Literary Cocktails: Romeo and Julep

 

This year I thought that I would start cleaning some things up in my apartment to make room for the things that really count. Having a nicely arranged bar in my kitchen for example. Mission: accomplished! But you won’t see the choc-a-block cupboards of booze that are hiding beneath that well organised bar… thats for another time.

When the baker and the chocolate maker came over for lunch on Australia Day, we decided it was a perfect time to bust out all the cocktails that husband-to-be and I had been making over the holidays. This one was from a cute little book that S and S from work gave me for Christmas.

Who doesn’t love puns? Especially the English department!

Cute cute!

Despite the negative symbolism, I figured we would start with the Romeo and Julep with a few little twists on the original recipe. We needed to start with this one because its a little too labour intensive for later in the night.

You need to begin with half a dozen mint leaves in a glass. Don’t use a tall or narrow glass because you need to have to muddle the mint with the next couple of ingredients and that could be pretty tricky with a little glass.

After years of using a rolling pin (I know, i’m a classy lady) a good friend gave me a very thoughtful birthday gift of a proper cocktail making set including this little muddler. The ridges mean that you can bruise the mint much more easily and don’t have to worry about smashing your glasses with your rolling pin. So you muddle the mint with peach schnapps and a tiny quarter teaspoon of brown sugar. Then on to the secret ingredient!

Jack Daniel’s Honey Whisky.

Be. Still. My. Heart.

After years of hating whisky, something has happened to my mouth and suddenly… oh baby. I think that I am declaring this year – The Year of Whisky.

The original recipe calls for just plain whisky and a greater amount of brown sugar. I rather like the sweetness of the honey whisky and you could probably eliminate the brown sugar entirely. However, I’m clearly a sugar fiend and I still like to add a tiny bit to this drink. If you’re not such a fan you could probably just keep the normal whisky and reduce the sugar as well. Up to you!

Then you just need to fill those suckers up with lemon lime soda water.

Don’t use lemonade or it will be far too sweet.

These drinks are very refreshing which is great at the moment when the sun is still ridiculously hot and the days are long. What is your drink of choice to beat the heat?

Romeo and Julep (Adapted from Tequila Mockingbird – Cocktails with a Literary Twist)

Ice

6 mint leaves

1/4 tsp brown sugar

1/2 ounce peach schnapps

1 1/2 ounces honey whisky

lemon lime soda water to fill (for the sized glass I used, I found that 1 can of the cascade soda water was enough to fill)

Method

1. place mint leaves, sugar and schnapps in a glass and muddle until the mint is nicely bruised and sugar partly dissolved

2. Add the whisky and ice

3. Top with soda water and enjoy!