. Double strain into a chilled glass (we suggest a coupe, rocks or Nick and Nora).

3. Garnish with a sprinkle of tonka bean and raspberry dust.

• It’s the best-looking hotel in the Highlands, but does the food match up?

The Praline Irish Coffee from Hawksmoor in Edinburgh works just as well with Scotch as Irish whiskey

Praline Irish coffee

by Hawksmoor, Edinburgh

“Winter is the perfect excuse for any kind of boozy coffee,” says Liam Davy from Hawksmoor. “This Irish coffee riff uses an Irish whiskey — but feel free to play around with a good Scottish single malt. A richer-style blend or a young single malt work beautifully here, just nothing too smoky.”

Ingredients

• 2 tsp demerara sugar
• 250ml double cream
• 25g praline paste (or Nutella)
• A shot of hot coffee
• 25ml Irish whiskey
• Pinch of sea salt
• 10ml Frangelico hazelnut liqueur

Method

1. Dissolve the sugar in 1 teaspoon of hot water to make 15ml syrup, chill.

2. Whisk together the cream and praline paste, chill.

3. Warm a heatproof glass with boiling water, then discard the water. Add the syrup, coffee, whiskey, salt and liqueur, leaving 1cm at the top for some of the cream.

4. Float the praline cream slowly on top — you will have more than you need, so keep the rest in the fridge for another drink.

Not just a cocktail: the Crime Scene is also a clue in Somewhere by Nico’s murder mystery experience

The Crime Scene

by Somewhere by Nico, Edinburgh andGlasgow

“The key to this light and refreshing cocktail is to pour the cherry syrup in first and keep the glass nice and cold, so the syrup lies undisturbed at the bottom of the glass when you add the rest of the ingredients,” says Jack McGhee, bar manager at Somewhere by Nico. The bar, which opened branches in Glasgow and Edinburgh in 2024, changes its menu every six weeks. The Crime Scene is part of the Murder on the Midnight Express menu, where the cocktails themselves act as clues in an immersive two-hour cocktail tasting/murder mystery experience.

Ingredients

• 10ml maraschino cherry syrup
• 15ml maraschino liqueur
• 15ml RinQuinQuin peach aperitif
• A splash of prosecco

Method

1. Add ice to a chilled martini glass and pour in the cherry syrup.

2. Add the liqueur and RinQuinQuin then gently top with prosecco, taking care not to disturb the syrup at the bottom.

3. Once served, you can stir the syrup at the bottom into the drink, depending on how sweet you like it.

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Watch out for Calabrian chilli flakes if you don’t like it hot, says James Clark, the owner of Sotto

CHRISTINA LEAHY

Calabrian margarita

by Sotto, Edinburgh

“This is a simple, classic cocktail with a southern Italian twist,” says James Clark, the owner of Sotto, a new enoteca and trattoria that opened in Stockbridge in October. “Try to get the bergamot from an Italian deli if you can — they’re much more floral than limes. Calabrian chilli flakes are hot, so you can adjust to your taste.”

Ingredients

• Calabrian chilli flakes
• Salt
• 50ml tequila,
• 25ml Italicus bergamot liqueur
• 12.5ml bergamot juice
• 12.5ml lime juice
• A small splash of simple sugar syrup
• A bergamot slice, to garnish

Method

1. Chill a martini glass. Grind some chilli flakes (enough to coat the rim of the glass) with some salt with a pestle and mortar to a fine powder. Coat the rim of the glass with some lime juice and dip into the chilli salt.

2. Add the liquid ingredients to a shaker with ice, shake hard then double strain into the glass. Garnish with a slice of Bergamot.

• Read Chitra Ramaswamy’s review of Sotto

The rhubarb rose cocktail has a flavour profile that will refresh visitors to Newhall Mains’ bar

Rhubarb and rose cocktail

by Newhall Mains, nr Dingwall

“The combination of rhubarb and ginger brings a unique tartness that is balanced by the sweetness of the sugar cube and the floral notes from rose water,” says Rebecca Darden from Newhall Mains hotel on the Black Isle. “It creates a really complex and refreshing flavour profile.”

