St. David’s Day Drinks
One measure is always equal to 25ml or 1 fld oz. A cocktail ‘jigger’ pours out one measure easily.
A Dash is a always just a few drops from the bottle. Bitters etc. are called for in dashes.
THE BEST WELSH (& ST DAVID’S DAY) DRINKS & COCKTAILS
Hen Wlad Fy Nhadau
How green is my Valley? A drink the colour of the Welsh Mountains.
Ingredients: Makes 1 Drink
- 2 measures welsh whiskey
- 1 measure crème de menthe (green)
- 1 measure Chartreuse (green)
- Green maraschino cherries
Directions: Pour the ingredients into a cocktail shaker filled with crushed ice. Shake well. Strain into a chilled cocktail glass. Garnish with three green maraschino cherries on a cocktail stick floated in the centre of the drink.
Cwm Rhondda (Bread Of Heaven)
Ingredients: Makes 1 Drink
- 1 & 1/2 measures Welsh whisky
- 1 measure Dry sherry
- 3/4 measure fresh lemon juice
- 1/3 measure welsh honey
- 1/4 measure Absinthe to rinse the glass
- Garnish with Orange peel
- Serve with a little round of bara brith on the side
Directions: Take an old fashioned rocks glass and season it with the absinthe. Swirl to coat the inside. Add three ice cubes. Place the whisky, sherry, lemon juice and honey in a Cocktail Shaker with cracked ice. Shake vigorously and then strain the mixture into the rocks glass over the ice cubes. Take a wide strip of Orange peel and squeeze over the top to mist with orange oil. Garnish with the orange peel. Place the glass on a small side plate with a little round of Bara Brith (Speckled Bread). The Bara Brith: slice a loaf of freshly baked bara brith moderately thickly, take a small round pastry cutter and cut out a round disc, brush the top with a little warmed honey and serve with the Cwm Rhondda Cocktail.
Uther’s Dragon (Uthyr Pendragon)
The red dragon is the symbol and flag of Wales and this powerful red cocktail perfectly recalls this symbol, which is also the symbol of Uther, Chief dragon of the Celts. According to Arthurian Legend, Uther, through Merlin’s help, tricks the wife of his enemy, Lady Igraine, and sleeps with her. Thus Arthur, “the once and future king” is born.
Ingredients: Makes 1 Drink
- 1 & 1/2 measures vodka
- 1 measure cointreau (orange liqueur)
- 1 measure fresh juice from a blood orange
- 1 tbsp raspberry puree (see below)
- 1/2 tsp sugar syrup
- 1 fresh raspberry
Raspberry Puree
- Large punnet of raspberries
- 60g (2oz) icing sugar (powdered sugar)
- 1 measure Cointreau (orange liqueur)
- 1 measure raspberry liqueur
Direction: Make the raspberry puree: Place the raspberries and powdered sugar in a small blender with the cointreau (orange liqueur) and raspberry liqueur, and purée until totally smooth, sieve the puree through a fine mesh to clear any pips (this can be done in advance and kept in the fridge). Make the drink: Add all the ingredients into a cocktail shaker with some cracked ice and shake very well. Strain into a cocktail (martini) glass, and serve garnished with a fresh raspberry or two.
Red Number 10
The number 10 jersey in Welsh rugby is a thing of legend, and rightly needs a champagne cocktail to toast it. The final pouring of the champagne should be done so that wisps of red lift and mingle (dancing like a Welsh No10) at the base of the glass rather than fully mix.
Ingredients: Makes 1 Drink
- 1 tbsp strawberry puree
- Chilled Champagne or sparkling white wine to top up
- Strawberry to garnish (washed, leave some of the green leaves on)
Strawberry Puree
- Large punnet of strawberries
- 60g (2oz) icing sugar (powdered sugar)
- 1 measure brandy
- 1 measure strawberry liqueur
Directions: Make the strawberry puree: Place the strawberries and powdered sugar in a small blender with the brandy and strawberry liqueur, and purée until totally smooth, sieve the puree through a fine mesh to clear any pips (this can be done in advance and kept in the fridge) – thicken it with a little extra sugar if needed. Spoon some strawberry puree into a chilled champagne glass then add the champagne, to top it off. Do this slowly, poured down the edge of the glass, do not stir it or let it blend in fully. Serve garnished with a whole strawberry (with a few of the little green leaves left on standing proud) cut with a slit at its tip and sat on the glass rim, not in the cocktail.
