First thoughts on Fitzrovia by Penhaligon's

Last week I received an unusual but delightful invitation to attend an evening with Penhaligon's at Callooh Calley in Shoreditch (which if you haven't been is a cocktail and Alice in Wonderland lovers destination bar).

With my special key (which was the unusual part) I was able to walk through the wardrobe and into the Penhaligon's room where we were treated to drinks inspired by their fragrances; I think the hit of the evening was the Blenheim Bouquet but they were all very worth trying!



We were able to try three upcoming Penhaligon's scents; two further additions to their Anthology collection- which is made up of scents from their archives re-imagined or refreshed for modern noses- of which more news soon.

Of course all new perfumes are exciting to me but I had been waiting to try Penhaligon's major new scent for the year since I first heard that it was to be inspired by gin and so I wanted to write some first thoughts about it now.

Firstly because I love gin (although I do not love tonic at all) and think juniper is a wonderful and very British ingredient. Secondly I'm obviously very interested in the relationship between food and scent and a new gourmand that doesn't begin with sugar or chocolate is only a good thing in my eyes.

On first sniff I can report Fitzrovia is indeed gourmand and there isn't just juniper but pepper, black cherry and brown sugar in the notes. The scent will be unisex which is obviously very trendy at the moment but in this case I think is correct. I will write far more about the fragrance when it is available(in the Summer) but until then I think I will be getting more interested in smelling different varieties of gin to keep me occupied.

Lipstick rose- the cocktail

So far my meet ups with the lovely Metropolitan Mum have been very glamorous and FUN!

Firstly we went for the fashionistas and foodies favourite afternoon tea Pret a Portea at the Berkeley Hotel- you can read all about what we got up to on Metropolitan Mum's blog here.

Then last week we decided to head out after dark for some sophisticated cocktailing at the very hip, very award winning, 69 Colebrooke Row in Angel.

They take their drinks seriously at Colebrooke Row, employing a similarly scientific and fastidious but fun approach to Heston Blumenthal's with food. The menu is just right- there is a good amount of choice without it becoming overwhelming or in anyway cocktails by numbers. The full menu is here- and if you ask nicely they will make you the occasional off the list treat.

I don't think you will be surprised to know that I ordered the Lipstick Rose cocktail as soon as I arrived (I had pre perused the menu that afternoon when I was particularly needing cocktail hour to come quickly). A lipstick rose is apparently made of Raspberry & Violet Syrup with Rose Vodka topped with Champagne. You will notice there is lipstick on my glass in this picture- that isn't mine, it is edible lipstick that comes on the glass, nice touch isn't it?

The Lipstick Rose is very nice- I am a serious lover of cocktails but champagne ones do need to be good because messing around with the sacred nectar that is bubbly can be a travesty. This one isn't- it is a thoroughly lovely tipple for girls. It is also unnervingly like the perfume it shares a name with- Lipstick Rose from Frederic Malle. Obviously drinking perfume would actually be disgusting because it's mostly neat alcohol but you know what I mean.



I liked to see this trend though- and I wonder if we might see more cocktails like perfumes? You could make a grand, super deluxe Bellini inspired by the complexity of the peach in Mitsouko, with some brandy and perhaps some vanilla vodka. Some people might feel it is sacrilege to use perfume to inspire cocktails but I think they go together rather well- and the skills of a master taster and a master perfumer are really not unrelated.

In need of a cocktail?

Of course you are.

As part of London cocktail week the lovely people at Courvoisier are running a pop-up Punch bar 'The Courvoisier Speakeasy' tonight at The Future Gallery.

Courvoisier have invited 'pioneering' Oxford cocktail bar, Raoul’s, to help them with the evening and The Sunshine Kings New Orleans Jazz group to entertain you.

As well as punch some of the cocktails available will be:


1. Cognac Cider Collins
Courvoisier / Calvados / pressed Apple juice / lemon juice / sugar syrup / soda / dash of peychauds bitters
Served in a Collins glass and dressed with apple fans

2. Honey and fig Julep
Mint leaves / honey syrup / Courvoisier / fig liqueur / angostura bitters
Served in a small Boston glass of crushed ice and garnished with a huge tuft of mint mint sprigs

3. Cognac Sherbert Mule
Vanilla sugar / lemon juice / Courvoisier/ Limoncello / apple juice
Served in glass, topped with ginger beer and garnished with a lemon wedge

More information here

If you mention A Rose Beyond the Thames on the door you should be able to get a free cocktail- which should help the evening go with a swing.

The Expresso Martini

All hail the Espresso Martini, you make tired Londoners kick their heels off and party long after the last tube. You may also be guilty of leading them to stay up much too late and behave much too badly but you are still fabulous in every way.

Should you need some help from the Espresso party starter here is the recipe. Use with caution, sore feet, lack of sleep and lots of fun may follow.

Classic Espresso Martini

Ingredients:
1 oz cold Espresso
1 1/2 oz Vodka (Absolut)
1 1/2 oz Kahlua
1 oz white Creme de cacao
Mixing instructions:
Pour ingredients into shaker filled with ice, shake vigorously, and strain into chilled martini glass.
It should be somewhat frothy.

picture courtesy of: http://flickr.com/photos/83838608@N00/324819770