• Read Jeremy Watson’s review of Newhall Mains

Ingredients

• 1 sugar cube
• 25ml Edinburgh Gin’s Rhubarb & Ginger Liqueur
• 2 sprays of rose water
• Champagne (to top up)

Method

1. Add the sugar cube to a glass, pour in the gin liqueur to dissolve the sugar. Add two sprays of rose water.

2. Top up the mixture with champagne, stir gently to combine, without losing too much carbonation from the champagne.

The Bobby Burns is the creation of Cameron Ewen, the bar manager at Scotch at the Balmoral Hotel

Bobby Burns

by Scotch at the Balmoral Hotel, Edinburgh

“I use Benedictine in this twist on a classic Rob Roy,” says Cameron Ewen from Scotch, the whisky bar at the Balmoral Hotel. “It complements the complex nature of Johnnie Walker Black Label. The subtle smoke found in Black Label adds intrigue, I always think.”

Ingredients

• 45ml Johnnie Walker Black Label whisky
• 45ml Italian vermouth
• 7.5ml Benedictine DOM liqueur
• Twist of lemon zest, to garnish

Method

1. Fill a mixing glass with ice and add the whisky, vermouth and liqueur.

2. Stir it all together, strain into a cocktail glass and add a twist of lemon zest.

Dean Banks says drinking his elderflower fizz is like sipping champagne

Elderflower fizz

by Dulse, Edinburgh

“This drink highlights one of my favourite ingredients, elderflower,” says Dean Banks from the Edinburgh restaurant Dulse. “Its crisp, floral notes bring a touch of warmth to autumn gatherings. It’s light, bubbly and gives you that luxurious feeling, much like sipping champagne.” This recipe requires a bit of planning in advance, since a week of steeping is needed to get a full elderflower flavour.

Ingredients

• 400g sugar
• 1 lemon, zested and juiced
• 1g yeast
• 10 heads of elderflower

Method

1. Combine 800ml water with the sugar, lemon zest and juice in a large saucepan. Bring to the boil. Allow to cool, then mix in 1.2L water and the yeast.

2. Add to a sterilised container, mix with the elderflower heads and leave in a dark place at room temperature for 7 days.

3. Strain then pour into sterilised bottles. Chill in the fridge until ready to serve.

• Read Chitra Ramaswamy’s review of Dulse

Mitch Murray from the Kylesku Hotel and his cocktail, Beyond the Tea

Beyond the Tea

by Kylesku Hotel, Sutherland

“This is my favourite creation of all time,” says Mitch Murray, the bar manager at the lochside Kylesku Hotel. “It blends floral notes of lavender and the tried-and-tested, robust citrus flavours of Earl Grey tea.”

Ingredients

• 50ml vodka
• 35ml sugar syrup
• 2-3 heaped tsp loose-leaf Earl Grey tea and dried lavender petals, plus extra to garnish
• 20ml lemon juice
• 20ml egg white

Method

1. Infuse the vodka and syrup for 2-3 hours with the tea and lavender petals.

2. Use a jigger to add the infused vodka and syrup to a cocktail shaker. Add the lemon juice, egg white and a generous serving of ice. Shake vigorously.

3. Double strain into the top half of the shaker and ditch the ice. Shake once more.

4. Double strain into a coupe glass and garnish with a line of Earl Grey tea and lavender petals.

High-quality ingredients are the way to make a margarita stand out, says Rory Cox from the Prancing Stag

Peach margarita

by the Prancing Stag, Glasgow

“This fruity margarita is inspired by the fizzy peach sweets I used to get from the hospital shop when I visited my granddad as a wee boy,” says Rory Cox from the Prancing Stag restaurant in Jordanhill. “Margaritas are one of the most popular cocktails in the world and they lend themselves to lots of variations. There’s nothing in the way of mixer, so choosing high-quality ingredients is what makes the cocktail stand out. The Bandero tequila is beautifully smooth, and the peach liqueur is a French one made from vineyard peaches that smells a bit like those fizzy peach sweets.”

