ON THE GRAPEVINE
SAM WYLIE-HARRIS ON... A PINK TWIST TO SOME CLASSIC COCKTAILS
IN her new book, Rosé Made Me Do It, mixologist and writer Colleen Graham has added a cheery blush to all her cocktails.
And while she suggests using premium-quality spirits you wouldn’t mind drinking on their own, she says: “There’s no need to pay for a super pricey bottle of rosé, though, as wine is typically a cocktail mixer that allows you to save a bit of money.
Here are some recipes to try...
Rosé Mojito
MOJITOS are a ton of fun to drink and not as hard to make as you might think. The secret is to use a muddler to press the fresh mint into the syrup. This flavour foundation can then be dressed up a more unconventional turn, as with the Rosé Mojito.
‘Refreshing’ doesn’t even begin to describe the taste; you’ll love how the cooling, sweetened mint plays off a nice rosé. For an extra twist, use a sparkling lemonade rather than soda water or, for less sweet, add lemon flavoured Italian soda water instead. Ingredients: (Serves 6-8) 750ml rosé, 480ml sparkling lemonade, 2 limes cut into wedges, 25g fresh mint leaves, simple syrup to taste, lime slices and extra mint leaves to garnish.
Method: Using a muddler, press the lime wedges, mint leaves and about 15ml of simple syrup in a jug to release the juice and essential oils. Add the rosé and lemonade. Stir well, taste and add more syrup if desired. The jug can then be stored in the fridge for an hour or two. Serve in tall glasses filled with ice and garnish with lime slices and fresh mint.
Rosé Cosmo
THE classic cosmopolitan is an ideal cocktail for a little rosé. It already has the sweet fruits that pair so nicely with rosé, and the recipe isn’t too different from the original, so it’s both familiar and novel. For the Rosé Cosmo, the wine and citrus vodka play equal roles to form a pretty foundation.
This then gets a slight accent from triple sec and cranberry juice to produce a well-balanced cocktail that’s easy to drink. In true cosmopolitan fashion, add as much cranberry juice as you like; this recipe produces a drier cosmo that can easily be sweetened by doubling or tripling the juice.
Ingredients: (Serves 1) 45ml citrus vodka, 45ml rosé, 15ml triple sec, 15ml cranberry juice, orange twist, to garnish.
Method: Half fill a cocktail shaker with ice. Add the ingredients and shake vigorously. Strain into a chilled martini glass and decorate the rim with an orange twist.