Summertime Sipping

So as you know from time to time I like to post recipes that are not baked.  In this gorgeous weather, it is hard to have the oven on isn’t it? In fact, in this gorgeous weather it’s hard not to have a lovely drink in hand and lounge in the garden all day!  So I thought I’d make the most of it and share some summery tipples I’ve come across recently.

sipsmith summer cup

I do rather love the Sipsmith chaps.  They are all so wonderful informative and helpful – and rather dashing too!  I had the pleasure of meeting Master Distiller, Jared Brown recently, and over a glass of their new Sipsmith Summer Cup he explained to me how he came up with this very moreish drink which really does just capture the essence of summer.

He took inspiration from the English ‘cups’of the 1800s.  These were usually gins flavoured with various herbs, spices, fruit, and other botanicals available locally or from the garden.  This base was then topped up with ale for example.

The Sipsmith Summer Cup uses Lemon Verbena (from Jared’s own garden and a secret stash somewhere in Ealing!), Earl Grey Tea, Cardamom, Cucumber and Orange.  All of the flavours come through really well but the cardamom in particular gives this drink a uniqueness.

A lovely alternative to Pimms

Bombay Sapphire Savoy Punch

Now I am a huge Bombay Sapphire fan.  The first I ever had was on the terrace bar of the Lake Palace Hotel in Udaipur, India, paired with some wonderful Aloo Tikki – I think it’s one of my loveliest memories.  So I was rather excited when I came across this Bombay Sapphire Savoy Punch which will be served at The Savoy’s Diamond Jubilee Street Party directly from the Savoy’s fountain!

The recipe also has gin, Earl Grey tea and citrus flavours from an orange and grapefruit sherbet.  It’s a little more decadent as it’s topped up with Champagne but I think tonic would work just as well.

A cooling and sophisticated gin cocktail

Kandula Earl grey tea Martini

Finally if you’re not a fan of long drinks, perhaps this summery Earl Grey Tea Martini might interest you.  It’s a vodka base this time with Earl Grey tea and lime juice.  It’s got a lovely subtle tea flavour which reminded me a little of the Jasmine Gin Fizz I had at Duck Soup Soho.  The flower is my own addition because as you know, I’m partial to these little beauties.

Earl Grey Tea Martini

Share your summer cocktail recipes

I’m always on the look out for new ideas for summertime sipping so I thought it might be fun to do a Summer Cocktail Challenge.

1. Simply post a link below to your favourite summer cocktail before the end of June 2012.  I’ll do a round up up of all the entries early July so you have a summer full of delicious drinks!
2. Please use a botanical – I don’t mind which!
3. You can add the above image to your post – download it here on my Flickr page
4. Link your blog post back to this page.
5. If you want to tweet about your entry, please feel free to use something like this and I’ll retweet all the ones I see.  “I’ve entered #summertimesipping @BotanicalBaker”
6. Please do feel free to share your images to my Flickr or Facebook pages.

I’m so excited about seeing your recipes!