By Andy Gemmell
Over the coming weeks I would like to share with you some cocktails that I love and you can easily make at home. I’ll be giving you the trade secrets to developing your cocktails skills so you can become a top home bartender, straight from your kitchen.
The Penicillin
History: There are not many cocktails that can lay claim to being a modern classic but the Penicillin is certainly one of them. Created in a legendary New York bar called Milk & Honey by bartender Sam Ross back in 2007, this Scotch whisky based drink is now seen in bars all over the world. The drink itself is essentially a twist on a classic whisky sour with the addition of honey, ginger and a touch of smoke.
What you’ll need: For this serve you will need a cocktail shaker, or you can use a glass jar with the lid if you don’t have one. Also ice, lemons, fresh ginger, (and candied ginger though this is not essential), honey, blended whisky such as The Famous Grouse or Johnnie Walker and a smoky whisky such as Laphroaig.
How to make it: This is quite a boozy drink but it is a drink that even if you are not into whisky you’ll be reaching for the shaker to make another. The steps to make it are as follows.
1 Take your shaker and add 2 measures of your blended whisky. If you don’t have a measure then 3 tablespoons will do the trick.
2 Squeeze in 1 measure of fresh squeezed lemon juice. Don’t use the pre-packed juice you find in the baking aisle.
3 Add 3 thumbnail size pieces of fresh ginger or more if you want it spicy.
4 Finally to the shaker add 1 good teaspoon of clear honey or a bit more if you like it sweet.
5 Stir the ingredients together and try to press on the fresh ginger to release the flavours.
6 Fill your shaker with ice and shake hard for 10 to 15 seconds
7 Take a tumbler glass filled with ice and strain your drink over the ice
8 Add two teaspoons of smoky whisky over the top of your drink and add a piece of candied ginger.
Top tip: If you want to make this like they do in the cocktail bars then you can make your own honey and ginger syrup by combining 1 cup of honey with one 6-inch peeled and sliced piece of ginger root with 1 cup of water in a small pot and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer for 5 minutes. Refrigerate overnight, then strain, discarding the solids.
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