Food History

This is the last post for the first round of tests. The final round (where we taste all the best and chose the best of the best) is on Sunday. After Sunday, we’re in the home stretch and I can stop causing inebriation in everyone around me.

This bunch of tests is all by Sharyn. I just hope she didn’t try them in a three hour period. The names of the drinks have been changed, of course.

“Because someone had to do it, and my dipsomaniac alter ego was most disgruntled that I hadn’t volunteered sooner, I decided to test some of the drinks Gillian needed tested for the Prohibition Banquet.

Generally I like sweet drinks, and I adore mint, so I started with the Drink 1. The combination of sugar, bruised mint, ice and sparkling wine (I used Brown Bros Zibbibo) was wonderful. It was a refreshing drink, definitely a cocktail I’ll be serving at Christmas.

Next I made the Drink 2, another new favourite with its iced and sweetened champagne with twists of lemon and orange peel to give a light citrus flavour, this cocktail reminded me slightly of the white wine spritzers of the 80s. But using a quality wine, this was a nice reminder.

I decided to take a break from the champagne drinks, and made myself a Drink 3. I was disappointed in this one, as a bourbon drinker I was expecting to like this one. Unfortunately the combination of lime and bourbon didn’t sit well with me.

So I played it safe for my final drink of the evening, and had a Drink 4. I wasn’t overly entranced by the Californian wine I’d bought to try with this drink, but the drink wasn’t too bad at all, reminding me of a Mimosa cocktail. Realising I wouldn’t be drinking the rest of the wine, I used it in a tomato and basil pasta sauce, so all in all, a good night’s testing.

The following night I started with a Drink 5. I wasn’t expecting to like this one, but found it quite nice. Not a favourite, but definitely passable.

If you like vermouth, the Drink 6 was very more-ish, I could see that drink being a source of some very sore heads. It reminded me of the Mindbender cocktails served at our local wine bar in the early 80s. I liked it a great deal.

I finished my testing with a Drink 7. Pineapple and sherry combines far better than you might expect. I’d happily have this again, and as a bonus I got to make a sherry trifle for dessert.

So that’s my verdict on the cocktail recipes, one disappointment, one wine I wasn’t overly rapt in, several passable drinks and some stand outs I’ll be adding to future celebration feasts.”

Thank you Sharyn, and everyone else who tested first round drinks. We have twelve drinks for Sunday (with a possible replacement champagne drink if none of the ones we have work out).