I have booked my ticket to see Olly Smith this World Cocktail Day at a Topping & Company event on 8 November.
Multi-award-winning drinks write and TV presenter Olly Smith serves up the best cocktail recipes the world has to offer in his new book World Cocktail Atlas.
From the prohibition-inspired speakeasy drinks of the US to the art of the Japanese Izakaya, Italian spritzes and amaro, Mexican margaritas, Korean soju sippers, to Singapore slings and West Indian rum punches, the book is arranged by region, with the recipes taking you on a global tour.
Click on the image to book a ticket.
Cucumber and Basil Gimlet
And now for my signature cocktail that I and the Social Bitches like to serve up at one of our legendary dinner parties – a cucumber and basil gin gimlet.
A gimlet is a potent gin cocktail, typically made with lime cordial and gin. This fresh, herbal version has a delicate green hue thanks to the homemade syrup.
Makes 2:
80 ml gin
45ml freshly squeezed lime juice (we have been known to use ready bought, to save time!)
Ice cubes
Cucumber ribbons, to serve.
For the cucumber and basil syrup (makes 375ml) – make in advance
300g cucumber
10g basil
200g caster sugar
To make the cucumber syrup, dice the cucumber and scoop it into a pan. Add the basil leaves, sugar and 200ml cold water. Bring to the boil, turn the heat down and simmer for 2 minutes. Set aside to cool and infuse. When the syrup is cold, pour it though a fine sieve into a jug. Discard the cucumber and basil leaves. The syrup keeps in the fridge for at least 2 weeks.
For the cocktails, pour the gin, lime juice and 60ml of the cucumber and basil syrup into a cocktail shaker with some ice. Seal and shake well for 30 seconds to chill. Double strain into two small glasses. Thread the cucumber ribbons on to cocktail sticks and add to the glasses to serve.
Time Saver Tip – We might not win any mixologist competitions but we’ve been known to scale up the ingredients, to make 8. If you measure out the ingredients, quadrupling the above to serve 8, the liquid can be stored in a big bottle.
A Sodastream bottle is perfect for this. Then when you come to serve, pour the required amount into the cocktail shaker with ice and get shaking.
