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Lisa Cam

Sacrifices have to be made to curb infection rates of the coronavirus – and one of them has been limiting those social activities like happy hour, while bar hopping seems like a distant memory. But if you’re down to socialising with a few friends at home or have started Zooming friends and family with a drink in hand, here are nine simple cocktail recipes, courtesy of Hong Kong’s best bartenders, that you can easily make at home.
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Bee’s Knees
Simone Rossi, assistant beverage manager, DarkSide at Rosewood Hong Kong
“This is timeless classic cocktail perfect to enjoy at any time of the day – even for breakfast!”

Ingredients
Gin (50ml)
Honey (two teaspoons)
Lemon juice (25ml)
Method
1. Pour all the ingredients into a shaker, stir the liquid until it dissolves before shaking. Ensure you mix the honey well as it has a heavy texture
2. Shake the drink then double strain into a glass without ice
3. If you feel like having a fancy garnish, use bee pollen powder to stick on the glass, otherwise don’t add any garnish and enjoy the drink as it is
Plum old fashioned
Antonio Lai, executive head mixologist / co-founder of Quinary

Ingredients
Plum wine (10ml)
Bitters (five to 10 drops)
Hennessy VSOP (60ml)
Method
1. Put all the ingredients into a mixing glass (use a cup or glass if you are at home)
2. Use a bar spoon or chopsticks to stir for 20 to 30 seconds, then strain into a rock glass with a lot of ice
3. Garnish with the plum from the plum wine
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Gin and juice
Agung Prabowo of the The Old Man

Ingredients
Dry gin (45ml)
Fresh grapefruit juice, one tablespoon
Sugar, one teaspoon
Soda water (90ml)
Add: small pinch of salt
Garnish: grapefruit peel
In a highball glass, pour the gin, grapefruit and sugar, stir until the sugar dissolves. Add ice, soda, gently stir and add garnish and a pinch of salt
Sake Bloody Mary
Mike Tung, partner at Sakeden
“Sake, like the best of wines, can be very complex and enjoyable on its own. It’s floral, fruity, umami and just downright delicious. While it's great on its own, you can use it to personalise your cocktails.”

Ingredients
Sake (40ml)
Spicy tomato juice (180ml)
Wasabi (½ teaspoon)
Worcestershire sauce (two dashes)
Method
Combine the ingredients in a cocktail mixer full of ice. Shake vigorously and strain into the glass
Zen
Masumi Tomioka, bar manager at Duddell’s
“Since I always think about adding nutritional value to everything I consume, this cocktail is always my favourite, especially during the summer. It’s tasty, rich in aroma, spicy, refreshing and I love it. Shiso is not only a garnish for sashimi, it is an Asian superfood and it’s great to use in your cocktail at home!”

Ingredients
Japanese shiso (perilla) leaves
Shiso liqueur (I use Dover brand)
Ginger beer
Method
1. Tear about three to four shiso leaves into small pieces (as small as you can as this adds aroma and flavour), put them in a glass full of ice (crushed ice is preferable)
2. Pour in shiso liqueur
3. Top up with ginger beer and stir
4. Put some more chopped shiso or a leaf for garnish
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Mezcal margarita
Jay Khan, bar owner of Coa
“Simple, balanced and tasty cocktail that fits any occasion.”

Ingredients
Mezcal (50ml)
Cointreau (25ml)
Freshly pressed lime juice (25ml)
Garnish: salt (optional)
Method
Pour all the ingredient into a shaker filled with ice. Shake vigorously until the shaker is very cold. Strain into a Nick and Nora glass.
Green tea spritz
Andrew Chigorimbo, bar manager at Roganic Hong Kong
“This is a refreshing yet herbal Sunday morning mix with a kick and a hint of caffeine from green tea. Ingredients are very accessible, you can either purchase them from any supermarket or grocery store.”

Ingredients
Regular green tea (120ml)
Vodka (30ml)
Honey (15ml)
Top up with tonic water
Method
Add green tea to vodka, shake it up hard. Pour in chilled martini glass, top up with tonic. Use Chinese celery to garnish
Daiquiri
John Nugent of The Diplomat
“Whenever I think of a three-ingredient cocktail that I can have at almost any time of day it’s the Daiquiri. The ingredients are really easy to source and there is always a nice variety to choose from.”

Ingredients
Good quality aged rum, such as Plantation Original Dark or Havana Club Añejo 7 Años (60ml)
Sugar syrup: could be white, raw, Okinawa black sugar; really depends on how deep and rich you like it (20ml)
Lime juice – you can also play around with yuzu or calamansi for an interesting acid level (20ml)
Method
Add all these ingredients in a shaker tin with ice. Shake until very chilled. Pour into chilled coupe with a lime wedge
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Calpis water
Mike Tung, partner at Sakeden
“Namazake, or fresh, unpasteurised sake, is often overlooked. It’s only available for a limited time as they are brewed fresh each season and last from autumn to the beginning of summer. It’s an incredible drink on its own, but here’s what you can do to personalise your sake serving.”

Ingredients
Calpis water (100ml)
Namazake (100ml)
Method
Combine in ingredients in shaker then pour over ice. It’s that simple!
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Plum old fashioned, sake Bloody Mary or green tea spritz? 9 sexy but simple cocktail recipes you can make at home to banish the lockdown blues

Gin and juice at The Old Man is among nine cocktails that are easy to make at home. Photo: handout

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If you’re down to socialising with a few friends at home or have started Zooming friends and family with a drink in hand, these are cocktails you can easily make from the comfort of your own homes


If you’re down to socialising with a few friends at home or have started Zooming friends and family with a drink in hand, these are cocktails you can easily make
