Whether you're embracing a month of abstemiousness or find a cocktail or two is the only way to get through January, we've got a recipe to suit - gathered from the bar teams in the Houses.
Chinotto Americano - Cecconi's Barcelona
'Chinotto is an Italian soft drink made from a citrus fruit that is too bitter to eat, but is used to make marmalade and soft drinks. It's very popular in Italy as a caffeine-free alternative to colas, and in the Chinotto Americano we've used it instead of soda to top up mixture of Campari and Martini. It's a simple twist on a classic, the bittersweet chinotto balancing the Campari and vermouth, and has been popular as an aperitivo with guests at Cecconi's Barcelona since the opening.' Alberto Terenghi, Bars Manager, Soho House Barcelona
Ingredients:
35ml Martini Riserva Speciale Rubino
25ml Campari
Top Chinotto
Grapefruit oils
Grapefruit slice
Serves 1
Method:
Stir Martini Rubino and Campari together with cubed ice and strain into a rocks glass. Top with Chinotto and finish with grapefruit oils and a grapefruit slice.
Aloe Vera & Coconut Punch - White City House
'This drink was created for White City House during the opening of the pool. There was a big demand for non-alcoholic drinks and we wanted to come up with something that would taste like a proper cocktail, look like a proper cocktail and feel like a proper cocktail, only without alcohol. As it was summer and the food at White City was about infusions, we came up with this.' Erdem Kayalar, UK Bars Manager
Ingredients
100 ml tea blend*
15ml lemon
20ml honey water
50ml aloe vera juice
Garnish
Dehydrated orange
mint sprig
edible flower
Serves 1
Method
*Tea Blend: Brew 20g of coconut and blueberry tea (7 tea bags) in 100ml cold water and 200ml boiling water for three mins. Method: Built.
Aged Rusty Nail - Soho House New York
'This is an amazing prep for an amazing drink, created by New York Bars Manager Ben Fitzgerald himself.' Andres Gonzalez, Bars Manager
Ingredients:
Loose-leaf lapsang tea
Sugar
Cinnamon sticks
Talisker 10-year-old single malt Scotch
Drambuie
Amaro Montenegro
Sage, Cinnamon stick
Serves 2
Method:
Start by infusing lapsang tea with sugar, hot water and cracked cinnamon sticks. That sits for about 15 minutes. Then strain out the tea, keeping all liquid matter, and mix in a small wooden barrel along with Talisker 10-year-old single malt Scotch whisky, Drambuie and Amaro Montenegro, ageing it for about 21 days till ready to serve. The result is a spicy, almost smoked, barrel-aged Rusty Nail. Serve on the rocks along with two sage leaves and an ignited cinnamon stick for the nose.
House Gimlet - Soho House Mumbai
'Tom Kerr and I created this drink and the menu at Mumbai to be based on classics. We want to build a strong, classic-style cocktail programme while introducing little twists here and there. These focus on local flavours and what India does best (spice).' Aditya Jain, Bars Manager
Ingredients:
50ml Bombay Sapphire
25ml House jasmine and cardamom cordial (jasmine tea, cardamom, caster sugar, citric acid)
Basil leaf
Serves 1
Method:
To make the jasmine and cardamom cordial, pour 200ml hot water over 6g jasmine pearls. Stir quickly until the pearls open, then remove them (should take less than two minutes). Crush 7g cardamom, mix with 200g caster sugar and leave to rest for two hours. Add 175ml of the jasmine tea and 5g citric acid. For the gimlet, stir 50ml Bombay Sapphire and 25ml jasmine and cardamom cordial in a mixing glass. Pour out in a rocks glass with a large block ice cube.
