COCKTAILS WITH TERRY

For the non-alcoholic

There are the non-alcoholic substitutes for gin, bitters, and vermouth, as well as pre-mixed bottled non-alcoholic negronis (NA-gronis or no-gronis, as it were), but I find it more interesting to turn to versatile shrub-based recipes, and in this case a blackberry and black currant shrub made with malt vinegar that is a cover or remake that gives a nice sense of the negroni without the alcohol.

Note: for a quick shrub, simply blend one part each fruit and water in a blender, then bring to boil that liquid with one part sugar, and when that liquid has cooled add, in this case, one half part malt vinegar.

Covers of my own making

The thing about a cover of a basic drink recipe is that it makes you think “I could do that!” and you can! For example, with the Old Pal as the original, the following covers came to be made with the spirits I had at hand, essentially pairing Campari and dry vermouth with

• Bourbon, using Michter’s Bourbon (a favourite)

• Whisky, using Mackmyra Birch Sap Swedish Single Malt Whiskey (of course)

• Akvavit, using Malmö Akvavit (naturally)

With each of them offering subtle and enjoyable differences in flavour from the cocktail that inspired them.

And a final flourish, or garnish as it were, to close… The traditional garnish for a Negroni is either a slice or twist of orange. Fergus however adamantly prefers a lemon twist for the Fergroni, and I have found that I prefer using amarena cherries, my absolute favourites being Fabbri Amarena or Luxardo Maraschino (but definitely not any of the American maraschino cherry perversions that are the unnatural by-product of a food culture too much based on processed foods of all kinds). And as you might be able to see from the images, even ghurka (salty or sweet cucumber pickles) can work with aromatics like akvavit or snaps in a very surprising way.

A garnish, as with any cocktail or cover, it is up to the creator, so enjoy them all!

PLEASE DRINK RESPONSIBLY