Vodka, Tonic and Bitters

Well, for some reason people don't consider a Gin and Tonic a cocktail, yet a rum and coke is a cocktail only because it has a name - Cuba Libre. Either way, a vodka, tonic and bitters is a mixed drink, and since cocktails have come a long way from being a spirit, sugar and bitters, I don't see why it can't be included on this blog.
I got the idea for this drink from Fleming's Thunderball, where James Bond orders one in Nassau. I actually prefer it to a gin and tonic, and not simply because you 'can't taste' the vodka. It just seems to be more pleasant.

• 1 or 2 shots vodka
• squeeze of lime juice
• several dashes of Angostura or Fee Brothers' Old Fashioned Bitters to taste
• top up with tonic water

Garnish with some lime wheels.

Photo: Phil

One of the reasons I like this drink so much is that it is like a quality canvas to display the bitters. While Angostura is perfectly reasonable, I just love the Fee Brothers' bitters - from America I might add. However, I spied them on Nick's wines, an Australian online bottleshop recently. This drink also works with Peychaud's bitters, but they're even harder to find.

Peartini

After trying pointlessly to find an appletini recipe that tastes nice, I came across this Peartini which I really enjoy. Despite being a martini it is much sweeter and longer than most and so will suit many tastes. The key is obviously pear-flavoured vodka. The recipe called for Grey Goose, but I'm too poor so I use Absolut, which works perfectly.

• 2 shots Absolut Pears vodka
• 0.25 shot Disaronno Originale amaretto
• o.75 shot simple syrup
• 0.75 lemon juice

Photo: Phil

Shake with ice, strain into a chilled martini glass. Garnish with a pear slice.

For the simple syrup, many bartenders call for 2:1 sugar to water, though this requires heating on the stove and results in caramel for me. Thus I use a 1:1 ratio which hasn't let me down yet and can be achieved without heating - just shake the bottle a few times and leave it for half an hour.

This martini is delightful and is a tasty way to get down two shots of vodka! The amaretto is more for appearance as it and the lemon juice combine to make the drink resemble pear juice, although it doesn't detract from the flavour at all. It really is like drinking cold, gourmet pear juice. With extras.