March's super ingredient is....carrot!
We probably don't need to reel off the list of benefits of carrots, we've all been told from a young age. Let's not forget the fact that they help us "see in the dark!"
But how often do we try it in a drink format?
The Carrot Negroni
The inspiration for using carrot juice was from a Carrot Negroni we had a few years back in NYC. We didn't ever find out the exact recipe, but this cocktail is as close as we can get to the original.
It's slightly herby, slightly bitter but with a tad more sweetness than your regular Negroni.
We've based the recipe on a white negroni which calls for Gin, Suze* (a delicious bright yellow apéritif made from the roots of the Gentian plant) and Lillet Blanc- a beautifully balanced white vermouth.
Suze is available from the main drinks supermarkets (or Amazon) but if you have any Cocchi Americano in the house, you can substitute for this. It's not the same, but will still give a balanced result.
Suze
In terms of carrot juice, you can either juice your own and strain it, or buy it from the supermarket. We used James Whites Organic Carrot Juice from Waitrose.
A touch of fresh orange juice, and voilà!
A cocktail full of nutrients (that have to be completely ignored as it's also full of booze). Whoops.
If you have any Negroni loving friends, this cocktail will be fabulous for dinner parties. Let them know it is a white negroni and see if they can guess the missing ingredient.
Peaky Blinders Gin
Recipe (can be divided over two glasses):
30ml Suze
30ml Lillet Blanc
30ml London Dry Gin- we used the delicious Peaky Blinders Gin!
50ml Carrot Juice
25ml Fresh Orange Juice
Method
Add all of the ingredients into a cocktail shaker, and a scoop of ice, and shake for a little. You don't want to dilute the drink too much, but you do want to mix the ingredients, so probably 2 or 3 shakes will do.
Pour into a short glass.
Add the biggest ice cube you can find. We've got a sphere mould and a large cube mould and they are fab for Negroni's, Old Fashioned's or any cocktails that don't require much dilution.
Garnish with a mini carrot or orange- we used a dehydrated orange wheel.
Enjoy- and let us know what you think!
*Please note that we have not yet been able to confirm if Suze is vegan-friendly due to the filtration process.
Don’t worry about the freshness of your birthday cakes, they stay fresh for 7-10 days depending on the flavour. When they arrive just keep them in their packaging, or an airtight container in a nice cosy spot and they’ll taste just as good as the day they arrive. We don’t recommend keeping them in the fridge as it can dry out the sponge and make the buttercream hard.
If you do happen to have any leftovers (not a common occurrence we have to say!) you can freeze the cake for up to 6 months, just make sure it’s well wrapped and in an airtight container. When you’re ready for another slice, just take the cake out of the freezer and leave it to defrost in a cosy spot until the cake has reached room temperature – you'll know when it’s ready as the buttercream will be soft to touch.
Don't Forget!
If you like this recipe but fancy taking the trouble out of making cocktails at home, you can simply order cocktails from Mindful Mixology to be delivered straight to your door!
If you like this recipe you might just fancy our new Yuzu Negroni. At just £12 for 3 large servings, it's a super treat for the weekend. You can also buy it in our 'gift box of three.'
Not only can you order your b cocktails online, we also deliver your cocktails straight to your door. Whether you want to have them delivered to your home or to a venue, we can deliver them anywhere in the UK. We do recommend as if it's a birthday present or a very special occasion, that order a few days in advance. This is in case there are any unforeseen delivery delays (which can happen on rare o), such as vehicle breakdowns.
Placing your order couldn’t be more straightforward, just place your cocktail order online on our website. Then you can provide any notes, for example, the fact that it's a gift and you would like a hand-written m in there.