Ingredients

• 25ml Giffard Pêche de Vigne liqueur
• 50ml Bandero Tequila Blanco
• Juice of 1 lime
• 1 tsp citric acid
• 2 tsp caster sugar
• Sprig of mint, to garnish
• Lime wedge, to garnish

Method

1. Add the liqueur, tequila and lime juice to a shaker with ice and shake.

2. Rim a rocks glass with some liqueur, then dip it in a mixture of the citric acid and sugar.

3. Fill a glass with ice and double strain the liquid into it. Garnish with a sprig of mint and a wedge of lime.

Danny Mcmanus from the alcohol-free brewery Jump Ship

Jump Ship punch

By Jump Ship Brewing

Created by Danny Mcmanus, a mixologist at the dedicated alcohol-free brewery Jump Ship, this refreshing mocktail balances zesty clementine and lime juice with herbal thyme syrup and crisp fruity notes from Jump Ship’s Gooseberry Gose.

Ingredients

• 15ml lime juice
• 30ml clementine juice
• 10ml Lyre’s Non-alcoholic Italian Spritz
• 50ml Jump Ship Gooseberry Gose
• Lime slice and a sprig of thyme, to garnish

For the thyme syrup (needs steeping overnight)

• 200g caster sugar
• 10g fresh thyme

Method

1. Mix the sugar and thyme in 200ml boiling water until the sugar is dissolved, leave to steep overnight.
2. Add the rest of the liquid ingredients and 15ml of the thyme syrup to a wine glass with ice, garnish with the lime slice and thyme sprig.

Iain McPherson from Panda & Sons says his Wilderness cocktail is “as if Ribena and red wine joined forces”

Wilderness

By Panda & Sons, Edinburgh

Fresh from being crowned winner of the Altos Bartenders’ Bartender Award as part of the World’s 50 Best Bars, Iain McPherson shares this recipe from his buzzy New Town speakeasy, Panda & Sons.

“The key ingredient here is Aelder Elixir, a liqueur made by Buck & Birch in East Lothian mixing wild elderberries, whisky and wild botanicals,” McPherson says. “I add it here for its lovely berry yet tannic notes — it’s as if Ribena and red wine joined forces. The sherry gives it a lovely long finish, going side by side with the maple.”

Ingredients

• 20ml Makers Mark
• 15ml Aelder Elixir
• 20ml manzanilla sherry
• 15ml lemon juice
• 15ml maple syrup
• Soda water, to top up
• 1 blackberry

Method

1. Add the liquid ingredients except the soda water to a high-ball glass.
2. Add ice and top up with soda water.
3. Give a gentle stir to mix and garnish with the blackberry on a skewer.

The Downstair’s at Betty’s team Matt Colagiuri and Stefan Creran have created a twist on the El Capitán

El Capitán

By Downstairs at Betty’s, Edinburgh

“I came up with this recipe myself,” says Stefan Creran, general manager at Downstairs at Betty’s, a new cocktail and piano bar on Charlotte Lane. “It is a blend of an El Capitán to represent my Chilean roots, and a classic Manhattan, a nod to my business partner Matt Colagiuri.”

Ingredients

• 25ml Ragtime Rye whisky
• 10ml Aba pisco
• 10ml Lucky Liqueurs Smoky Cherry
• 10ml Cocchi Vermouth di Torino
• 3 dashes saline
• Cherry bitters
• Black walnut bitters
• 1 cherry, frozen, to garnish

Method

1. Add the whisky, pisco, smoky cherry, vermouth and saline to a mixing glass, stir for 15-20 seconds until ice cold and slightly diluted.
2. Strain into a Nick and Nora or cocktail coupe, mist the glass with 1 spray of cherry bitters and 1 spray of black walnut bitters.
3. Garnish with a frozen cherry.

Meadowsweet, tart cranberry and elderflower are a dream accompaniment to Sonas gin

Sonas gin fix

by Knipoch House hotel nr Oban

This refreshing summer drink uses Sonas gin, made with apples, kelp, hawthorn berries and meadowsweet from the shores and gardens at Knipoch’s sister hotels on Skye. “Enhanced by the delicate flavour of elderflower and tart cranberry,” says Knipoch’s Cameron Campbell, “it transports you to perfect summer days on the Isle of Skye.”