Dragon’s Wing
Ingredients: Makes 1 Drink
- 2 measures sloe gin (gin infused with sloe berries)
- 1 measure blackberry liqueur
- 1 measure fresh lemon juice
- 1/2 measure simple syrup
- Cream Soda to top off
- Frozen (or fresh) blackberries to garnish
Directions: Pour everything (except the soda water) into a cocktail shaker half-filled with cracked ice. Shake and then strain into a chilled cocktail (martini) glass. Top off the drink with cream soda and garnish with a few frozen (or fresh if in season) blackberries.
Welsh Flag
This is a layered drink in a small shot glass, which takes a steady hand and a little practice to achieve perfectly. Making the Red, Green and White colours of the Welsh Flag.
Ingredients: Makes 1 Drink
- 1/3 grenadine
- 1/3 creme de menthe
- 1/3 Bailey’s Irish Cream
Directions: In a small shot glass pour one-third grenadine, then one third Green Crème de Menthe, then lastly one-third Bailey’s Irish Cream. Pour them in this order, over the back of a spoon from a low height.
Dragon’s Breath
Ingredients: Makes 1 Drink
- 1 & 1/2 measures bourbon whiskey
- 1 measure dry vermouth
- 1 measure Campari
- 2 Dashes of Tabasco sauce
- Orange peel, sliced.
Directions: Pour everything into a cocktail shaker half-filled with cracked ice. Shake and then strain into an old fashioned rocks glass with a fat swath of orange peel twisted over and dropped in to garnish.
Welsh Mojito
Ingredients: Makes 1 Drink
- Handful mint leaves
- 1 measure sugar syrup
- 4 strawberries
- 4 raspberries
- Juice of a lime
- 2 measures white rum
- Lemonade to top off
- A small daffodil flower head to garnish (when in season)
Directions: Put the mint, sugar syrup, berries and lime juice in a highball glass. Using a wooden spoon, lightly mash (or muddle) together. Fill the glass with crushed ice and add the rum. Stir very well, (to get the drink as cold as possible). Top up with lemonade, and serve with a sprig of mint and a straw (add a very small daffodil flower head if in season).
Coalminer
Like the Welsh coalminer being dropped far underground in a fast moving lift the shot glass is dropped into the pint glass (similar to the depth charged boiler maker).
Ingredients: Makes 1 Drink
- 1 Pint Brains SA Best Bitter
- 1 measure welsh whisky
- 1 thin slice (ring) of white leek
Directions: In a tall straight pint glass fill it to an inch (several centimetres) below the rim with Brains Bitter. Fill a small shot glass with one measure of welsh whisky, put a slice of leek (a thin ring) in it first. Drop the shot glass (with the whisky and leek) into the pint glass and drink.
Saint’s Water (Dewi Sant)
Saint David, Dewi Sant (c. 500–589). was a Welsh Bishop during the 6th century; he was later regarded as a saint and then as the patron saint of Wales. St David’s day falls on the 1st March, which was declared a national day of celebration within Wales in the 18th century. He founded ‘The Vale of Roses’ monastery and this cocktail is in honour of this and the white dove which is his symbol. Also St David was famous for wanting people to drink water instead of beer, so here is a clear, water looking cocktail, just don’t tell him what’s in it.
Ingredients: Makes 1 Drink
- 1 dash of Rose Water
- 2 measures white wine
- 1 measure Cointreau (or a clear orange liqueur)
- 1 measure clear lemonade
- White Rose petals, for garnish (sugared rose petals if you can get/make them)
Details: Rub the rim of a cocktail (martini) glass in a little lemon juice and then quickly upturn it into a plate with a little icing (powdered) sugar on it, so that the sugar sticks to the rim. Chill the glass in the refrigerator. In a Cocktail Shaker half-filled with cracked ice shake all ingredients (except the lemonade) and then strain into the chilled cocktail glass. Top up with clear lemonade and garnish with a few white rose petals.
