When the evenings get longer and warmer, one of our greatest pleasures is to sit out in the golden glow of the late afternoon sun and enjoy chatting quietly, reading a book or listening to the evening chorus of the birds as we sip a pre-supper drink. I’m always on the lookout for simple (but still delicious) cocktail recipes, so I was delighted to be given a (gifted) copy of Home Bar* by Andy Clarke. In his book, Andy shares over sixty cocktail recipes, as well as few easy snack ideas, and these recipes are geared towards the amateur cocktail fixer: those of us who have a few bottles of spirits gathering dust in the back shelf and who would like some straight-forward suggestions on how to whip up tasty, crowd-pleasing drinks without too much fuss. Count me in!

In Home Bar, Andy draws on his extensive experience as an international food and drinks consultant to the hospitality industry to share tips and tricks on cocktail-making, as well as fabulous recipes. Andy writes with an easy, engaging style, and I enjoyed many of the back-stories to the drinks. The first part of the book covers the essentials, with ideas for creating your ideal home bar, including suggestions for your cocktail making kit, what shape and size of glass to use for different cocktails and explanations as to a few cocktail-making basics. 

Andy’s cocktail recipes are divided between classic cocktails that are made to serve two, batch recipes to serve 6+ (many of which can be made in advance, which is always handy when throwing a party), and then seasonal cocktail suggestions for Spring, Summer, Autumn and Winter. As someone who loves to celebrate the passing seasons, I was especially pleased to have such delicious sounding recipes for seasonal drinks. I can’t wait to try Andy’s Spiced Pumpkin Bellini for my October birthday celebration, and Twinkle Toes (made with elderflower liqueur and sparkling wine) is the perfect cocktail for late spring, when elderflowers begin to blossom. Many of the recipes in Home Bar are based on classic cocktails, but with a fun twist, like Andy’s Clementine Cosmopolitan, which updates a standard favourite with an unusual ingredient.

Very kindly, I have been allowed to share a cocktail recipe from Home Bar with you all, and I’ve chosen one that my Mum and I enjoyed together the other evening, when there was a warm breath of summer in the air. Gin Fizz Refresher is a delicious cocktail that I know we’ll enjoy all through the summer: it’s zingy, refreshing and easy to make, and it would be perfect to serve to friends as an aperitif, or to enjoy ourselves on a lazy Saturday evening in the garden. I love the addition of maple syrup in this drink, which adds depth of flavour and beautifully cuts the sourness of the lemon juice, without making the drink too sugary. Using maple syrup is also a great nod to my Canadian heritage; I know my Canadian father and grandmother would love this drink!

Gin Fizz Refresher (makes 2 servings)

Proportions

4 parts gin

2 parts lemon juice

1 part maple syrup

4 parts soda water

Ingredients:

200ml / 7fl oz gin

100ml / 2fl oz maple syrup

1 egg white

handful of ice

200ml / 7fl oz soda water

To Garnish:

2 shavings of lemon zest

Equipment:

juicer

cocktail shaker

2 lowball classes

stirrer

fine-mesh strainer

Method:

1. Put the gin, lemon juice, maple syrup and egg white in a cocktail shaker and shake for about 10 seconds. Add a handful of ice cubes and shake for about 20 seconds until the shaker is extremely cold to the touch.

2. Strain into the glasses, add the sparkling water to taste and stir gently.

3. To garnish, cut two thin shavings of lemon zest, twist to release the oils, then add one to each glass.

Enjoy!

Order Home Bar here. Follow Andy Clarke on Instagram and Twitter.

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