Ingredients

• 50ml Sonas gin
• 12.5ml elderflower cordial
• 12.5ml lime juice
• 50ml cranberry juice
• 50ml apple juice
• 2 cucumber slices
• 1 sprig mint

Method

1. Add all ingredients to a shaker filled with ice and shake vigorously.
2. Pour into a chilled glass and garnish with two cucumber slices and a sprig of mint.

The Guard Bridge banana sour is a “smooth, rich, nostalgic summer serve”

Guard Bridge banana sour

By Eden Mill distillery near St Andrews

“Our beautiful banana sour is reminiscent of foam banana sweets,” says Hannah Ingram from Eden Mill, the Fife distillery that runs cocktail masterclasses at the Huxley bar in Edinburgh. “The sweetness of the banana syrup blends wonderfully with the whisky, and there’s a touch of tartness from the lemon juice, plus a pleasing mouthfeel from the foam. It all culminates in a smooth, rich, nostalgic summer serve.”

Ingredients

• 50ml The Guard Bridge blended whisky
• 35ml Monin banana syrup
• 20ml lemon juice
• 1 egg white or foamer
• Dried banana chips, to garnish

Method

1. Add all the ingredients (except the banana chips) into a shaker and shake.
2. Open the shaker, fill it with ice then shake again until the outside is cold.
3. Strain into a Nick and Nora glass and garnish with a dried banana chip.

Borders Distillery like to add a dollop of raspberry jam to their whisky-based cocktail for sweetness

That’s My Jam

By Borders Distillery, Hawick

“This cocktail makes me think of juicy jam-filled doughnuts,” says its creator, Olivia Pattison, from Borders Distillery in Hawick. “Based on our WS:02 blended Scotch whisky, we add a dollop of raspberry jam to create a lovely summer drink that bursts with frothy, fruity sweetness.”

Ingredients

• 50ml The Long & Short of It
• 20ml lemon juice
• 10ml ruby port
• 10ml grenadine
• Spoonful raspberry jam
• Egg white
• Ice

Method

1. Place all ingredients except ice into cocktail shaker and dry shake hard.
2. Now add ice and shake again. Strain into a chilled coupe.

Celantano’s tequila-twist on a negroni

White tequila negroni

By Celantano’s, Glasgow

Celentano’s mixologists Anna Parker and Erin Calvin make their own liqueurs and cordials for their cocktails, using herbs grown in the restaurant garden and honey from bees kept in their own courtyard. The good news is you can just use a shop-bought vermouth if making your own from wine, spices and orange peel feels like too much bother. If you are buying vermouth, choose one on the dryer side.

Ingredients

• 50ml Cazcabel tequila
• 37.5ml dry white vermouth
• Fresh orange peel
• Slice of orange, to garnish

Method

• Add the tequila and white vermouth to a mixing glass or tin.
• Twist the orange peel over a the glass, expressing its oils into the liquid. Fill to the brim with ice and stir with a bar spoon for 30-45 seconds until icy cold and slightly diluted.
• Strain into a rocks glass, over one large ice cube. Garnish with the slice of orange.

Iona Buick from Isle of Bute Distillery making a Bute martini

Bute martini

by Isle of Bute Distillery, Rothesay

“Our Oyster Gin makes the perfect base for this martini,” says Iona Buick from Isle of Bute Distillery in Rothesay. “To make the gin, we charge our still with the shells of wild oysters — it creates a delicate but distinctive maritime essence. So this martini pairs really well with seafood.”

Ingredients

• 50ml Isle of Bute Oyster Gin
• 12.5ml fino sherry
• Pinch of salt

Method

1. Add all ingredients to a mixing glass with ice cubes and stir gently to combine.
2. Finely strain into a chilled martini glass of your choice.

The St Kilda sour at Rascal balances sweetness and acidity

The St Kilda sour

by Rascal, Glasgow

“The combination of spirit, lime and sugar is a classic,” says Jack Cain at Rascal, a buzzing new cocktail bar in the West End of Glasgow. “The balance of sweetness and acidity is the foundation of any good cocktail. Isle of Harris Gin’s flavour profile of juniper, citrus and dry maritime notes is accentuated by the tart lime juice and balanced by sweet strawberry, making a well-rounded and delicious cocktail.

