Cocktails and Hemingway

As Ernest Hemingway sat as his beloved La Florida bar in Cuba, downing a Papa Doble, a creation he dubbed “the ultimate achievement of the daiquiri maker’s art”, he unwittingly set in motion a chain of events that would change the world forever…Ok so not quite so dramatic but it does make for great storytelling that such an amazingly talented man, known almost entirely for his literary work is now believed to be one the very first people to adopt concepts such as crushed ice, blended drinks, and indeed the term ‘cocktail’. The fact that he could get through a well documented -and somewhat daunting- 16 of these 400ml alcoholic beverages featuring white rum, maraschino liqueur and fresh citrus juices lead me to believe he may also be the world’s foremost authority on binge drinking – but we’ll try not to tarnish Hemingway’s good name unnecessarily though.

Ask any American bartender, and they will tell you that the cocktail was an entirely American invention. Other than the ice, it is hard to understand what was so American about an Irish immigrant bartender mixing a wonderful British gin with French vermouth. The evidence in favour of very simple, and very sophisticated earlier cocktails hailing from Europe seems far more logical. It appears the mass production of neutral grain spirits on the now infamous ‘gin lane’ in London during the time of William of Orange is a major contributing factor to cocktail evolution as anyone who has ever consumed a really cheap gin or vodka will acknowledge, you really do need to hide that taste rather creatively!
Fast forward a few hundred years and we now belong to a culture which thankfully for my career choice not only accepts that cocktails have a huge amount of merit, but spends a fortune on enjoying them! With cocktail pricing in Lusaka ranging from K45or $4.40 (very fair) to K65 or $6.35 (daylight robbery) we are already beginning to feel the force of the drinking revolution that is taking place worldwide. Craft brewing, mixology and wine production has seen a huge increase in demand for quality drinks as the world begins to appreciate the artistry in this industry as much as in food. In my highly biased opinion I see no difference in the ability to pair 6 different and totally unique flavours, spirits, or juices so seamlessly that what you are left with only the explosive wonder, and lingering happiness a great cocktail can provide.
So what makes a good cocktail? If you order a mojito, and are faced with the image of overly sour, and totally misplaced lemons lurking at the bottom of your glass, you sir/madam have been duped. Mojitos are not only the single most popular cocktail on earth, but they’re also beautifully simple. It is this utterly sublime and perfect combination of flavours that leaves us with the pure alcoholic satisfaction that only a mojito can offer. To tamper with that is to make Mac & Cheese, but sub the cheese sauce for mayo, just because it looks similar, doesn’t make it right! But the real beauty of cocktails is in the sharing, the showmanship and the fun.

Once someone has acquired the basic knowledge of flavor combinations, the invention can be the easiest (and most entertaining) part. Next time you have a dinner party why don’t you bring out a wonderful cocktail to spice things up and break the ice. With that in mind I part with two cocktail recipes for you, the reader, simple, and delicious. Both are easy, low cost, tasty, and TOTALLY appropriate for a warm day
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Fashion Iced Tea
Firstly make yourself an iced tea based on your preferences. Iced Tea is something that has no restrictions or bounds, but as a little push in the right direction, here’s a favourite of mine:

1. Make watermelon ice, simply cut pieces of watermelon into ice-cube-sized pieces and freeze.
2. Add the following teabags to 2 litres boiling water with a good handful of mint and leave for 6mins to steep, then remove.

2 Rooibos
2 Strawberry
2 Peach

1. Add the juice of 4 lemons, and 400g brown sugar, stir continuously until sugar dissolved completely then refrigerate.

2. Check the sweet/sour balance, as every lemon releases a different amount of juice, and based on the age of the fruit, a different amount of acidity. Don’t hesitate to add more lemon juice or sugar to find a balance you’re happy with.

3. Add 50ml good quality Vodka (Absolut or Grey Goose) or Rum (Bacardi Superior or Havana Club 3 anos) to a tall glass filled with watermelon ice, fresh mint and a straw, then top with iced tea.

The P.B.
Get yourself a good smoothie blender. Add a handful of grapes, 35ml Vodka, 25ml Dry Vermouth (Martini X Dry or Noilly Prat), 100ml Litchi Juice (freeze slightly if you have time), 100ml Sauvignon Blanc and a glassful of ice to blender. Blend until smooth, pour into margarita or martini glass garnished with a mandolin sliced cucumber along the inside of the glass.