Entertaining

Cocktails for beginners

The result of my latest poll showed there was a considerable interest in cocktails so I’m going to try and include recipes and serving suggestions more often. Only 6% of you said you never made them compared to 19% who made them at least once a week and 38% who made them a couple of times a month. The remaining 38% ‘rarely make them’ which I suspect means you’re either much keener on wine or regard them as daunting.

If the latter is the case don’t be put off by the complicated concoctions that you tend to see barmen throwing together with such apparent ease. A cocktail need only contain as few as two or three ingredients - a base spirit and a liqueur and/or fruit juice, for example. Many can simply be mixed in a jug or a glass. You can serve them before a meal, obviously, but some make a good substitute for a dessert while others can be a better match than wine with spicy food.

Here are four easy recipes I’ve persuaded two of the bartenders from my son’s bars Hawksmoor and Green and Red to part with. Give them a try and let me know how you get on. (Note that in the UK we generally call a 25ml measure a shot rather than a 30ml one)

From Joel Constantino at Hawksmoor

Negroni
A great cocktail classic - sophisticated but unbelievably easy to make

25ml/1 shot Campari
25ml/1 shot Martini Rosso
25ml/1 shot any London Dry Gin

Pour over cubed ice in Old Fashioned or Rocks glass and stir. Garnish with a slice of orange

Food match: Would be good with canapes topped with smoked duck or crostini with duck pat

Mad Monk Milkshake
Zipped up iced coffee!

50ml/2 shots Frangelico hazelnut Liqueur
25ml/1 shot Baileys
7.5ml/1 1/2 tsp Coffee Liqueur (Kahlua, Tia Maria or, preferably, Toussaint)
50ml/2 shots single cream
50ml/2 shots milk

Whizz in a heavy duty blender with 12 oz (350g) crushed ice and serve in a highball glass

Food match: great with freshly baked cookies!

From Mathias Lataille at Green & Red

Batanga
The Mexican alternative to the Cuba Libre! Very easy to make

50ml (2 shots) of Tequila (100% agave if possible)
15ml (1 tbsp) of freshly squeezed lime juice
Coca-Cola

Build up the drink in a highball glass full of ice, First the tequila, then the lime then top up with Coca-Cola. That's it. Best served in a glass with a salt rim.

Food match: Mexican snacks such as tortilla chips and salsa fresca

Mexican 77
A Mexican-inspired version of the French 75

1 x 25ml shot chilled tequila
15ml (1 tbsp) fresh lemon juice
15ml (1 tbsp) sugar syrup
Chilled champagne or sparkling wine

Mix the first three ingredients and pour into a champagne flute. Top up with chilled fizz. (You can easily scale this up for a party)

Food match: Smoked salmon or prawn-based canaps

 

 

 

When should you chill red wine?

The response to my recent poll on how often you chill red wine was fascinating. Contrary to the general impression you get that everyone drinks chilled reds with fish these days only 15% said that they did. However the 45% who said they chilled reds “often, particularly in summer” probably included fish among the meals with which they drank it.

I was particularly surprised to find however that as many as 40% of you say you ‘never’ chill red wine. Whether that’s because you think it’s the wrong thing to do, don’t enjoy the effect it has or simply that you haven’t ever thought of it I’m not sure but here’s my take on the subject:

1) Most wines, even serious wines, tend to be served too warm. Most rooms these days are at least 20°C. frequently hotter which will accentuate alcohol levels and make many modern reds taste warm and soupy. So even if you don’t actually chill your reds try and keep them in a cool room before you serve them - about 18°C.

2) There are certain types of light reds that lend themselves particularly well to chilling, especially with fish such as seared salmon and tuna. They include inexpensive Pinot Noir, Beaujolais and other wines made from the Gamay grape and Loire reds such as Bourgueil and Saumur-Champigny. You don’t want to chill them as much as a white or a sparkling wine - about half an hour in the fridge or 4 or 5 minutes in an ice bucket will do the trick - but it will emphasise their freshness and fruitiness.

3) Some people however (and this is illustrated by the poll) feel uncomfortable about chillling red wine or think it is the wrong thing to do - and that includes sommeliers who will sometimes look askance if you ask for a wine to be chilled. So use a bit of sensitivity. If you think it’s going to rub your guests up the wrong way or give them the impression you don’t know what you’re doing you might want to serve your wine slightly warmer than you do for personal preference.

