The GLAMOUR team was recently invited to the World Class Bartender of the Year workshop and competition where mixologists and bartenders from all over Cape Town battled it out with shakers and cocktail glasses with the hopes of making it to the finals in July.
We caught up with Chantelle Horn, Reserve Brand Ambassador for Brandhouse Beverages, and asked her about some of the basic things every GLAMOUR girl should know about cocktails. We also have some recipes for you to try on a girls’ night in this winter, so read on!
GLAMOUR: How many types of cocktails are out there?
Chantelle: There are tens of thousands of cocktail recipes. To give you an idea, the first time the word “cocktail” appeared in print was in an American newspaper in 1806. Step into any large book store and you’ll find endless reading material available on the subject and recipes for drinks with every colourful or exotic ingredient you can imagine.
GLAMOUR: What if you don’t drink alcohol – are there non-alcoholic alternatives?
Chantelle: That isn’t a problem! Being the designated diva for the evening or not being much of a drinker doesn’t mean that you have to miss out on the glamour of cocktails. Many restaurants, such Asoka and Orphanage in Cape Town, now have many “virgin” drinks on their menus for you to enjoy.
GLAMOUR: What are the drinks that every girl should try?
Chantelle: Rich and smoky whisky like Lagavulin paired with oysters is a must! Just drizzle a little Lagavulin over the oyster instead of the traditional lemon and Tabasco. Trust me – it’s a flavour combination that will knock your socks off, plus you get to look super sexy and sultry enjoying a sophisticated whisky. The team at Cape Town’s Bascule are always happy to serve their oysters with whisky.
You should also try the most amazingly delicious tequila called Don Julio. It’s a bit like the cocktail world’s best kept secret and I promise you, you won’t pull the traditional tequila face after downing a shot of this one!
What are some of the basics that beginners should keep in mind when making a cocktail? What kind of glasses or barware will you need?
Chantelle: The quality of your ingredients is crucial but often neglected. A cocktail is only as good as the sum of its parts. Use good quality spirits and liqueurs when making drinks and your drinks will always be a hit.
The new fashionable latest trend in glassware includes coups or champagne saucers. The more antique the look the better. In fact, the most beautifully elegant glassware that I own was found in my grandmother’s cupboard.
And keep these tips in mind:
1. One part sweet and one part sour. The best way to get a great tasting drink is to have sweet and sour elements to your drink that balance out the flavour
2. A drink does not have to have 15 ingredients – all with unpronounceable names – to be mouth-watering. It all depends on balance and how all the individual flavours interact with each other. Often, simpler is better.
GLAMOUR: Winter is here and it’s becoming too cold to go out at night – can you give us a few cocktail recipes we can try on a girls’ night in?
Chantelle: Full, fun but low-fat cocktail options are perfect for entertaining at home and make you look like a domestic goddess. Here are some to try!
PRIMAVERA PALOMA
Glass:
Sling but any tall glass will do
- 50ml Don Julio Reposado 100% Agave Tequila
- 20ml grapefruit juice
- 15ml lime juice
- 25ml Agave syrup (available in any health section at the supermarket)
- Top sugar-free orange soda from Woolworths (you can also use normal soda)
Method:
Place the first four ingredients into a shaker with ice. Shake. Strain into the tall glass with ice. Top with the orange soda.
Garnish:
Wedge of grapefruit.
GUATAMALA MULE
Glass:
Sling but any tall glass will d0
- 37.5ml Ron Zacapa
- 2 wedges fresh lime
- Top sugar-free ginger beer
- 2 dash Angostura bitters
Method:
Ice up the glass. Pour in the Zacapa rum. Squeeze two wedges into the glass and place the spent wedges on the ice as garnish. Top with ginger beer and add two dashes of bitters to the top of the drink.
Garnish:
Squeezed lime wedges
COUNT CAMILLO
Glass:
Coup
- 25ml Singleton of Dufftown 12 YO single malt
- 25ml Aperol
- 25ml Martini Rosso Vermouth
Method:
Chill the coup with ice. Place all ingredients into a mixing glass and stir. Discard the ice in the coup and strain the drink into the glass. Garnish with an orange twist. Rub the twist on the rim of the glass before dropping it into the glass
Garnish:
Orange twist. Take a potato peeler and use it on an orange.
