#arboralis

If you fancy something as soothing but a tad more refreshing than my Calm Herbal Tea, then try this cooling Ginger Shandy! It it a non-too-alcoholic tipple with a little spice! Cheers!

Ingredients (serves 1):

3 ice cubes

45 millilitres/1 1/2 ounce (3 tablespoons) good Whisky (like The Glen Grant’s Arboralis)

15 millilitres/1/2 ounce (1 tablespoon) Honey Syrup

1/2 ripe, juicy lemon

250 millilitres/1 cup ginger-flavoured craft beer (like the excellent Hatherwood’s The Ginger Grizzly N°6), well-chilled*

Place ice cubes in serving glass. Add Whisky and Honey Syrup. Give a gentle stir to combine.

Cut 3 thin slices in the lemon halve and add them to the glass. Top with chilled ginger-flavoured craft beer.

*If you can’t find a ginger-flavoured beer, muddle a piece of fresh ginger (about half a thumb) in a cocktail shaker and strain into a the glass with the Whisky and Honey Syrup. It is better, I find, than using ginger beer as it won’t water down your drink.

“De rigueur,” in French means something that is both expected and required, so as it is Friday and quite warm (21°C), I should think a De Rigueur is just the cocktail one needs to enjoy in the sun. It was, possibly (cocktails’ origins are often apocryphal), a Harry Craddock invention from his time at The Savoy in the 1930s. The Americans call it Brown Derby, but you will understand I like the French name and, prescription, as it were, far better! Happy Friday!

Ingredients (serves 1):

8 ice cubes

1/2 a small, ripe pink grapefruit

45 millilitres/1 1/2 fluid ounce (3 tablespoons) Single Malt Whisky (some favour bourbon, but I reckon this drink benefits from the floral and herbal notes of The Glen Grant’s Arboralis)

30 millilitres/1/2 fluid ounce (2 tablespoons) Honey Syrup

Place ice cubes in a shaker. 

With a vegetable peeler, peel a thin strip of grapefruit skin, being careful not too cut the white pith. Set aside.

Thoroughly squeeze the juice of the grapefruit and add two tablespoonfuls of it in the shaker (30 millilitres/1 fluid ounce). Add Whisky and Honey Syrup. Close shaker tightly, and shake energetically until well-chilled.

Strain into a coupe or cocktail glass, and garnish with grapefruit peel after expressing its oils over the cocktail.

I may not be a Scot, but I will celebrate any country’s national feast if it’s a chance for good food, music and merriment! Thus on Burns Night, I pour myself a glass of good Scotch Whisky, read The Bard of Ayrshire’s poetry, listen to his songs, and cook a warming Scot feast -though I have yet to try haggis, I reckon I shall when I am in Scotland! Even better, is to have a lovely lassie over, to share Cranachan with. That, I know, Rabbie would approve! Have a good one!

Ingredients (serves 2):

1 cup fresh raspberries, rinsed

2 tablespoons Elderflower Sugar (or plain caster sugar)

2 heaped tablespoons whole rolled oats

1 tablespoon fragrant pure honey (like heather)

1/2 cup double cream

1 heaped tablespoon fragrant pure honey (like heather)

1 1/2 tablespoon good single malt Scotch Whisky (like The Glen Grant Arboralis)

Save a few whole raspberries. In a small bowl, mash the rest of the fresh raspberries with a fork until you have a chunky purée. Stir in Elderflower Sugar until completely dissolved. Set aside.

Toast whole rolled oats in a dry frying pan until they start colouring and smell nutty. Remove from the heat, and divide toasted oats between two small bowls. Stir heather honey into the oats in one of the bowls, keep the other plain. Set aside.

Pour double cream in a medium bowl, and whisk energetically until soft peaks form. Whisk in the honey, and continue whisking, gradually adding the Whisky. You want the cream to just hold, and remain soft. Gently fold in plain toasted oats. 

Spoon a tablespoonful Elderflower raspberry purée at the bottom of each of two glasses. Top with Whisky and honey oat whipped cream, and a few fresh raspberries. Repeat. Finish with a drizzle of the purée, a couple of fresh raspberries, and honey toasted oats. 

Chill slightly before serving.

On a cloudy Spring Friday, if you can’t decide between a cocktail or a dessert, why not indulge into a bit of both with this delightfully boozy Whisky Chocolate Mousse? And it’s not just the delicate aromas of the Whisky that make this mousse special, it is light as air and incredibly creamy, too! Happy Friday, indeed!

Ingredients (serves 2):

90 grams/3 ounces good quality dark chocolate (at least 65% cocoa)

3 tablespoons unsalted butter

1/2 teaspoon Homemade Vanilla Extract

30 millilitres/1 fluid ounce (2 tablespoons) good quality Single Malt Whisky (something floral like The Glen Grant’s Arboralis works wonderfully)

1/2 cup double cream

1 large egg white

a pinch of salt

2 tablespoons caster sugar

more dark chocolate, for shaving (optional)

2 freshly picked primroses, for garnish (optional)

In a medium bowl fitted over a small saucepan of simmering water -the bottom of the bowl shouldn’t touch the water, melt dark chocolate with butter, stirring until smooth and shiny.

Remove from the heat and stir in Vanilla Extract. Gradually stir in half of the Whisky as well. Allow to cool; set aside.

In a medium bowl, whip double cream with an electric mixer until soft peaks form. Continue beating, on high speed, gradually adding remaining Whisky, until just stiff. Set aside.

In another bowl, beat egg white and a pinch of salt until soft peaks just form. Continue beating, a few minutes more, gradually adding caster sugar until you have a beautifully glossy meringue.

With a rubber spatula, fold Whisky whipped cream into Whisky melted chocolate until just blended. Then, gently fold in meringue, until no white streak remains.

Spoon Whisky Chocolate Mousse into two glasses or cups. Shave a little dark chocolate on top, and garnish with primroses if desired. Place in the refrigerator and chill, at least 2 hours.

When one has taken a day off, but has also spent a good chunk of the arvo planting (more!) fruit shrubs, in-between and sometimes under rain showers, I reckon one has deserved to cool down with a cocktail, should the sun belatedly come out! One beautifully refreshing tipple is a citrus-y Whisky Sour! Happy Friday!

Ingredients (serves 1):

60 millilitres/2 fluid ounces (4 tablespoons) Single Malt Whisky (some favour bourbon, but I reckon this drink benefits from the floral and herbal notes of The Glen Grant’s Arboralis)

1/2 small lemon

1 1/2 tablespoon egg white

1 1/2 tablespoon Simple Syrup

8 ice cubes

Angostura bitters

Pour Whisky in a shaker. squeeze lemon juice, and add to the shaker as well, along with egg white and Simple Syrup. Close tightly, and dry shake (without the ice), about 30 seconds.

Add ice cubes to the shaker, and shake energetically until well-chilled. Strain into a coupe glass, and add a few dashes Angostura bitters.