There's a lot to be said for getting together with friends and coming up with new cocktail/drink ideas. The tried and tested certainly is fun, easy and tasty but there is the added thrill of anticipation from daring to experiment and break the boundaries of common drinks etiquette. Of course, you don't have to re-invent the wheel each time - subtle variations are just as fun. For example:
5 ripe kiwi fruit (peeled and cored)
1 tray ice
4 shots of white rum
2 shots of gin
Blend till smooth and serve in 2 martini glasses.
This is not a typical soft-serve style daiquiri but more a fruity slushy drink. The kiwis provide sufficient sweetness to the cocktail and the gin lends a subtle bitter tang. This was a great impromptu cocktail to share with a friend on a warm afternoon with the sun going down and Firefly on the telly.
My other crowning achievement is an original shooter, invented on a crazy winter's night at a cocktail party in the middle of nowhere. Making the best of what was on hand, I made the inspired decision to combine Amarula cream, Mokador coffee liquor and vodka flavoured chocolate balls. Thus was born the Chocolate Mokarula. Over the years the ingredients may have changed but the basic idea has remained the same (for the better I may add). The current iteration is as follows:
In a double shot glass and over a flavoured chocolate ball, add 1 measure chilled Caramel vodka and slowly layer Amarula cream on top. It's a winner every time!
So the point I'm trying to make (which I apply to most kitchen applications) is do not be afraid to break from tradition and formula. Explore and push boundaries and you will be pleasantly surprised by the results.