“The name itself is inspired by a tradition in St Kilda, where men who wished to marry would prove their worthiness by walking to the edge of the Lover’s Stone. There, high on a cliff edge, they would have to balance on one leg to prove their ability to support their future wife.”

Ingredients

• 50ml Harris gin
• 25ml fresh lime juice
• 25ml strawberry syrup
• 1 egg white

Method

1. Separate egg white into the shaker then add all other ingredients.
2. Shake hard without ice to emulsify egg white, then fill shaker to the top with ice and shake hard for 15 seconds.
3. Double strain into a chilled coupe or Nick and Nora glass. Garnish with a fresh strawberry slice on the rim.

Douglas Murray, the bar manager at Lady Libertine, and the tonka bean-infused Grasshopper

The Grasshopper

by Lady Libertine, Edinburgh

Douglas Murray, the bar manager at Lady Libertine, infuses this creamy cocktail with a dash of cognac. “It has a tantalising hint of fruitiness,” he says. “And the tonka beans in the double cream complements the boozy ice cream flavours beautifully.”

Makes 2

Ingredients

• 10g tonka beans
• 100ml sugar syrup
• 45ml double cream
• 30ml crème de menthe
• 50ml Rémy Martin VSOP cognac
• 30ml crème de cacao
• 4 dashes of bitters
• Mint leaves and grated dark mint chocolate, to garnish

Method

1. Grate the tonka beans into the sugar syrup in a saucepan, then heat gently so it steeps, then strain and cool.
2. Stir 15ml tonka-infused syrup into the double cream, then mix this and all the other liquid ingredients into a cocktail shaker with ice, shake hard and double strain into rocks glasses.
3. Garnish with the mint and a sprinkle of chocolate.

Holyrood Distillery’s mixologist Elsie Cinnamond making a Clover Club cocktail

Clover Club

by Holyrood Distillery, Edinburgh

“Texture is key to this cocktail,” says Holyrood Distillery’s mixologist, Elsie Cinnamond. “Egg white makes it frothy and our Height of Arrows gin uses beeswax at distillation, which adds a silky creaminess.

“Not all recipes call for dry vermouth but we included it as it adds dimension and layers to a drink that could easily be overwhelmed by raspberry. It brings out the complex herbal notes of the juniper berry; highlighting the beautiful flavours of our classic gin.”

Ingredients

• 45ml Height of Arrows gin
• 15ml dry vermouth
• 25ml lemon juice
• 25ml raspberry syrup
• 3-4 drops of cocktail foamer or 1 egg white or 20ml aquafaba (chickpea water)
• Raspberries, to garnish

Method

1. Dry shake (shake without ice) all the liquid ingredients for about 10 seconds to emulsify the foaming agent.
2. Once frothy, add ice to the shaker and shake again to chill and dilute.
3. Fine strain into a chilled coupe glass. Garnish with a few raspberries.

The Ruma co-founder Steven Aiken making the Dominicana

The Dominicana

By Ruma, Edinburgh

This rum cocktail recipe was created by Sasha Petraske, the owner of Milk & Honey bar in New York, one of the first speakeasy-style cocktail bars now seen in hipster hoods the world over.

“We had to have it on our launch menu,” says Steven Aitken, who with co-founder Jamie Shields has opened Ruma, a specialist rum bar on Broughton Street, Edinburgh. “We pair delicious Dominican rum with coffee liqueur made in Scotland. We top it with an indulgent layer of velvety cream. It’s simple but elegant, a perfect rum alternative to an espresso martini.”

Ingredients

• 45ml Dominican rum
• 45ml Cross Brew coffee liqueur
• Oat cream, whipped
• A few shavings of 70 per cent dark chocolate

Method

1. Shake the rum and coffee liqueur with ice and double strain into a coupe glass.
2. Top with whipped oat cream and sprinkle with shaved chocolate.

