TIPPLE OF THE MONTH

Gather some gorse while out on a walk to create a zesty cocktail that tastes of the coast

CORNISH WRECKER

Royally good. Served to the Queen on a visit to the Eden Project in 2021 – this is Cornwall in a glass.

Makes 1

For the syrup: 200g caster sugar

2 handfuls of gorse flowers

2 drops of natural coconut flavouring

For the cocktail:

50ml Wrecking Coast Clotted Cream gin (or your favourite gin)

12.5ml coconut rum

1½ tbsp lemon juice

1½ tbsp gorse flower syrup

Ice cubes

Soda water

1 lemon twist (or slice), edible flowers (we used borage), to garnish

1 First, make the gorse flower syrup.

In a saucepan, heat the sugar, gorse flowers, coconut flavouring and 100ml of water over a very low heat for about 30 mins, or until the sugar’s dissolved, the flowers have wilted and the syrup has turned a gentle yellow colour.

2 Remove from the heat and leave to infuse and cool for at least 6 hrs, or ideally overnight. Strain then decant into a sterilised jar.

3 To make the cocktail, shake all the ingredients, except for the soda water and garnish, together in an ice-filled cocktail shaker until super cold.

4 Strain over ice and top up with soda water. Garnish with a lemon twist and a borage flower to serve. Bartender’s note: When picking gorse flowers, always wear gloves and check thoroughly for bugs. Only pick open buds.

Taken from Time & Tide: by Emily Scott (Hardie Grant). Photography: Kristin Perers