I’ve invented a new family tradition. When I say invented I use this term loosely,
ok so I haven’t invented cocktail hour but I have introduced it to my family so let’s
just go with that. Yes. Cocktail Hour. It’s wonderful. The inspiration behind this new tradition is
of course, Ina Garten; she loves her booze and always includes a drink recipe
in her shows and I love her. The
Americans are big on cocktail hour; I experienced this first hand when I worked
in a high end golf club in Cape Cod for the summer. At the weekends, families would come to the
golf club for dinner but first they would all have a cocktail in the bar, also
at the weddings I worked, cocktail hour is a big tradition before sitting down
for the meal. In Ireland it’s more like
every hour is cocktail hour but we don’t experiment as much as our American
cousins. When bartending in the golf
club I had to learn the names of lot of cocktails, Tom Collins, John Collins, Martini,
Dirty Martini, extra dirty…excuse me!!! No that actually only means more olive
juice before you get on my high horse with me! I used to have a big book of
cocktails behind the bar and would panic when a customer asked me a drink I
didn’t know. And I have tasted the dirty martini, sure I had to after serving
so many of them…it’s not good, tastes like the sea but those Cape Codders went
mad for them, actually Cape Codder that’s another drink, vodka and cranberry to
you and I. These drinks are also very
strong which points out another difference between us and the Yanks, they want
their buzz strong and fast and tend to go home early, we Irish are more like
marathon runners, slow, steady and less adventurous, mainly pints and single measures of gin or
vodka but ultimately able to last longer. |
| Regular Mojitos |
So I decided to introduce cocktail hour to my family of a
Sunday. Sundays are when we usually get
together in the evening for a nice dinner and some wine, so I thought this was
the perfect excuse to try out some cocktails.
It started out with a jug of mojito’s a few weeks ago with mint fresh
from my garden which went down extremely well, they are very refreshing and a
nice change from a glass of white. Last
Sunday I decided to début my watermelon mojitos, well I say mine and I mean
Ina’s. You blitz up the watermelon in
the food processor and that is the substitute for soda, your only mixer…Ina
likes her booze! This recipe made 8
large glasses and let me tell you, 1 each is actually enough they are quite
potent and let’s just say lucky the dinner had been made in advance as I don’t
think I would have had the head for intense cooking! I’m definitely continuing the tradition, I decree from
now on every Sunday will have cocktail hour, you should try it too, especially these watermelon babies, they will make you feel like you are on holidays with the sand between your toes rather than in your kitchen looking out at a wet miserable Irish 'summer' day!
Watermelon Mojitos
Large bunch of Mint
About a quarter of a small watermelon, try to remove some of the pips
12 ounces Bacardai or light rum (about half of the half bottle)
1/2 cup simple syrup (disolve 1 part sugar to 2 parts water in a saucepan and allow to cool)
Juice of 3 limes
Mash the mint leaves in a mortar and pestel
Puree the watermelon in a food processor untill it is a smooth puree
Put the mashed mint in a large jug, add the puree, rum , sugar syrup and lime juice and give a good stir
Add lots of ice and also ice to the glasses and serve, garnish with a slice of lime
Serve ice cold