• 120 of Scotland’s best restaurants — where to book in 2024

“It’s a great cocktail to drink with dessert — or even instead of it”, says Sarah Peel from the Cromlix hotel

Chocolate and orange espresso martini

By Cromlix hotel, Dunblane

The Scotland the Best author Peter Irvine reckons Cromlix has the best hotel art in Scotland. We reckon the drinks ain’t bad either, especially its take on an espresso martini, which Cromlix’s sommelier and beverage manager, Sarah Peel, garnishes with orange zest and chocolate popping candy. “I love the aroma of the fresh zest and the fun of the crackle. It’s a great cocktail to drink with dessert — or even instead of it.”

Ingredients

• 25ml dark crème de cacao
• 25ml Kahlúa or coffee liqueur
• 25ml Grand Marnier
• 1 double shot of espresso coffee
• Orange zest and chocolate popping candy, to garnish

Method

1. Add the liquid ingredients to a boston glass or shaker. Add ice and shake until chilled (30 to 60 seconds).
2. Strain into a chilled martini glass and garnish with the orange zest and a sprinkle of popping candy.

The Lady Libertine

Ingredients

• 50ml Courvoisier VSOP cognac
• 25ml vermouth
• 2 dashes Angostura bitters
• A strip of orange zest, to garnish

Method

1. Add the cognac, vermouth and bitters to a glass. Give it a nice long stir and strain into a chilled, but preferably frozen, coupette glass.
2. Gently twist the orange zest to express the oils over the drink, then use it to garnish.

The Buckfast mulled cider is a real winter warmer

Buckfast mulled cider

By Café Cùil, Skye

Not a cocktail, rather a winter warmer from Clare Coghill, the head chef at Café Cùil, which sits at the head of Loch Harport in the shadow of Skye’s Cuillin Hills. “I was creating my own mulled cider at home, and didn’t have any port or red wine,” she says. “So I reached for the next best thing — Buckfast!”

“It’s not just a drink to be enjoyed in our younger drinks years,” Coghill says. “Its sweet, almost medicinal flavour pairs perfectly with the winter spices. It’s a great drink to take with you in a flask at this time of year.”

Buckfast mulled cider

Serves 6

Ingredients

• 1 tbsp brown sugar
• 1 cinnamon stick
• ½ tbsp cloves
• 1 star anise
• 2 x 440ml cans of dry cider
• ½ orange, plus slices, to garnish
• 150ml Buckfast Tonic Wine

Method

1. Place a heavy-bottomed pan on the hob over a medium heat. Add the sugar and spices and warm until the sugar begins to caramelise and melt.
2. Add the cider and orange, simmer for a few minutes.
3. Pour into a jug or teapot, top with the Buckfast and stir. Serve in mugs, or pour into a flask to take somewhere.

The Bru and Stormy — only available in Glasgow

TURTLE BAY

Bru & Stormy

By Turtle Bay, Glasgow

“What drink could better marry Caribbean flair with the spirit of Glasgow than a rum cocktail with an Irn-Bru mixer?” says Ben Hibbard, the marketing director at the Caribbean-inspired Turtle Bay chain, which has opened a fun restaurant on the corner of Hope Street and St Vincent Street.

“We found that the hint of ginger you get in Irn-Bru, along with its sweet, tangy flavour, works really well with common Caribbean ingredients,” Hibbard says. “Pairing Irn-Bru with a smooth, spiced rum like RedLeg cuts the sweetness, while the addition of falernum — a syrup made with ginger, lime, almond and cloves — brings a tropical twist that accentuates the citrus and spices.”

Ingredients

• 25ml RedLeg spiced rum
• 25ml falernum syrup
• About 200ml Irn-Bru
• 2 dashes of bitters
• A slice of lime, to garnish

Method

1. Add ice cubes to a highball glass with the rum and falernum syrup, and stir well with a bar spoon until the glass is cold to the touch.
2. Add ice cubes to the top of the glass and top up with Irn-Bru.
3. Add the bitters, garnish with a lime slice, and serve with a straw.

KEVINAA · February 19

1991 to 1994 TV SERIES - DINOSAURS

Dinosaurs (1991)

This show follows the life of a family of dinosaurs, living in a modern world. They have televisions, refrigerators, et cetera. The only humans around are cavemen, who are viewed as pets and wild animals.

https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0101081/

THESE CLIPS was posted over 9 years ago.

