Thank goodness for Cocktail & Canape Friday. It’s really keeping me going through Lockdown 3. I’m losing all track of time except I know it’s winter (it’s cold and dark)! So it’s nice to have a Friday ritual to mark out the week. Today I had the idea of using brandy, a fabulously warming ingredient that’s perfectly suited to cold winter nights.
As you can imagine my liquor cabinet is developing nicely. In fact I had to do a bit of rearranging to make space for all the exotic new bottles I’ve been accumulating. Today’s masterpiece (and we loved it) is a mix of brandy, cointreau, ginger liqueur and fresh orange juice. So easy to make and beautifully fresh and warming.
It’s hard to beat a smoked salmon canapé – my idea of a mouthful of luxury. You can buy ready-made blinis at all major supermarkets (what joy), which you simply heat up for five minutes. I topped them with smoked salmon, a dollop of creme fraiche and a sprig of dill. Delightful – and the perfect combo with our cocktail.
Here’s a close up of this fabulous winter warmer.
And here’s the latest addition to my liquor cabinet. A deliciously spicy ginger liqueur. The space is filling up again! Exactly what happens when Lockdown is extended and you simply have to keep cocktail and canapé Friday going to keep saneish.
Here’s a printable version of my recipe for you. Do give it a try and let know what you think. Do you have a favourite cocktail that you make at home? I’d love to hear about it.
Winter warming brandy and ginger cocktail
Ingredients
Method
- Pour all the ingredients into a cocktail shaker. Make sure the lid is on tightly and shake to combine everything well.
- Top up with crushed ice and leave to cool for 10 minutes.
- Serve in martini glasses.
Can I get the ginger liqueur at the LCBO?