In the shaker

what to try... how to mix... where to go... what to buy... creative Viagra for the bar professional

Murray Slater unearths some 80s favourites and ‘infuses’ about a new piece of bar kit

Babycham, cocktail umbrellas, Sex on the Beach, Screaming Orgasms and plenty of cheese. This issue it’s all about the decade of decadence – the 1980s. The drinks that were born in that decade mirrored the flamboyance and colour of the time, but more recently they’ve come in for a fair amount of flak for their spirit-and-mix routine. However, some have managed to keep their respect intact, and with a slight twist and fresh ingredients they can be reincarnated with added depth and the subtle flavour that was missing from the pour-and-store pitchers of old.

Hong Kong Phooey

Glass: Sling/Catalina
Garnish: Lime and cherry
Method: Shake and strain over cubed ice, top with lemonade

10ml vodka

10ml gin

10ml tequila

10ml triple sec

10ml white rum

20ml Midori

5ml green Chartreuse

20ml lemonade

Origin: Dick Bradsell’s play on the Long Island Ice Tea

Pink Tank

Glass: Martini
Garnish: Lemon spiral
Method: Shake and fine strain

35ml Beefeater gin

10ml limoncello

10ml St Germain Elderflower Liqueur

25ml cranberry juice

15ml lemon juice

10ml white sugar

Origin: Boris Dimcev
(inspired by the Cosmopolitan)

Tequila Bramble

Glass: Rocks
Garnish: Lemon and raspberry
Method: Shake and strain over crushed ice – then float crème de mure

50ml Ocho Blanco tequila

25ml lemon juice

10ml white sugar syrup

5ml agave syrup

Crème de mure floats

Origin: Variation on Dick Bradsell’s classic

Bloodshot Eyes

Glass: Hurricane
Garnish: Flamed orange peel and parasol
Method: Shake and strain over crushed ice

35ml Ocho Blanco tequila

15ml Campari

Spoon fresh pomegranate

10ml Mandarine Napoléon

50ml blood orange Juice

Origin: Own creation
(inspired by the Tequila Sunrise)

Nam Sang

Glass: Martini
Garnish: maraschino cherry
Method: Shake and double strain

3 fresh lychees

35ml Sauza Hornitas tequila

25ml Midori Melon Liqueur

15ml lime juice

5ml pistachio syrup

Origin: Own creation
(inspired by the Japanese Slipper)

Passion Colada

Glass: Hurricane
Garnish: Passion fruit quarter and pineapple blade
Method: Shake and strain over crushed ice

½ passion fruit

10ml passion fruit syrup

10ml passion fruit purée

Dash Angostura Bitters

50ml coconut cream

25ml Koko Kanu

25ml El Dorado 3yo

25ml pineapple juice

Origin: Luke Watson
(inspired by the Piña Colada)

MIXING TIPS

To get the best out of 80s cocktails simply home in on some of their key ingredients and give them your own personal twist.
Substitute juice mixers with the more complex and lively flavours of infusions or fresh fruit purées or juices.
The choice of spirits is a lot wider and, in many cases, better quality than 20 years ago – this should automatically improve the recipe!
Don’t be shy with the garnish – umbrellas, palm trees, sparklers and cocktail monkeys add to the tacky 1980s effect but don’t detract from the quality of the drink.

RUM UNRAVELLED
Rum Yesterday and Today by Hugh Barty-King & Anton Massel

This fascinating book details the controversial history of the spirit once known as ‘kill devil’ – drink of choice for everyone from swashbuckling pirates to Mozart. It examines rum’s influence around the world and its role in the devastation of the Native American Indians, as well as telling the story of the rum runners of the Prohibition years and the punch houses of 16th century Britain. Alongside this, and an array of illustrations from rare archives, there is a detailed look at rum production techniques, along with inventive recipes including London Rum Broil, a boneless chuck of meat marinated in Ron Matusalem Gran Reserva rum, black pepper and mustard before being grilled. Or why not try ‘splicing the main brace’ – originally one of the most difficult emergency repair jobs aboard a sailing ship, it became a euphemism for celebratory drinking, since crew who managed the job successfully were granted an extra ration of rum or grog.
Out of print, but available from www.amazon.co.uk from £12.75.

DAZED AND INFUSED
TeaTini Martini Infusion Kit

Instead of waiting weeks for your precious infusions you can now have (almost) instant gratification with this cleverly marketed package from the US, which contains pyramid-shaped tea bags for infusing vodka and gin. Flavours include lavender citrus, lemongrass mint and silkroad chai – the latter an exotic mix of ginger, cinnamon and cardamom. Simply leave the TeaTini bags in the bottle of your chosen liquor for two to 24 hours until the required strength of flavour is achieved. Admittedly, it’s probably more aimed at the recreational bartender, and some might argue that it marks the beginning of the ‘McDonald-isation’ of cocktails, but if it helps to give customers a greater appreciation of flavour that’s no bad thing!
$15 for a pack of eight TeaTini bags from www.martiniart.com