They deleted these from archives to not be shown again, due to awakening the masses to critical thinking.

Corporate Profits soar at the end of the world.

The Dinosaurs Ending

Edited February 19 by KEVINAA

KEVINAA · February 26

Michelle Trachtenberg dead at 39.

KEVINAA · March 16

At least 51 people are reported to have died in a fire at a nightclub in North Macedonia.

Vesper · Wednesday at 12:03

Martinis Are Trending: Here's What To Know & Where To Drink Them

Once the epitome of old-school glamour, the martini is having a modern moment. Helping to shake off its stuffy reputation, spots across the capital are putting their own spin on the classic, serving ice-cold, crystal-clear concoctions to a new generation of cocktail fans. To find out why this iconic drink is back in fashion, what separates a good martini from a great one and how to master the art of making one at home, we asked the experts to share their insights (and recipes)…

https://slman.com/life/food-drink/martinis-are-trending-heres-what-to-know-where-to-drink-them

The Martini Resurgence

Martin Kuczmarski, former COO of the Soho House Group, has a wealth of hospitality experience, having worked at some of the finest establishments across the world, including The Hyde Park Hotel and The Ritz in Paris. His latest venture, The Dover, has its own and exclusive martini menu. “People are craving that old-school hospitality – white tablecloths, candle-lit rooms, a romantic atmosphere. That’s exactly what we’ve recreated at The Dover. People are tired of loud, overcomplicated bars serving fruit-laden cocktails that take forever to make. They want something that is simple, quick and can be trusted, but still feels glamorous, elegant and has a sense of ceremony about it.”

Cocktail maestro and Lyaness founder Mr Lyan – also the creative mind behind the bar menu at impossible-to-book Bébé Bob – confirms this. “It is the most iconic cocktail and emblematic of the notion of 'greater than the sum of its parts', but I think it has found new audiences of late as people are using cocktails around the dining and whole night out better, and they are gravitating towards drier style drinks.”

Ilias Mehili, bar manager at buzzy hot spot Milk Beach Soho, agrees: “The martini has never really gone out of style, and I don’t think it ever will. It’s the ultimate minimalist cocktail – just spirit, vermouth and a simple garnish, yet it is, undeniably, endlessly sophisticated. I’ve noticed a lot of top cocktail bars are stripping things back – focusing on perfect technique and clean, precise flavours. Recently, I came across a feta-washed gin dirty martini, and it was surprisingly good. But for me, a martini should stay true to itself – simple, elegant and ice-cold.”

Polina Kovaleva/Pexels

Valeriya Kobzar/Pexels

The Tiny ‘Tini

While martinis are timeless, the latest buzz on bar menus comes in a smaller form: the tiny 'tini. Mr Lyan is all in on the trend. “A martini needs to be very cold – our Bone Dry Martini at White Lyan was famously tiny, and served very cold – so more people have realised that a few small, perfectly made martinis are far better than one big lukewarm one. The Mini Bébé Bob Martini is an embrace of this idea, especially as it suits the snacks it sits alongside.”

Ilias is on board too. “Mini martinis make perfect sense – temperature plays a huge role in how much you enjoy a martini and with a smaller serve, you experience it at its coldest and best.”

Where To Find A Good One…

At the aforementioned The Dover, the martini list reflects old-world glamour – but in a cool, modern way. There’s the gibson, a classic gin-based martini garnished with onion, as well as the ‘Hot & Dirty’, a heady mix of chilli and olive brine, and the inimitable vesper martini – made famous by James Bond.

Martin has a few more recommendations on where to find a good martini in London. “At The Dover, we are purists at heart, but we don’t mind mixing high with low. For example, we serve this glamorous drink alongside bar snacks like popcorn and mini hot dogs. Aside from The Dover, the best martinis I’ve had in my life were at the Dukes Bar at the Dukes Hotel in London, the Polo Bar in New York and, of course, the Hemingway Bar in Paris at The Ritz.”

