The Aperitif Guy

The first time I visited Bilbao was in the late 1990s. My friend was a student there. It would never have crossed my mind to visit otherwise: ETA was still active; the town itself was sadly post-industrial (like so many Atlantic ports), and the only flights from the UK went via Brussels on an airline that was heading for bankruptcy. The Guggenheim Museum had recently opened in the old port district, to much disbelief and bemusement - why would any forward-thinking arts organisation open a prestigious gallery in such a town? Who would risk the disruption of separatist action to visit such a gallery?  Image: P Hodkinson Well, I was visiting and, as it turned out, so have many millions of people since. The Basque government had actually been very far-sighted when they approached the Guggenheim Foundation with an offer of significant financial investment in a gallery of contemporary art. What I found in Bilbao was a proud town that was not going to be defined, either by its declining m...

It's that time of year again when we love to let go, throw frivolous or outrageous parties and bring something special to our table. It's a good time to serve cocktails, so I've been thinking about what I should suggest as my festive selection for 2019. Here are the ones I love to serve and drink. They include a few you could serve together at a cocktail party, some that are particularly suited to aperitif drinking and one that's great for winding down when the guests have gone. You'll notice a lot of overlap in the ingredients for these cocktails. The main reason for that is my love of certain spirits and liqueurs for their flavour and versatility. It's also so that you can put together a stylish cocktail party without buying a large number of different ingredients. The manufacturers of these ingredients have not sponsored me in any way, save by supplying a couple of photos for the blog. Three White Ladies The original White Lady cocktail is a thing of s...

Summer brings a special character to my dinners. The table erupts with colour as I add edible flowers and specialist herbs like bronze fennel or red oxalis as garnishes. I have a loose-weave tablecloth that shows the colour of green, pink or blue undercloths beneath. Table flowers are chosen for their scent as well as their colour, and freesias are a favourite. With so much colour on the dining table, I love to serve colourful and frivolous aperitif drinks, too. One such is the Douglas Fairbanks cocktail. As befits a handsome and daring actor, the cocktail is strong, sharp and fruity. Douglas Fairbanks 60ml dry gin 20ml apricot brandy 10ml fresh lime juice 15ml egg white Place all the ingredients in a shaker with ice and shake hard until your hand can't stand the cold. Double-strain into a coupe glass and garnish with slices of lime and cocktail cherries. Pimms & lemonade has become synonymous with the English summer, garnished with heaps of fruit, cucumber...

At this time of year, when everyone gets into the party spirit, it’s good to have a couple of “go-to” cocktails in your repertoire to give your entertaining a lift. Cocktail making has a touch of magic about it, a mixture of alchemy and theatre, so this could be your chance to really impress. Let's face it, this is a great time to show off! Here are four recipes I’ve used that have proved popular with guests. Any one of them could be served as the curtain-raiser to a festive dinner. Coupled with a few smart canapés like sliced smoked duck, parmesan palmiers or devilled quails eggs, they will really impress. Remember they’re strong in alcohol, though. Don’t be tempted to offer more than one top-up if you want your guests to remember the rest of the meal. White Lady  This is a lovely, sophisticated drink. It’s sharp and fresh, and the white foam on top gives it the perfect look for the season. It’s one of the oldest recipes I use, appearing in Harry Craddock’s ...

If you’re thinking of making aperitif drinking a regular part of your life, you may well be wondering how much it’s all going to cost. Well, you can spend as much as you’ve got, obviously. I often dream of that Euromillions lottery win that would finance the acquisition of a dozen Baccarat Champagne coupes, a bespoke cocktail cabinet and buying trips to Oporto, Epernay and Beaune. Sadly, we must live in the real world, so here are some thoughts on a few versatile bits and pieces you can get started with. Drinks I’ll write next time about some fun cocktails to try out with your festivities and, after that, post something on aperitifs to go with more formal dining. In this post, though, I want to focus on the most versatile aperitif drinks to have in, the stuff you can just reach for when you’re too tired to think or have been taken unawares by an old friend on a surprise visit. A gin fizz with friends First and foremost, London Dry gin. Flavoured gins are popular just ...