Madame Colet

Madame Colet by Sabrine Dhaliwal. Dan Toulgoet photo

A complex, pensive cocktail by Sabrine Dhaliwal inspired by the 1932 film Trouble in Paradise. Dhaliwal imagines that this is the drink the character of Mariette Colet would be drinking as she ponders the whirlwind of events that befall her in the movie.

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Old Fashioned refashioned at Wildebeest

Cocktail-forward restaurant serving nine new takes on the classic for its fifth birthday

Four of the nine variations on the Old Fashioned on the menu at Wildebeest, which include versions made with rum, gin, tequila and bacon bourbon. Wildebeest photo

The Old Fashioned is, arguably, the original cocktail, or at least, the whisky version of it.

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The Last Word: Mint Julep

Mint Julep. Meghan Kirkpatrick photo.

“…that the mounds of ices, and the bowls of mint-julep and sherry cobbler they make in these latitudes, are refreshments never to be thought of afterwards, in summer, by those who would preserve contented minds.”

—Charles Dickens, while travelling in America (1842)

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Hemingway Daiquiri

The Hemingway Daiquiri by Justin Taylor. Talia Kleinplatz photo.

INGREDIENTS:
4 oz light cuban rum
1 oz maraschino liqueur
1.5 oz freshly squeezed ruby red grapefruit juice
1.5 oz freshly squeezed lime juice
0.5 oz simple syrup*
2 cups of cubed ice

METHOD:
Add all ingredients to a blender, leaving the cubed ice until last. Put the lid on and blend on the lowest setting. Slowly increase the speed until the desired texture is reached. Pour into Martini glasses. Garnish with fresh mint and a grapefruit wedge. Serves 2.

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Seaforth Swizzle

The Seaforth Swizzle. Jennifer Gauthier photo

Named for the park located across from the armoury on the edge of Kitsilano, the Seaforth Swizzle is “a super bright and refreshing drink,” says its creator, Kevin Brownlee, bar manager at AnnaLena. You can purchase velvet falernum at The Modern Bartender or Gourmet Warehouse, or make your own with the recipe below. To find Bucha Brew, visit buchabrew.ca for a list of retailers.

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A Mari Usque Ad Mare

A Mari Usque Ad Mare, created by L’Abattoir’s Katie Ingram for Canada 150. Amy Ho Photo

Inspired by the Canadian motto, meaning “Sea to Sea,” L’Abattoir head bartender Katie Ingram updated the classic Vieux Carré cocktail with luxe flavours from east and west coasts, including rum, rye and bitters made from Okanagan haskap berries and sour cherries.

INGREDIENTS:
• 0.75 oz (22 mL) Ron Zacapa Centenario Sistema Solera 23 Rum
• 0.75 oz (22 mL) Crown Royal XO
• 0.75 oz (22 mL) sweet vermouth
• 0.25 oz (7 mL) Bénédictine or B&B
• Two dashes Bittered Sling Suius Cherry Bitters
• Two dashes Bittered Sling Western Haskap Bitters

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Joy’s Cocktail

Joy’s Cocktail. Appleton Estate photo

This refreshing patio-sipper of a cocktail is created by Appleton Estate master blender Joy Spence.

Ingredients:
• Slice of orange
• 1 oz (30 mL) Appleton Estate Reserve Blend
• 3 oz (90 mL) ginger ale
• 5 drops Angostura bitters
• Slice of orange peel to garnish

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From Jamaica to Vancouver

A visit from the queen of rum

Appleton Estate master blender Joy Spence with her masterpiece, the Joy Anniversary Blend rum. Appleton Estate photo

“When people taste it, the first word you hear is, ‘Whoa,’” says Joy Spence, smiling. I take a sip. “Whoa,” I exclaim. She laughs.

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Chocolate Basil Daiquiri

Chocolate Basil Daiquiri by Justin Taylor. Danika Sea photo.

INGREDIENTS:
2 oz light rum
1 oz fresh lime juice
3 fresh basil leaves, plus one for garnish
1 oz cocoa nib syrup*
1 egg white
cocoa powder for garnish

METHOD:
Pre-chill a cocktail glass. Add rum, lime, basil (torn in half), cocoa nib syrup and egg white to a cocktail shaker and dry shake without ice for about 10 seconds. Add ice and shake for an additional 10-15 seconds. Double strain into the glass using a fine mesh. Garnish with a fresh basil leaf and a small pinch of cocoa powder.

­—by Justin Taylor

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