Christmas spirits Christmas isn’t just about presents, family and a worldwide sense of peace and harmony . . . it’s also about getting drunk. Laura Ennor samples some cocktails that Santa would approve of, served by Nick Reed at Stockbridge’s The Raconteur
SAKURA Nick says: I came up with this drink last winter, and the measures I used the very first time are the measures we use today. There’s 30ml of Yamazaki 12-year-old, then some cherry marnier, then a touch of Pedro Ximenez sherry - a beautiful raisin flavour coming from that - and a couple of dashes of old-fashioned bitters, which has got a lot of cloves through it. We say: Good and strong, with fruity and faintly nutty Christmas-cake flavours, getting sweeter
as it warms in your glass. Can you get more Christmassy?
BALTIMORE EGGNOG Nick says: This one was immortalised by a guy called ‘Professor’ Jerry Thomas, the most famous bartender that ever lived, who wrote the first ever cocktail book. We do a lot of different egg drinks here – we’ve got The Death Flip on our menu, which is a mixture of Chartreuse, Jagermeister and Tequila with a whole egg. People are starting to come around to it. So there’s a full egg and a couple of spoons of sugar, a couple of ounces of cognac, an ounce of Jamaican rum, a small touch of cranberry, shake, and it’s topped off with some grated nutmeg. We say: Tiramisu in a glass. Creamy with a hint of vanilla, and that nutmeg garnish is the deal-maker. Surprisingly festive even for Brits not versed in the ways of the yuletide eggnog.
TRAILBLAZER Nick says: It’s a twist on a drink called the blue blazer, which was also made by Jerry Thomas. They say it was the first example of bar flair, way back in the 1860s. We make the drink with a nice aged reposado tequila, home-made orange and chocolate bitters, a bit of West Indian orange bitters on top of that, and then a touch of Liquor 43, a Spanish vanilla liqueur. This is a great hot drink for the end of the night, an Edinburgh winter when you need something to
give you some courage to go outside. We say: This one involved some impressive flames, so automatic festive bonus points there. Starts with an eye-watering orangey kick, before becoming more aromatic and woody. Good in a blizzard.
XANADU FANCY Nick says: It’s a little bit narrow minded to think of Christmas drinks as being those warm, northern-hemisphere drinks, so another drink that I’ve done around Christmas time manages to combine the aspects that people here know with some aspects from the southern hemisphere. So this is the 42 Below Passionfruit Vodka, then Aperol, some cranberry juice, lime, then some Orgeat – an almond-based syrup, which gives it a real marzipan flavour.
We say: Slides down very easily with a palate-cleansing pink grapefruit tang. What Santa drinks on the beach (probably). ■ The Raconteur, 50 Dean Street, Stockbridge, Edinburgh, 343 3221, www.theraconteuredinburgh.com. Nick Reed will be competing in the Scottish team at the UK finals of the 42 Below Vodka Cocktail World Cup, London, 13 Oct.
22 THE LIST 7–21 Oct 2010
Despite what the naysayers might say, it's never too early to start thinking about Christmas. In fact, we've added that extra hole to our belt already in anticipation of some delicious festive food. The next four pages will furnish you with enough ideas on how to eat well over Christmas to keep bellies happy throughout December, and make your holidays delicious.
Nobles Nobles Cafe Bar & Venue Cafe Bar & Venue
est. 1897 est. 1897
Locally sourced foods Fairtrade tea & coffee Kids welcome
"An absolute gem for food & music alike" Join us at Nobles for the Festive Season and book your Christmas meal now – visit www.noblesbarleith.co.uk for more details
tel. 0131 629 7215 44a constitution street, leith, edinburgh eh6 6rs
T H E N E W B E L L RESTAURANT
/ 1
3 Course Christmas
Lunch £18.50 1
3 Course Christmas
Dinner £24.95
Can cater for parties
/ of up to 45
/
15 Salisbury Place EH9 1SL
Tel 0131 667 4654 1
1
info@hellerskitchen.co.uk www.hellerskitchen.co.uk
Christmas Lunch: 3 Courses £19.95 Christmas Dinner: 3 Courses £29.95 Coffee & Mince Pies
233 Causewayside EH9 1PH 0131 668 2868 www.thenewbell.com