Lemon Crackle Gin Fizz
Well, once again, it’s Friday, which means it’s Friday Afternoon Cocktail time!!
This time I asked Luke to give me a word to inspire the cocktail. After an unreasonably long pause he stood up (silently), grabbed a dried leaf off the back lawn, walked up to me (silently) and crumbled it in my ear, then told me that the crackling sound was my inspiration…so… thanks love.
Anyhoo, I think I did reasonably well! There’s a little bit of drama in this cocktail (if you want there to be). I delivered the cocktail with everything but the pink peppercorns and verbena leaves, which I put in tiny bowls next to the glasses. Before drinking, I instructed Luke to crumble the dried verbena leaves and pink peppercorns on top of his cocktail. The verbena leaves release this beautiful lemony aroma, and the pink peppercorns have an amazing spicy perfume too. Plus, they crackled like dried leaves, so I reckon I fulfilled the very left-field brief I was given.
This week, your song pairing is this snazzy spicy number from Ebo Taylor. It’s so happy and bright and bouncy, definitely a pink peppercorn, green chilli and grapefruit kinda song!
Lemon Crackle Gin Fizz
Makes 1 cocktail
Ingredients
1 shot of gin
A squeeze of lemon juice
2 Tbsp pink grapefruit juice
1/2 tsp maple syrup
4 shots of sparkling water
1 shot of tonic water
A slice of pink grapefruit rind (you can use a peeler or a sharp knife to peel a strip off)
1/2 a large green chilli, finely sliced
Dried lemon verbena leaves*
Pink peppercorns (if you have them)
Method
Make sure all your liquid ingredients are as cold as possible before you begin.
Mix together the gin, lemon juice, grapefruit juice and maple syrup. Add the sparkling water and tonic water and stir gently to combine.
Pour into a cocktail glass and top with the grapefruit rind, the slice chilli, the lemon verbena (or mint) leaves, and the pink peppercorns.
*Note: I know dried verbena leaves are a bit of an obscure ingredient, but I have it growing in my garden and it’s such a lovely plant! The leaves have the most amazing smell and are a great addition to heaps of dishes. If you don’t have lemon verbena leaves go for fresh mint leaves - they work really well too!
