BLOOM Cocktails @ McQueen by Theo Von Sternberg

BLOOM Cocktails @ McQueen by Theo Von Sternberg

McQueen in Shoreditch opened its doors fairly recently and is looking really rather sharp. Clean lines with lots of leather and stainless steel really gives off a sense of fast cars and fast living. This overall look and feel of the bar is reassuring because it's called McQueen after the actor Steve McQueen. who famously said "Racing is life. Anything before or after is just waiting."

A Perfect Lady (Vicky Anderson)

40 ml BLOOM Gin

1 Egg White

Peach Bitters

12.5ml Merlet Peach Liqueur

20 ml Lemon Juice

10 ml Sugar Syrup

Method: Shake all the ingredients hard over ice.

Serve: Coupette with a pomelo Garnish

Theo also made a Boon with BLOOM Gin, fresh pink grapefruit, orgeat and grapefruit bitters as well as a Bajan BLOOM which has BLOOM Gin, Velvet Falernum, Rhubarb Bitters and topped with Prosecco - both of which are delicious and show off the versatility and mixability of BLOOM. He also promises some more creations.... watch this space!

BLOOM Cocktails by Kester Thomas @ No. 5

Kester is a very talented and highly innovative bartender who is now at No. 5. It's well worth a visit over the coming months to enjoy Kester's development of the No' 5 terrace and his "edible cocktail afternoon teas" - I know I can't wait!
When I first took Bloom in to Kester we were pleasantly surprised to find two perfect BLOOM cocktail recipes. The cocktail below is called a Honey Suckle - which is a Botanical in BLOOM.

Honey Suckle


Garnish:
Use elderflower cordial to dip the rim of the glass into and coat with soft granulated sugar.

Ingredients:
4 x Fresh raspberries
15 ml x Elderflower cordial
25 ml x BLOOM Gin
15 ml x Krupnik honey vodka
Champagne

Method:
Carefully pour Champagne into a flute about two thirds full. Shake the other ingredients over ice and fine strain on top of the Champagne.


Deliciously refreshing and fruity. Very clean and perfect for summer.

In this second cocktail Kester makes his own Chamomile syrup from the dried flowers used for tea and Chamomile is a distinct botanical in BLOOM Gin along with Honeysuckle and Pomelo.

Kester's Chamomile Collins

Ingredients:
2 x tsp Vanilla sugar

1 x Juice whole lemon

50 ml x BLOOM Gin
25 ml x Elderflower Liqueur - St Germain

25 ml x Kester's homemade Chamomile syrup

Method:

shake all ingredients over ice and pour into a collins glass over ice.

Garnish:

Fill the glass crushed ice and top with dried Chamomile Flowers and grated Lemon peel.

Overall the experience of No. 5 is of opulence and luxury combined with great atmosphere and fantastic drinks.

Highly recommended!

Pomelo - Chinese Grapefruit

It's funny how I'd never come across the fruit Pomelo until just recently. It's one of the botanicals in BLOOM Gin and I was amazed to find one in my local fruit and veg shop. Now I keep spotting them everywhere!

This Pomelo is the size of a small melon. The skin is incredibly zesty and fragrant and it smells really like grapefruit.






The fruit itself is yellow, pretty much the same as the skin.

The taste is really rich and sweet. There's no bitterness that comes with normal grapefruit and the fragrance carries through
all the way to the palate.




Overall, It's quite unusual and tastes great. I can't wait to try it in some BLOOM Gin cocktails!


Watch this space!

BLOOM Gin

I'd seen it here I'd seen it there but never managed to lay my hands on any. The early reviews I'd read were great and the packaging looked stunning. Simon Difford had written and raved about BLOOM and its producer Greenall's in Class Issue 3 (July/August) and it had even won a Gold in The Drinks Business Design Awards.....

I now have some and have even shared it with a few fine folk in the industry. See the great Cocktail Sean at Callooh Callay made last week below.

Nose: Thankfully most definitely GIN - indeed, exactly as it says on the bottle - Premium London Dry Gin - light relief from the recent wave of 'boutique' gins that don't taste anything like gin. Predominatly Juniper with light, uplifted floral notes, which would be explained by the Chamomile and Honeysuckle botanicals. Sitting underneath all of that is a hint of citrus which would be from the Pomelo - a strange fruit that apparently tastes a bit like a mild grapefruit. This is all bound together by herbal and violet notes.

Taste: Incredibly soft and smooth on the palate with a silky mouthfeel and again most pleasingly GIN! Although delicate in style there is real weight given by the honeysuckle, notes of orange bitters and freshly cracked black pepper. The chamomile hits mid palate with zesty grapefruit and sweet violets, all neatly finished off with resinous pine and smooth spice.