 

Which wine to take on a picnic?

Which wine to take on a picnic?

I’ve been holding off writing about this subject hoping that the weather in the UK might improve but since it now seems that summer may pass us by totally I might as well take the plunge (to choose an inappropriate metaphor).

The result of our recent poll showed a clear majority of you - 38% - thought ros was an ideal drink to take on a picnic and I’d concur with that. Although ros drinking has become popular on all sorts of occasions it is the quintessential summer wine, ideal for drinking with cold out-of-door food. Personally I’d stick to the more traditional, lighter styles of ros rather than the newer, more alcoholic ones. A picnic wine for me should be light and swiggable rather than a 14% blockbuster or a serious wne to savour.

Having said that there are occasions when picnics take the form of out-of-door dinner parties (the opera festival Glyndebourne being a classic example). For these champagne, particularly ros champagne is the perfect answer - stylish but still carefree and faintly frivolous as picnic drinking should be. Several of you obviously agree as 26% of you said sparkling wine was your favourite wine to take on a picnic. You may also have had in mind some of the very pleasant but inexpensive sparklers that these days are almost as cheap as comparable still wines. Into that category I would put Cava, Prosecco or, if you’re sharing your picnic with adventurous friends, an authentic red Lambrusco which is wonderful with cold meats and charcuterie.

If you’re thinking of red wines I would again go for lighter styles - the sort you can chill. Red wines from the Loire such as Bourgeuil, Chinon and Saumur-Champigny or other Cabernet Franc-based wines fit this description as does Beaujolais (snap up some of the very good 2005s that are still around). And Pinot Noir, of course.

21% of you favoured a rustic red which could also be said to describe the simple kind of vin rouge you can pick up in bulk from French co-ops. What the mythical Frenchman would take on a picnic with his baguette, saucisson and trusty knife.

And what about white wine? Well, personally I think basic ros outclasses basic white for a picnic but if you’re having a posh picnic or one where seafood is involved than it’s good to take along a really nice Sauvignon Blanc or other crisp, zesty white (maybe a blend of Sauvignon and Semillon, an Albarino or even a premier cru Chablis which is what we were drinking with friends at home last night with some smoked salmon pat and fresh crab toasts).

Whichever wine you take, make sure it’s chilled or, in the case of reds, cool. There are plenty of gadgets that will help you keep your wine at an ideal drinking temperature. (Warm wine never tastes nice on a picnic)

One final point. Take a delicious soft drink along too for non-drinkers and drivers. Tart, refreshing home-made or traditionally made lemonade is my favourite for picnics. A surprising 15% of you agreed so don’t count on the wine-drinkers sticking to their bottles!

 

Bring a bottle - but which one?

Should you take a bottle of wine when you go to dinner with someone - and if so, which one? And if you’re a host should you open the bottle your guests have bought? These are more questions of etiquette than wine know-how but here’s what I would do . . .

Should you take a bottle and, if so, which type?
It depends how well you know your hosts. If you’ve never been to their house before you might want to ask if you can bring something rather than just turn up with something you’ve picked up from the off-licence on the way. On the other hand no-one’s going to be sniffy about a bottle of champagne, Chablis or Chateauneuf-du-Pape. With good friends it’s fine to ask what they’d like you to bring or what they’re making so you can choose something appropriate.

What if they're really knowledgeable about wine?
Avoid wines where you need a great deal of expertise to pick well (so no Bordeaux or Burgundy). The best bets I find are unusual dessert wines or an authentic Spanish sherry, both popular with wine buffs and which which won’t get in the way of the wine they’ve chosen to go with the main course. (Or a bottle of good extra virgin olive oil if you lose your nerve!)

How many bottles should you take?
Depends on the numbers. For four of you one is fine. For six or eight you might want to take two (It’s better to take the same type so everyone gets a chance to try it) If you’re cautious by nature you could always take a back-up in case one is corked but you then run the risk of looking a bit mean if you take it home with you.

