In the wet, cold weather, enjoy your spirits with a dash of spices, such as cinnamon, cloves and cardamom with honey or herbs like lemongrass and rosemary. Phorum Dalal shakes and stirs bartenders across the city to come up with cocktails that you can sip to forget the deluge and dream up a storm
A cold, rainy day is a good reason to rustle up a drink that will heat things up. If you are craving something stronger than soup, then Bhaskaran E, bar manager of Cheval at Kala Ghoda recommends hot toddy, brandy or even some rum with hot water and butter. “Bourbon, which is made of corn molasses, is also another heaty spirit. For those, who don’t like their drinks neat, monsoons are a good time to experiment with spices such as cinnamon and cardamom,” says Bhaskaran.u00a0Seconding the opinion, Elton Rodrigues, bar manager of Beachcomber in Juhu suggest herbs such as rosemary and lemon grass. “Monsoon calls for drinks that will warm your system, and options include rum, brandy, tequila, hot toddy and Irish coffee. We keep ingredients such as honey, spices and herbs handy. If you walk into the bar drenched, these drinks will bring your body down to normal temperature.
A bartender makes the Monsoon Rebellion at Cheval, Kala Ghoda. Pic/Bipin Kokate
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Enchanting Darjeeling
Ingredients
45 ml Johnnie Walker platinum
15 ml Campari (bitter)
40 ml honey
4 mint leaves
1 star anise
1 cinnamon stick
120 ml strong Darjeeling tea
Method:u00a0
>Crush star anise and cinnamon in a shaker. Smash the mint leaves and put in the shakeru00a0
>Add whisky, campari and honey. Give a dry shake without any ice
>Double strain and pour into a warm brandy balloon. Add the hot Darjeeling teau00a0
Monsoon pick: A marriage of tea and scotch -- it doesn’t get sexier than this
Tea Pot
Ingredients
Chilled Chai Latte 150 ml
Gin 60 ml
Pomegranate syrup 15 ml
Dry ice, handful
Method:
>Prepare chai latte, strain it in a cup and allow it to cool >Add a small piece of dry ice in the tea pot followed by the chai latte, 60 ml of premium quality gin and
pomegranate juice
>Serve in a steaming teapot
Monsoon pick: It’s a perfect drink for someone who wants to feel warm and yet not miss out on the flavours of tea. It has an effect of smoke flowing
out of the tea pot, and a perfect camouflage for
having an alcoholic beverage in tea cup
Tea Pot at Beachcomber, Sun N Sand, Juhu. File Pic
Monsoon Rebellion
Ingredients
30ml Wild Turkey
20ml Beefeater Gin
10ml La Fee Green Absinthe
10 ml freshly squeezed lemon
1 Rosemary sprig
Method:
>Shake all the ingredients with ice
>Serve in a rock glass which is smoked with star anise
>Garnish with lemon twistu00a0and sage
Monsoon pick: Bourbon is usually had neat in winter. Made of corn molasses, this produces heat and is ideal on a rainy dayu00a0
Envy
Ingredients
1 tablespoon fresh
green apple bits
1 cinnamon stick
60 ml Spiced Rumu00a0Ice
Method:
>Gently muddle the fresh green apple bits
>Break the cinnamon stick into five to six pieces and add to the mix
>Add the Spiced Rum
>Shake with ice
Monsoon pick: The apple makes it refreshing, the cinnamon gives it a dense twist and the spiced rum makes it a drink!
Hot Spiced Apple Toddy at Three Wise Men, Santacruz. File Pic
Hot Green Apple Todi
Ingredients
60 ml Cognac or Brandy or Spiced Rum (I used spiced rum but it’s your choice)
180 ml apple cider
1 tbl spoon honey
10 ml lime juice
Peeled fresh ginger, coarsely chopped (I used a thumb-sized piece)
Spices -- cinnamon stick, whole cloves and nutmeg
Method:
>Add the ginger and spices to the apple cider and simmer in a saucepan over low heat for at-least five minutes
>Drizzle honey into a mixing glass
>Add the liquor, hot cider and a squeeze of lemon juice.
>Stir well till all the ingredients are mixed well
>Pour it in a Brandy Balloon or glass of your choice
>Garnish with a cinnamon stick or lemon slice or fresh thyme string or an apple slice
Monsoon pick: The apple adds a fresh flavour to the otherwise spicy drinku00a0
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