Saturday Kitchen Sling

Saturday Kitchen Sling

So, it was World Gin Day and I was asked by the producers of Saturday Kitchen if I had any thoughts to share on the subject.

I certainly did. I love it. It’s a great British product. We have some lovely gins down our way in Hampshire, from Twisted Nose to Bombay Sapphire, and it seems all over the country we have a vibrant, original and delicious industry happening on our doorsteps.

What’s more, wine producers are starting to get involved as they realise they can use the waste products from the winemaking process (grape skins etc) to make gin. Foxhole (Bolney), Silent Pool (Albury) and Seven Sisters (Rathfinny) are just three. So now we’re doing our bit for the planet and UK wine while sipping on our G&T! This surely is the ultimate virtuous circle.

Anyway, I offered to share a top-secret cocktail recipe of mine on the show, which I had devised for a party last summer. It was originally called the Winchester Whack (it packs a punch) but, in honour of the show, it’s been re-dubbed the Saturday Kitchen Sling. You can also find the recipe on the BBC Food website (I believe this may be my debut on the same) but with more ‘generic’ ingredient listing due to the BBC’s rules on impartiality.

We had a few gin connoisseurs in studio on the day – from the delightful Fearne Cotton to our estimable floor manager Matt – and it met with unanimous approval. It’s a brilliant long summer gin cocktail that’s refreshing and has a gentle bite. I think everyone should have their own gin recipe. Let’s all go forth and create!

The Saturday Kitchen Sling

Mix 2 parts:

• Delicious gin
• Martini Rosso
• Cointreau
• Pink grapefruit juice (ideally without bits but hey)

Add one part Campari. Stir. Then add ten parts cloudy lemonade.

Serve in a highball glass with a straw. Garnish with strawberry quarters and a sprig of mint. (Plus twirled grapefruit peel if you’re feeling really posh.)

Enjoy!

(Peter, June 2017)