Battle of the Cocktails!
This week, debate has divided the team here at Cooksmill. As we start to get into the swing of summer, the conversation turned to cocktails – what we like, what we don’t. Everyone has an opinion. Everyone has a favourite. Nobody can agree. Battle lines have been drawn. Sides have been chosen. Friendships have been put to the test.
Mojito vs. Mai Tai. Long Island Ice Tea vs. Pina Colada. Martini vs. Margarita. Daiquiri vs. Cosmopolitan. Choose a side.
How did we end this conflict of cocktails? Well, after a much heated discussion, we decided to put it to a vote.
So here are our top five cocktails from our fantastic selection of Cocktail Mixers – and how to make them!
1. Mojito
In at No#1 it’s a stone-cold classic: The Mojito. It’s really easy to make and mix, and has some of those exotic ingredients that make it seem much classier than it is. So here’s what you need:
- 8-12 mint leaves
- Fresh lime slices
- 1 teaspoon of white sugar
- 1 shot of white rum
- Lemonade/Soda Water
- Lime Puree
2. Margarita
Another favourite here at Cooksmill, and another classic that’s really easy to put together. Margaritas are made in various different ways, no two bars make them the same, but most recipes feature tequila, triple sec, lime juice and that cool-looking salt and sugar that sits crushed together around the rim of the glass.
- 1 shot of Tequila
- 1 shot of Triple Sec
- 1 shot of lime juice
- Salt or Sugar
- Ice
To give your margarita a Caribbean twist, try adding some pineapple puree to the mix.
3. Bloody Mary
A Bloody Mary is the perfect cocktail to prepare in-house or at home. It’s a potent combo of vodka, tomato juice and Tabasco sauce, and whatever other juices and spices you want to add to the mix. Not a drink for the novice – the Bloody Mary is for the cocktail connoisseur. If you want to freshen things up (or cool things down), try adding a little lemon puree.
- 2 shots of vodka
- ½ a shot of fresh lemon juice
- 4 dashes of Tabasco
- Pinch of sea salt
- Pinch of black pepper
- Wedge of celery
- Fresh Tomato juice
4. Martini
“The names Bond . . . James Bond”. Yes, we’ve come to 007’s drink of choice. Whether you like it shaken or stirred, cinema’s most famous (and most ordered) cocktail is without doubt the coolest drink on our list! Classic, elegant and smooth, the Martini is Bond in a glass*
- Gin
- Vermouth
- Lemon/Olive
*Unfortunately, is not served with an Aston Martin, black tuxedo or a plethora of gorgeous women!
5. Long Island Iced Tea
Last but not least, New York’s finest, the Long Island Iced Tea! It was the drink of choice back in the ‘80s, in those halcyon days before ‘health’ became a thing and saccharine was associated with good times rather than type-2 diabetes. Simply put: it’s an earth-shattering hangover and a sugar comedown in a glass.
- 1 shot of vodka
- 1 shot of gin
- 1 shot of white rum
- 1 shot of tequila
- ½ a shot of triple sec
- ½ a shot of sour mix
- Coke