Like most cocktail lovers, we’re huge fans of Salvatore Calabrase’s winning ways with drinks. We witnessed his skill and charm at The Lanesborough and had the pleasure of seeing him work magic at his wonderful bar Salvatore At Fifty before it closed earlier this year. So we were thrilled to get an invite to see him create a few of his favourite drinks at The Connaught using Stolichnaya vodka. Here are three of his recipes to impress your friends, together with a few choice words about them from The Maestro himself:
Stoli Spicy Fifty
50ml Stoli Vanilla
15ml elderflower cordial
15ml fresh lime juice
10ml Monin honey syrup
2 thin slices red chilli pepper
“One of my signature drinks, which was created with Stoli Vanilla, it has a delicate fragrance, sweet and sour flavours with a spicy after kick.”
Method:
Place all the ingredients into a shaker filled with ice. Shake sharply. Double strain into a chilled cocktail glass. Garnish with a red eye chilli sitting on the edge of the glass.
The Maestro
“This cocktail is my namesake! A wonderful combination of sweet, sour and earthy flavours. A unique cocktail with a unique vodka. Salute!”
40ml Stoli Red
20ml Fraise liqueur
15ml fresh orange juice
½ tsp maple syrup
½ tsp aged balsamic vinegar (minimum 8 years)
2 fresh strawberries
Method:
Muddle the strawberries in the bottom of the shaker, add the remaining ingredients with ice. Shake sharply. Double-strain into a chilled cocktail glass. Garnish with ½ a strawberry sitting on the edge of the glass, drop a dash of balsamic vinegar onto the strawberry.
The Elite Kiss
“Just the colour of this cocktail will turn heads, the colour is of a rich ruby red lipstick waiting to be kissed. A grown-up flavour, intense with a cherry aftertaste, a superior drink for a superior vodka.”
50ml Elit by Stolichnaya
15ml maraschino liqueur
2 slices of pickled beetroot plus 1 tsp of the juice
10ml fresh lime juice
3 dashes orange bitters
Method:
Gently muddle the beetroot, (not too much it should not be a puree) in the bottom of a shaker. Place all the other ingredients in the shaker together with ice, shake sharply. Double strain into a chilled cocktail glass. Garnish with a sprig of dill sitting on the edge of the glass and thin slice of heart-shaped beetroot lying on top of the dill.
