Mix things up
Our resident drinks expert Miriam Nice serves a rosita, a recipe that takes its lead from the ever-popular negroni. Plus, Sergio Leanza shares advice on how to customise classic cocktails into tipples that suit your own palate
TWISTS ON A CLASSIC
Owner of London cocktail bar Funkidory Sergio Leanza tells us how to put a new spin on our favourite tipples, as we’ve done with our rosita (opposite)
1 DON’T COCKTAILS HAVE A STRICT FORMULA?
Not all, but many do. For example, a daiquiri is two parts ‘strong ’, or rum; one part sweet (sugar) and one part sour (lime). One of my favourite ‘formulas’ is a Barbadian rhyme for rum punch: ‘one of sour, two of sweet, three of strong, four of weak’. That can be used as a base to make a good punch from scratch.
2 ARE THERE ANY RULES THAT SHOULD BE FOLLOWED WHEN SWAPPING ONE SPIRIT FOR ANOTHER?
I’m not one for following too many rules, but one of the most important things a cocktail needs is balance. Like any food dish, it shouldn’t be too sweet, salty, sour or savoury. So, it makes sense to change one sweet ingredient out for another, or a spirit with a spirit. Use sour and sweet ingredients to balance the drink or remove them as needed.
3 CAN YOU SWAP A SPIRIT FOR A LIQUEUR?
It depends – how will that swap affect the sweetness and overall flavour? Liqueurs can be very sugary, and using too much could result in an overly sweet cocktail.
4 HOW CAN YOU PUT A TWIST ON A CLASSIC WITH JUST A FEW INGREDIENTS?
At Funkidory, we do an oolong martini that’s a twist on a classic dry gin martini. I use Victory London Dry gin and fino sherry (instead of dry vermouth) – the ingredients are then infused with waikato oolong tea leaves from Rare Tea Company. The infused gin and sherry is stirred with ice and served cold in a chilled glass, with a little lemon zest twisted over the top.
5 WHAT’S THE MOST EXCITING TWIST YOU’VE MADE OR TRIED?
We were joking about how a cross between a manhattan and dirty martini would taste, and thought it was crazy to even try creating one. But, it has actually became a staple at Funkidory and is now one of our best-selling cocktails. The rye lane is a lovely, creamy, strong, savoury whisky cocktail. We started serving so many of these when we came up with the idea that we just had to put it on the menu.