The Glassware We Love (& The Cocktails We Pour Into Them)
Date
A little over a year ago, the unimaginable happened and plucked us out of our social sets and routine outings. Suddenly, unable to lavishly dine at the latest and greatest restaurants or nip out for a naughty nightcap at a chic watering hole, we were forced to rediscover the joys of staying at home. For the most part, hitting the reset button and learning to be content by simply languorously lounging at home during our “off duty” hours has been a good thing. It made us realize that our usual, fast-paced lives, though exciting and stimulating, often make us miss out on the simpler the pleasures. We have learned that it is indeed possible to effectively WFM and as a result, we have reconnected with our immediate families on a deeper level, learned the value of our friendships with those outside of our ‘bubbles,’ and re-acquainted ourselves with loungewear.
All that said, there is no denying that staying at home this much has gotten a little tedious at times and, in an attempt to alleviate cabin fever and lift our spirits, we’ve self- medicated a wee bit with our favourite tipple… but we’re doing it in style! After all, our bar sets are just as much a part of our interior decor as say, our sofa! With glassware from one of our favourite local vendors, Hopson Grace, we’ve been embracing that old chestnut, “It’s 5 o’clock somewhere!” So with a hearty chin-chin, here are 4 of our favourite pieces of glassware… and the cocktails we’ve been pouring into them. May we enjoy them in good company and out on the patio soon!
Champagne Cocktail
A champagne cocktail is sophisticated in its simplicity and yet, so many so-called “bartenders” fail to know what it is! When bars are open again and you find yourself faced with a “mixologist” asking you if it’s, “like a Mimosa?!” you’ll be able to educate them with a few simple instructions from your COVID-19 edition of Bartending 101. Simply toss a sugar cube into a champagne flute, shake in two to three dashes of Angostura Bitters, pour in a brut Champagne of your choosing and garnish with a lemon twist. We prefer to sip our Champagne Cocktails out of a Richard Brendon ‘Fluted Champagne Flute’ in silk PJs, while lounging in our living room and FaceTime-ing with friends.
French 75
This is one to sip slowly, due to its rather potent hit of ingredients! Originally created in Paris in 1915 at the New York Bar (now known as Harry’s New York Bar) by barman Harry MacElhone, the French 75 was aptly named after a 75-mm field gun used in WWI. A stiff drink, disguised by a sparkly finish, it is the perfect cocktail for the end of a tough day WFH! For this one, we pull out our Georg Jensen Sky Cocktail Set and fill the shaker with ice. Pour 1 oz of your favourite gin, ½ oz of lemon juice and two dashes of simple syrup into the shaker. Give the shaker a good, vigorous shake and strain into an iced champagne glass. Top up the glass with champagne (yes, we like our bubbly) and give it a gentle stir so you don’t disrupt the bubbles. Traditionally, it’s served in a champagne flute but we like to enjoy it out of our William Yeoward ‘Corrine’ Coup… just because it feels right!
Her Royal Majesty’s Dubonnet Cocktail
It’s well known that Her Royal Majesty the Queen starts her day with tea and biscuits, as one does. Later on in the day however, she primes her palate with a cocktail that is a little less widely known but a wonderful, fruity drink, balanced with a bit of an edge – the Dubonnet Cocktail. Place three ice cubes into a lowball tumbler or rocks glass, such as Richard Brendon’s ‘Diamond Double Old Fashioned Glass’. Pour in 1 oz of gin, 2 oz of Dubonnet (which is a fortified wine) and add a slice of lemon. Give the mixture a stir and enjoy as a pre-dinner digestif or while you’re watching ‘The Crown’- either works!
The Gibson
Speaking of the Queen and Netflix shows… and gin for that matter, we’ve been enjoying a cocktail inspired by ‘The Queen’s Gambit’ on Netflix. (p.s. If you haven’t watched it, you really ought to. The story line, Anya-Taylor Joy’s acting and her wardrobe are all to die for!) Now, we don’t claim to be chess prodigies BUT this cocktail will make you feel like one. It’s like a Martini but as our heroine’s mother says we, “find the onion slightly more refined than the olive.” Add 2 ½ oz of gin or vodka and a ½ oz of dry vermouth into an ice-filled mixing glass, stir until well-chilled, strain into an elegant martini glass, such as the Schott Zwiesel ‘Pure Martini Glass’, and garnish with a cocktail onion.
