This is the most luscious ice cream ever made.
Try a little sharp blue cheese on the side to cut through the richness and a bottle of Chateau d’Yquem if you’re feeling very extravagant.
Foie Gras Ice Cream
French House Christmas Pudding Vodka
For many years, on and off, this ungodly preparation was shared down Dean Street, Soho between The Colony Room Club and The French House, made in the cellar of the latter where staff could give it a swizzle upon passing. After a while the odour would permeate out to the stairs and upwards bringing a early Yuletide hum to the bar.
French Toast
French toast, Eggy bread, Torrijas, Bombay toast, Gypsy toast or The Poor Knights of Windsor, call it what you like, depending where you hail from; it is all much of a muchness, with just subtle regional differences.
Gimlet
In the 19th century British sailors were given lime juice, preserved in alcohol, to combat scurvy. Naval provisioner Lachlan Rose invented a lime concentrate that used sugar as a preservative instead, removing the alcohol. This was later marketed as Rose’s Lime Juice Cordial.
Gin & It
Although a century or more old, the Gin & It, the ‘It’ being sweet Italian red Vermouth, had its heyday, in Britain, as a pub standard, post WWII. Long out of fashion, its appeal declined inversely with the metaphoric rise in popularity of the Dry Martini, of which the Sweet Martini, as Gin & It was originally known, is said to be the forerunner.
Gin Fizz
On seeing the ingredients you may well ask what makes this different from a Tom Collins. Well Gin Fizz are shaken with ice to make them cold and foamy then strained, while Tom Collins are just stirred over ice and are relatively flat.
Homemade Crisps
Packets of crisps, or chips as the Spanish and Americans confusingly call them, are the iconic pub snack, perfectly suited to accompany any cold beverage.
Hot Ale Flip
Dating back to the American Colonists of the early 18th century, this was known as a sailor’s drink, made aboard the long voyage, heated with a red hot poker. If you have one to hand while sitting by the fire, this is still the preferred way to go. It will impart something special to the drink, though in the sailors’ case it may have been the taste of ship’s tar that the poker was there for.
Hot Buttered Rum
Once, oddly, a signature drink at Tiki bar Trader Vic’s in the 1940s, the original method floats the butter on top, giving a smooth mouthfeel but, unfortunately, a greasy top lip to the drinker. Not a good look.
Hot Toddy
Guaranteed to cure all colds and fevers. Yeah, right. ‘I have a bit of a sniffle. Cure me now, barkeep.’ It does, however, bring you an instant warm glow and a thirst for another one.
Inverno Arancione
Inventive, unusual Italian-style mulled white wine from Alissa Diaz of Washington Italian restaurant Centrolina. A refreshing change, it hints at panettone, a speciality at Christmastide in Italy.
James Bond Vodka Martini
Thanks to Nigel Eastmond, The Nosey Chef, trawling Fleming’s novels, Bond’s cocktail of choice can be precisely defined. How he was ever left even standing, let alone shooting and shagging, after a couple of those is beyond comprehension.
Kedgeree
This single-dish concoction works equally well as breakfast for an exasperated gang of troupers after a long cocaine-fuelled session banging out house tunes in the sweaty basements of Shoreditch who need immediate sustenance as it does for a delicate start to the day recovering from a long night in, bingeing on the latest Netflix series with a mug of Horlicks.
King Charles I, Kings Cross
On the wall, above a stack of takeaway menus, a large sign pronounces ‘Bring your own food or order locally and have it delivered’ To me this succinctly encompasses the spirit of one of London’s finest boozers. Ale is the order of the day so why not let ravenous drinkers feed themselves.
Lancashire Hotpot
Lancashire Hotpot is thought to have originated in the 19th century for the workers in the mills of the North. It could be put on at breakfast time to be ready for tea after work. It needs long slow cooking.
Laverbread
Laverbread or ‘bara lawr’, even known by some as Welshman’s Caviar, is prepared from laver, an edible seaweed (Porphyra umbilicalis). It is predominately found on the Welsh coast though also up the west coast of England and Scotland and on the East coast of Ireland. However don’t think you could go foraging to make your …
Leche de Pantera
Like all historical drinks there are myths surrounding Leche de Pantera (Panther’s Milk). What is certain is that it originated with the Spanish Foreign Legion in the 1920s. Some claim that it came about when the head and founder of the Spanish Foreign Legion, General José Millán-Astray asked Perico Chicote of Bar Chicote in Madrid …
London Drinking @ The Colony -14 Sept 2024
Extreme Refreshment (Slimline edition) book launch at The Colony, Saturday 14th September, featuring London Drinking: Tales of Bars & Bartenders, Booze & Boozers, Bevvies & Befuddlement. Work up a thirst and join us for the launch of the condensed, fat-free version of Extreme Refreshment (Slimline edition.) The new slender volume has all the original copy …
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Mai Tai
The classic Tiki cocktail, Mai Tai is all about rum. Bartenders have their favourite bespoke blends, up to 4 different rums, but whatever you use it has to be the good stuff and it should be Jamaican.
Manhattan
Coming from the similar period and region, Manhattens are considered the Old Fashioned’s sophisticated younger sibling. The sweetness comes not from sugar but sweet vermouth. Served cold, but without ice, it remains undiluted.