Challenging drinks

Pavel Kabina behind the bar at Cassis

Over the years I’ve acquired a fair few bottles of random booze – many of my own production. Nice to drink in themselves, their complex or strong flavours can sometimes be hard to balance in a cocktail. Which is why I was so pleased when Cassis Bistro invited me to their Challenge the Barman night – ie, a group  of drink writers bring along whatever is lurking in the back of their booze cabinet that they don’t know how to use and the barman invents a cocktail with said ingredient.

Summer sips

The birthday boy the morning after

My friend John decided to kick off his fortieth birthday celebrations with a garden party in Norfolk for family and close friends – and I was roped in to run the bar. The event was vaguely Victorian in theme (croquet and a buffet lunch of pressed tongue, whole dressed salmon, dressed crab and samphire,  ham hock and trotters terrine, tomato summer pudding and lettuce with home-made salad cream) so I decided an authentic punch might be an appropriate tipple.

Gin is (still) in

According to the press, gin is still big news. I’d be a little tired of reading this earthquake of a statement (along with the one about how speakeasy bars are really current now) if its reiteration didn’t have major benefits for us gin-loving consumers.

The soft option

WARNING: This post contains no alcohol whatsoever and is therefore not suitable for 99% of readers…

Down Mexico way

Mexico's #1 selling Mezcal

As a freelancer I don’t get to go on holiday as much as I’d like, so I love it when generous friends and relatives bring me back souvenirs from  abroad – it’s a breath of exotic climes in a gift bag. On the down side, it was always a toss-up whether I’d be given an objet d’art or an objet dire.