Lockdown Made Me Do It. Jassy Davis

your hand – and not just because it’s full of booze. Sharing a bottle of wine or a few beers with friends is fun. But no matter how mellow everyone gets; the night will always taste a little ordinary. Take the same people, prop them up in a bar with a round of ice-cold Martinis and the night will always feel more fun, more glamorous and more exciting. This is because cocktails give life its glitter.

      These days, while we wait at home for lockdown to lift, a trip to your local hot spot is out of the question. When quarantine is over, we can visit our favourite bars and pubs again. But until then, we have to glitz up our own lives. This is where the cocktail comes in. A Quarantini, if you will.

      Your kitchen is only ever one rum cocktail away from being a tiki bar. Your living room just needs a pair of Spritzes to turn it into an Italian trattoria. Your hallway can be an old-fashioned members’ club in London, full of whisky and gossip, while your bathroom makes a great stand-in for Miami – as long as you take a Mojito into the tub.

      With the right drink, you can conjure up every chic city bar or rustic seaside shack you’ve ever dreamt of drinking in. I don’t recommend trying to visit them all in one night – cocktails are best taken in small doses – but with the recipes in this book, you can enjoy a perfect night out while staying safely in.

      We’ve put these cocktails together because not only can they take you round the world in a glass, they don’t require too many trips to the shops. These are paired-down drinks made with a few select, easy-to-source ingredients and the kind of liquors inhabiting everyone’s drinks cabinet – as well as a few iconic cocktails to try, should you happen to have some seldom-used bitters or a long-lost vermouth collecting dust. You can get a bit technical with some of the cocktails, and add a few bartender twists, or keep it loose and simple. Make Gin Rickeys with vodka, Whisky Flips with brandy, and Margaritas with white rum. Now is the time for experiments and having fun. And who knows? Maybe lockdown will help you invent a new cocktail classic.

       SYRUPS, PURÉES AND INFUSIONS

      Many cocktails in this book require a touch of simple syrup. I prefer using this to caster sugar or any granulated sugar, no matter how fine, because it’s already dissolved and easier to mix with. Make a batch ahead of time and store it in your refrigerator. The variations you can make on this are only limited by your imagination and ingredients, but here are the recipes contained in this book for your reference.

SIMPLE SYRUP

      The basic recipe tells you a lot about the name: it’s simple! The method is as follows: One part sugar to one part water.

      Combine the sugar and water in a small saucepan over a medium heat and gently stir until the sugar dissolves. Leave to cool, then store in an airtight container for up to 2 weeks.

      BROWN SUGAR SIMPLE SYRUP

      Add 200g (7oz) of brown sugar to a small pan. Pour 240ml (8fl oz) of water into the pan. Heat this over medium heat, stirring occasionally until the sugar dissolves. Remove from the heat and let it cool. Store the syrup in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to one week.

CONCORD GRAPE SYRUP

      The sweetness inherent in grapes means no sugar need apply. Simply take 150g (5oz) rinsed Concord grapes (although any red or black grapes will do) and put them in a small saucepan. Cook over a medium heat, stirring, until the grape skins begin to break and the juice and flesh spill out into the pan. Cook down for about 5 minutes. Cool and press through a fine mesh sieve, discarding the extra pulp, skins and stems. Store in an airtight container for up to 2 weeks.

      GINGER SYRUP

      Add 200g (7oz) of sugar to a small pan. Add 1 thumb-sized piece of peeled and sliced ginger to the pan. Pour 240ml (8fl oz) of water into the pan. Heat this over medium heat, stirring occasionally until the sugar dissolves. Remove from the heat and let the ginger steep for 20 minutes. Strain out the ginger with a mesh strainer. Store the syrup in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to one week.

      HONEY-GINGER SYRUP

      Add 240ml (8fl oz) honey to a small pan. Add 1 thumb-sized piece of peeled and sliced ginger to the pan. Pour 240ml (8fl oz) of water into the pan. Cook over high heat, stirring occasionally until the mixture boils. Reduce the heat to medium and simmer for 5 minutes. Remove from the heat and let the ginger steep for 20 minutes. Strain out the ginger with a mesh strainer. Store the syrup in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to one week.

MINT SIMPLE SYRUP

      200g (7oz) granulated white sugar

      240ml (8fl oz) water

      5g (⅛oz) fresh mint leaves, washed

      Drop the mint into a small saucepan and gently muddle to release the oils. Add the sugar and water and cook over a medium heat. Gently stir until the sugar dissolves and the aroma of the mint is prominent. Leave to cool, then store in an airtight container for up to 2 weeks.

      VARIATIONS

      Basil Simple Syrup – make as above but use basil instead of mint.

      Ginger Simple Syrup – cook the sugar and water as before and add a 125g (4oz) piece of ginger, peeled and very thinly sliced. Bring to a simmer, remove from the heat and leave to steep for 30 minutes. Pour through a fine-mesh sieve into an airtight container.

      Honey Syrup – combine 240ml (8fl oz) honey with the water in a saucepan and continue as before.

      Rosemary Syrup – make as the mint simple syrup but add 1 or 2 sprigs of rosemary.

      Sage–Lime Syrup – make as the mint simple syrup but add a few sage leaves and the juice of 1 lime.

      CITRUS-INFUSED VODKA

      Use a combination of lemons, limes and oranges (1 of each fruit for an entire bottle works well) to create a custom blend. Rinse the fruit and cut into slices. Infuse for 3 days to a full week.

      CLEMENTINE GIN (makes approximately 900ml/30fl oz)

      3 large (or 5 small) clementines

      200g (7oz) caster sugar

      700ml (24fl oz) London dry gin

      Quarter the clementines, keeping the skin on, and add them to a sterilised 1½ litre (50fl oz) jar. Add the sugar and gin, seal the jar and leave it to steep somewhere dark and dry for 2 weeks. Give the jar a shake every few days to help dissolve the sugar. After 2 weeks, strain through a sieve. Discard the clementines and pour the gin back into the jar or into a sterilised bottle. If you leave this gin for 3 weeks, the flavour of the pith will come through and it will have a more marmalady flavour. Don’t steep it for longer than 3 weeks or it will become bitter.

      SLOE GIN (makes approximately 850ml/28fl oz)

      400g (14oz) sloes

      2 almonds

      125g (4½oz) caster sugar

      700ml (24fl oz) London dry gin

      Prepare your sloes by pricking them all over with a sterilised needle or putting them in a freezerproof tub or bag and freezing them for 48 hours to crack them. Tip the sloes into a 1½ litre (50fl oz) sterilised jar. Lightly crush the almonds and add them to the jar with the sugar. Pour in the gin. Seal the jar and leave it to steep somewhere dark and dry for 3–12 months. Shake the jar every few days during the first couple of weeks to help dissolve the sugar. After at least 3 months, strain the gin through a sieve and taste it. If it’s too tart for your taste, stir in a little