Cover Photo: @thebaldbakerph/Instagram
Photo: @thebaldbakerph/Instagram
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Get the juices flowing with these simple libations for the special day
Valentine's Day is just around the corner, and no dinner date is complete without a cocktail or two. Extra points, of course, for those of you who can put on a mixological show for your audience of one. Whether it's pre-drinks or a nightcap to woo that special somebody, we've asked four bartenders across Asia for their foolproof cocktail recipes to have you celebrating the day of love in style.
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Four Thieves Spritz by Austen Lendrum, Apothecary, Hong Kong
Above Photo: Austen Lendrum
Photo: Austen Lendrum
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"With spring around the corner, we decided to go with a bright and refreshing sparkling cocktail. The aromatic notes of lavender pair extremely well with the dryness of prosecco. The raspberry garnish brightens the palate and adds a nice tart sourness to the sweet floral flavours of the cocktail. A low ABV cocktail to be enjoyed on a nice sunny day!"
Method
10g dry lavender
100g white caster sugar
100g hot water
Prosecco
1. Combine all the ingredients into a container, shake and leave for 10 minutes
2. Strain out the mixture with a fine strainer
3. Pour 20ml of the lavender syrup into a flute glass and top with prosecco
Apothecary, Unit 3A, Carfield Commercial Building, 75-77 Wyndham Street, Central, Hong Kong
Botanic Affection by Tricia Chan, Dissolved Solids, Kuala Lumpur
Above Photo courtesy of Tricia Chan
Photo courtesy of Tricia Chan
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"Flowers are usually a gift for Valentine's Day, but they don't last long. So I created a floral cordial mixture that represents flowers that can be used for many things, from drizzling over pancakes, to even replacing your the usual sugar for tea. It's great for soothing the soul too as chamomile helps to ease the mind."
Chamomile osmanthus syrup
1 tsp dried osmanthus flowers
20g white caster sugar
20g hot water
1 chamomile tea bag
1. In a cup, combine sugar and hot water and stir until dissolved
2. Put tea bag and osmanthus in the mixture
3. Microwave for 5 seconds and strain with fine strainer. Can be stored for 1-2 months
To make the cocktail
30ml gin
20ml lemon juice
15ml chamomile osmanthus syrup
1. Combine all ingredients in a shaker or bottle, shake with ice
2. Fine strain and serve over ice
Dissolved Solids, 43-1, Jalan SS 20/11, Damansara Kim, 47400 Petaling Jaya, Selangor, Malaysia
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Enriquez by David Ong, The Curator Coffee & Cocktails, Manila
Ingredients
60ml Tablea-infused dark rum
30ml sweet vermouth
5ml simple syrup (1:1 ratio)
4 dashes orange bitters
Garnish orange Peel
1. To make the tablea rum infusion, combine 1 part unsweetened tablea to 10 parts rum and infuse for three days. Double strain through a metal mesh and cheesecloth
2. Combine ingredients in a rocks glass with a large block of ice and stir for 60 revolutions or more, depending on desired level of dilution
3. Garnish with an orange peel and serve
The Curator Coffee & Cocktails, 134 Legazpi Street, Legazpi Village, Makati, Kalakhang Maynila, Philippines
Mint Love by Angel, Sweetea Caffe, Singapore
Cucumber syrup
1 cup water
1 cup sugar
1 small cucumber, peeled and chopped
1. In a pot, combine sugar and water and stir over medium-high heat until dissolved
2. Let mixture cool, then blend with cucumber in a food processor
3. Double strain and store in bottle
Ingredients
30ml gin
30ml cucumber syrup
Soda water
1. Pour gin and syrup into a highball glass and fill with ice
2. Stir well, then top with soda water
3. Stir lightly and garnish with mint and cucumber slices
Sweetea Caffe, 15A &, 15B Trengganu Street, Singapore 058469
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Gavin Yeung is a Hong Kong-based writer and was the editor at Tatler Dining. He has written across the realms of F&B, design, fashion and travel, with a focus on in-depth profiles and experiential features. Previously, he held editorial positions at Hypebeast, Soho House and Vogue Hong Kong. He’s also a keen photographer and aspiring home bartender, and is constantly thinking of original, Cantonese-inflected (and occasionally questionable) cocktails to shake up. Follow him on Instagram at @gaviny.