Mr Lyan adds to the list. “Hotel bars are a given – The Connaught, American Bar, Dukes – but newer spots like Three Sheets, Kol Mezcaleria, Tayer, and Elementary are also nailing it.”

“If you love martinis, The Connaught Bar is a must – the range is spectacular, and the technique is flawless,” adds Ilias. “Recently, I went with friends to Soma, and the martini blew me away. Indian gin, bay leaf sake, and pickled shallot – it was balanced, unexpected and seriously impressive.”

Tips From Those In-The-Know

The biggest mistake home bartenders make? Ilias suggests it’s not stirring their martini long enough. “A great martini needs proper dilution – so the alcohol doesn’t hit too hard on the first sip,” he says. “It should glide. For a flawless martini at home, choose a high-quality gin or vodka – this is 90% of what you’ll taste. Stir patiently for 35-40 seconds – let the ice do the work, then strain. Use good-quality cubed ice while stirring – this makes all the difference in dilution.”

“You need cold glasses, and lots of ice,” adds Mr Lyan “From there, you can make it quite easily. And at home, people often think more is better – bars don't control the amount of booze to be stingy, it's because a balanced drink is more delicious, better metered, and more fun. Use the best ingredients you can – this doesn't mean expensive but choose the ones you actually love – it's very hard to put bad in and get good out.”

Finally, Martin is a stickler when it comes to ingredients. “The best, and only true, champagne comes from the region. You need to take this same approach with your vodka for your martini – go for Russian or Polish. Otherwise, freezing-cold glasses are key and a proper martini glass is the only way to go. To elevate things further, go for crystal.”

Now, Try These Recipes…

The Dover Martini

Serves

1

Total Time

5 Minutes

Ingredients

3 drops of orange bitter

75ml of Konik’s Tail vodka

Vermouth Cocchi Extra Dry (To spray or rinse the glass)

For the garnish:

Orange zest

The glass:

Frozen coupette martini

Method

Step 1

Pour the Konik's Tail and orange bitter into a mixing glass, add ice and stir gradually, moving the ice in a continuous motion.

Step 2

Once the ice starts to melt, keep adding fresh ice on top – this will further chill the drink without adding dilution.

Step 3

Taste as you go; the drink should taste very clean with only tasting notes of the spirit. The Dover Martini takes time to chill down and dilute to deliver the perfect taste.

Step 4

Spray or rinse (if so, discard the extra vermouth) the frozen glass with Cocchi Extra Dry. Strain into the glass and garnish with orange zest.

Recipe courtesy of

TheDoverRestaurant.com

Tomato Martini

Serves

1

Total Time

2 Minutes

Ingredients

1 oz of Sapling Vodka

1.5 oz of farm tomato juice

2 tbsp of sherry vinegar

¼ oz of sugar syrup

For the garnish:

Black pepper

Method

Step 1

Shake all the ingredients in a shaker with ice and strain into the glass.

Step 2

Garnish with black pepper.

Recipe courtesy of

HeckfieldPlace.com

Martini Tuxedo

Serves

1

Total Time

2 Minutes

Ingredients

40ml of East London Liquor Gin

20ml of Bodegas Baron Micaela Manzanilla

Dash of orange bitters

For the garnish:

1 large green olive

Method

Step 1

Combine all ingredients and stir over ice.

Step 2

Finish with an XL olive (Picante Gordals). The result should be a salty, savoury martini that can be finished in two or three sips.

Recipe courtesy of

BarValette.com

Milk Beach Martini

Serves

1

Total Time

4 Minutes

Ingredients

50ml of Four Pillars Rare Dry

15ml of Noily Prat Vermouth Infused with Sea Herbs

1 dash of Bitter Truth Celery Bitters

For the garnish:

Oyster leaf

Method

Step 1

Add all ingredients in a cocktail stirring tin glass or a shaker with ice.

Step 2

Stir for 35-40 seconds, then strain into a chilled martini glass and add on top an oyster leaf.

Step 3

A good tip is to have a nibble of the oyster leaf before you sip to enhance the flavour.

Recipe courtesy of

MilkBeach.com

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The Martini: The Ultimate Guide to a Cocktail Icon

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