Drinking to Victory
Part III
Closing Weekend
It may be just what we need right now, and it may be a foolish endeavor to hold the games in the middle of a pandemic, but the Olympics have begun! Since fans are not allowed, it only makes sense to sit back and watch the events on TV with a great cocktail in your hand. I am reaching back into the vault of the cocktails I have made to celebrate the nations participating – and remember drinks I may have forgotten all about.
Cheers, ¡Salud!, Prost, Skål, 乾杯, Υγεία, Sláinte, Gesondheid, 干杯, Будем здоровы!, à votre santé, ‘cin cin!’
WEEK THREE/CLOSING WEEKEND!
Day FIFTEEN – Trinidad
AotC-116. Queen Park Swizzle
2oz aged dark rum
1/2oz rich Demerara syrup (2:1)
1oz fresh lime juice
6-8 mint leaves
4 dashes Angostura Bitters
Place the mint leaves into a Collins glass and add the Demerara syrup and muddle together. You want to go gently. Break the mint oil sacks on the surface but be careful to not tear the leaves apart or it will also release bitter chlorophyl into the drink. Carefully use your muddler to drag the mint and Demerara syrup up the surface of the interior of the glass. Remove the muddler and add the rum and lime. Add crushed ice until about 3/4 full and take your Le Bois Lélé stick (or bar spoon) and place it on top of the ice. Place the stick between your palms and move them back and forth, spinning the smaller perpendicular stick blades. Work up and down continuously, until the glass starts to frost. Leave the stick in place and add ice until filled. Continue to rotate the swizzle stick up and down until the drink is uniform and the glass is frosted over. Work the stick to the surface and remove and add ice until full. Take the mint sprig and place it in your palm. Slap your palms together to release the oils and add to the drink. Add a straw and serve.
Day SIXTEEN – Myanmar (Burma when the drink was created)
AotC-237. Pegu Club
2oz London dry gin
3/4oz Pierre Ferrand Dry Curaçao
1/2oz fresh lime juice
1tsp simple syrup
1 dash Angostura bitters
1 dash orange bitters
Lime peel twist
Add everything to a shaker with ice and shake for 15 seconds. Strain into a chilled cocktail glass. Add the lime peel garnish and serve.
Day SEVENTEEN – Host Country, Japan
AotC-457. Roku Sonic (Soda Water + Tonic)
2oz Suntory Roku Gin
2oz Fever Tree soda water
2oz Fever Tree tonic water
Lime wheel garnish
Orange wheel garnish
Build the drink in the glass over ice and give it a little stir. Add the lime and orange garnish and serve.
BONUS SHOT – USA
AotC-154. Red, White, and Blue Shot
1/2oz pomegranate grenadine
1/2oz crème de cacao (white)
1/2oz blue curaçao
Pour the grenadine into the bottom of a shot glass. Then slowly pour the crème de cacao over the back of a bar spoon. Last, do the same with the blue curaçao. Serve.
I hope you enjoyed the Olympics – and had a chance to see the world through these cocktails.
Cheers!
Bill
AotCB-044
