Gafencu – July 2019

Daiquiri, for instance, the primaries are

rum, syrup, lime juice and strawberries.

Fans of full-bodied alcoholic aromas,

meanwhile, tend to opt more for the kind

of spirit-forward cocktails that first

came to the forefront during the years

of the US Prohibition Era (1920-33) as a

means of making crude moonshine spirits

a little more palatable.

Here, the base alcohol is

typically augmented with

bitters, fortified wines or small

doses of sweeteners, then stirred over

ice and served promptly. The simplicity

and unembellished nature of such

powerful concoctions serve to forefront

the chosen spirit, albeit with enough

accompanying window dressing to mask

any of its more unpleasant aftertastes.

Its apotheosis is, arguably, the shaken-

but-not-stirred Martini favoured by

007’s countless incarnations.

It is this very time of year, with

summer in full swing, that the

Text: Tenzing Thondup Photos: J Boroski

“Many of Hong Kong’s

most marvelled-at

mixologists are only

too happy to share

their skills”

of blended alcoholic beverage lore. On

offer for groups of up to 15 people, it’s

perfect for a low-key catch-up with

friends, a work bonding event or a DIY

date night with a prospective partner.

J Boroski. 13 Hollywood Rd, Central.

(852) 2603 6020. [email protected]

SPIRIT-FORWARD COCKTAIL –

OLD-FASHIONED

Ingredients

1.2oz of Rebel Yell bourbon

2.1 tsp of brown sugar

3.3 dashes of Angostura bitters

4.Orange peel for garnish

Instructions

1.Add sugar to glass, douse it in

Angostura bitters and muddle

2.Add 60ml of Rebel Yell bourbon and

stir until sugar dissolves

3.Add ice and strain into serving glass

4.Express oil of orange peel around lip

of glass and add as garnish

FRUIT-FORWARD COCKTAIL -

MOJITO

Ingredients

1.2oz of white rum

2.1/2oz of simple syrup

3.3/4oz of fresh lime juice

4.Mint leaves

Instructions

1.Add mint, simple syrup and lime

juice to a shaker and muddle

2.Add white rum and ice, and shake

vigorously

3.Strain into serving glass filled with

ice and garnish with mint leaves

cocktail season tends to RECIPES

peak, with special takes

on old favourites and

wholly-new blends on

offer from many of

Hong Kong’s more

high-end hostelries.

If, however, you’re

one of the growing

number of inventive

imbibers who are keen

to master the arcane

arts of conjuring up the

perfect cocktail for themselves

then, thankfully, many of the city’s most

marvelled-at mixologists are only too

happy to help.

Most notably, J Boroski, t h e

Central-set speakeasy, offers cocktail-

making masterclasses every second and

fourth Tuesday of the month. Over the

course of the workshop, attendees are

taught how to concoct perfect spirit-

forward and fruit-forward cocktails,

while also being exposed to many

of the more obscure elements

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