Cocktail of the week: Hovarda’s Aegean beginnings – recipe | The good mixer
Cocktail of the week: Hovarda’s Aegean beginnings – recipe | The good mixer
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A rich and fruity long drink with extra clout. This drink evokes memories of sunny days, and in so doing brings warmth to chilly evenings, all infused with the vibrant complexity of an Aegean island pantry. Serves 5. 1 lemon. 1 small orange, or 8 kumquats. 50g mixed dried fruit – we use a mixture of Corinthian raisins and apricots. 2 star anise. 2 bay leaves. 1 cinnamon stick. 8 whole allspice berries. 750ml soft, fruit-forward red wine – we use agiorgitiko.
75ml honey – we use a Cretan lemon and orange blossom one. 1 pinch saffron threads (about ¼g, or half a standard supermarket jar). 2 sprigs fresh thyme. 150ml brandy – Metaxa or a spiced tsipouro, for preference. Pare the zest off the lemon, avoiding the bitter white pith (save the rest of the lemon for another use, such as for juice or slice for tea). Cut the orange (or kumquats) in half and finely slice the dried apricots, if using.
Put the star anise, bay leaves, cinnamon and allspice in a large saucepan, then dry-fry on a medium heat for two minutes, until fragrant. Pour in the wine, add the honey, lemon zest, halved orange, dried fruit, saffron and thyme, then bring to a simmer and leave to cook for 15 minutes, so the flavours meld. Take the pan off the heat, then fine-strain into a big jug and stir in the brandy. Pour about 150ml per serving in a cup or mug and serve hot, or leave to cool, then chill and serve in tumblers filled with ice, ideally with some nutty rusks or biscotti to nibble on alongside.