And how much should you spend?
An amount that won’t embarrass your hosts and make them feel you would expect them to spend as much if they came to you. Not less than 7 ($14) and not more than 15 ($30) for a still wine is a reasonable price range unless they’re wine nuts or the bottle is something from your cellar you want to share.

If you are going to friends for a weekend should you take several bottles?
If they’ve got a weekend’s cooking to do they might appreciate it more if you brought something in the food line such as a really nice cake or a pat rather than extra booze! (On the other hand if they’re keen cooks but hard-up, bottles might be just the thing)

If you've brought along an unusual wine should you explain to your hosts what it is?
Yes, but not in such a way that you imply they don’t know much about wine!
More like “knowing how much you like pinot grigio/chardonnay I thought you might like to try this albarino/viognier I’ve just discovered. It’s my favourite new wine . . .”

As a host should you open the wine your guests have brought?
The trickiest issue, of all. It depends how it’s presented. If they bring along an unchilled bottle of champagne I think it’s fair to accept that as a private treat to enjoy on another occasion. If they produce a bottle they’re clearly excited about the indications are they want to share it with you. If they bring an absolutely horrendous bottle conveniently ‘forget’ it, unless they suggest you open it. (Then leave it on their side of the table . . . )

This article is edited from one first published in Sainsbury’s Magazine.

Two questions about wine and weddings

Q We’re getting married shortly and thought we’d ask our friends to give us wine as we’d like to start putting together a cellar. Do you have any ideas on the type of wines we should include and who could help us?

A It depends on several factors, most importantly the kind of wines you both like, the sort of food you enjoy and how much wine you want to keep for the longer term. As a general rule it’s good to have a minimum of one white and one red for everyday drinking, a slightly better selection of wines for entertaining family and friends and some ageworthy wines that you can bring out for special occasions.

Which wines to pick depends on your personal preferences. If you particularly enjoy fish, for example, or if one of you is a vegetarian, the balance of your wines may tip towards whites. If you regularly have a Sunday roast and also enjoy eating meat a couple of times a week you’ll probably want more reds.

Is there a particular country whose food and wine you enjoy and would like to explore further? Italian food and wine, for example? If so your list could include a few Italian cases, at least some of them mixed to enable you to experiment and try different wines. If you like spicy south-east Asian food on the other hand you might want a case or two of riesling, Gruner Veltliner (see yesterday’s article on wines for spring) or modern Australian whites.

It would also be good to have a few dessert wines and fortified wines such as sherry and port in your cellar as well as some bottles of champagne (a gift that seems particularly appropriate for a wedding) I’d also put a few interesting individual bottles of various kinds on the list for friends who are not sufficiently well off to buy a full case. A bottle of vin santo, for instance.

This is one of those occasions when it’s well worth dealing with an independent wine merchant who will take time to go through the options with you. UK merchants who offer a wedding list service include Berry Bros & Rudd , Tanners and Lay & Wheeler.

Q My son is getting married in May and has asked me to choose the wine for the
meal. The menu is melon with berries, Cumberland sausages and mash (!) and white chocolate cheesecake. I am at a bit of a loss to know what to suggest so would appreciate your advice

A Given he's chosen an unconventional main course (if you remember Kate Winslet did the same when she first got married!) I think you can afford to be a bit unconventional too and offer beer as an option with the main course. I'd suggest a robust British ale like Timothy Taylor Landlord or Young’s Special London Ale. I'd also offer a gutsy red wine - a good Cotes du Rhone Villages or Cotes du Roussillon should do the trick - or a shiraz if your son is more into new world wines.

The melon and berries are going to make most dry wines taste a bit sharp so you need something with a touch of sweetness like an off-dry riesling or a demi-sec sparkling wine if you haven't already drunk loads of fizz.

I don't know if the white chocolate cheesecake comes with accompanying fruit. If so take your cue from that. If there are berries, you could serve a sweet red or sparkling wine mixed with raspberry liqueur (raspberry and cherry beers are also delicious). There's also an attractive orangey dessert wine called Brown Bros Orange Muscat and Flora which goes well with white chocolate but it might be a bit light for the cheesecake. If you can, try and do a run through of the food and wine together before the wedding with a couple of different options.

About FionaAbout FionaAbout Matching Food & WineAbout Matching Food & WineWork with meWork with me
Loading