What's your favourite cocktail?

Sandra · Post by **Sandra** » 01 Aug 2004, 20:46

Well I am swaying between two right now.

First up is Raspberry Moscow mule - muddled lime and raspberries topped up with vodka and ginger beer (the diet variety I may add)

or

watermelon martini - simply sublime - stolen from the former Hurricane Bar in Castle Street - in the cocktail shaker mush up some watermelon add crushed ice, vodka and shake then pour into a classsic martini glass - true bliss.

What are your favourites?

Guest · Post by **Guest** » 01 Aug 2004, 20:57

Ah yes, the cocktail bar phenomenon of the 80's. My favourites were American Beauty, which was absolutely lethal (and also delicious) and a Zombie. I remember one particular afternoon in Refreshers asking the barman for "two more Zombies and an ambulance please."

Sandra · Post by **Sandra** » 01 Aug 2004, 21:05

http://www.thelivingroom.co.uk/uploads/ ... f_oevn.pdf

Bob

The cocktail world has moved on massively since the 80s - have a look at this....

Post by **wangi** » 01 Aug 2004, 21:06

Will I be allowed to say the "*** pump"? http://www.digitalbartender.com/mixed-d ... /***_Pump

Quite fancy a mojito now and again.

Sandra · Post by **Sandra** » 01 Aug 2004, 21:10

love mojito too

taste divine

Jamesie · Post by **Jamesie** » 01 Aug 2004, 21:12

On a related note, do any Porty pubs serve cocktails?!

Guest · Post by **Guest** » 01 Aug 2004, 21:15

Lager and lime?

bearcub · Post by **bearcub** » 01 Aug 2004, 22:02

Snakebite?!

bearcub · Post by **bearcub** » 01 Aug 2004, 22:22

Love Long Island Iced Teas - think my interest was in wondering how they could fit so many different alcohols in 1 drink! (Gin, Vodka, White Rum, Cointreau & Tequila.....plus sours and cola)

Honest, I don't have a drink problem

bellybabe · Post by **bellybabe** » 01 Aug 2004, 22:24

Coconut tree-climber, served in coconut-like glass...

Can't actually remember what was in it though, having drunk rather a lot of them...

Beach Babe · Post by **Beach Babe** » 01 Aug 2004, 22:25

my favourite cocktails would be a Sea Breeze, Gin Fizz or any of the champagne cocktails in the Opal Lounge or the Living Room

Dadaist is also fond of a cocktail or two

bearcub · Post by **bearcub** » 01 Aug 2004, 22:30

Somehow I never pictured Dadaist as a cocktail lover

Dadaist · Post by **Dadaist** » 01 Aug 2004, 22:45

This is what Mrs Dadaist is referring to - an incident overseas where I became overly fond of a certain cocktail one morning and had to retire. She proceeded to take this snap while I snored off the booze :

bearcub · Post by **bearcub** » 01 Aug 2004, 22:53

I sometimes end up like that too, but usually on the floor.......bathroom floor!

Sandra · Post by **Sandra** » 24 Aug 2005, 18:17

Bearcub and I had cocktails this afternoon at Harvey Nics bar. Very nice they were too!!

Bearcub had Jenny's summer sling (blueberries, vanilla vodka. vanilla sugar, ginger beer) and Chango smash (bourbon, mango pulp, white choc liqueur, mint, ginger beer)

I had forth floor smash - strawbs and cointreau and champers and a mojito - rum, sugar, mint and soda - it was fab!

Well we are on hol!

Also bought a bottle of Koko Kanu - very moreish coconut rum! - nothing like bacardi!

Sandra · Post by **Sandra** » 24 Aug 2005, 18:18

.... and the diet is forgotten for the two weeks we are off!!!

Bob Jefferson · Post by **Bob Jefferson** » 24 Aug 2005, 18:24

There's only one drink for me - Moderators Brew!

Dadaist · Post by **Dadaist** » 24 Aug 2005, 18:49

Bob Jefferson wrote:There's only one drink for me - Moderators Brew!

photos will be forthcoming.

foxy · Post by **foxy** » 24 Aug 2005, 20:11

Dadaist wrote:This is what Mrs Dadaist is referring to - an incident overseas where I became overly fond of a certain cocktail one morning and had to retire. She proceeded to take this snap while I snored off the booze :

Good tan Dada..was there Turmeric in the cocktail

Jamesie · Post by **Jamesie** » 24 Aug 2005, 20:27

Sandra wrote: Bearcub had Jenny's summer sling (blueberries, vanilla vodka. vanilla sugar, ginger beer)

Sounds nice - got a litre of Absolut Vanilla sitting in the freezer so may have to experiment. Where can vanilla sugar be purchased though?

Poppy · Post by **Poppy** » 24 Aug 2005, 20:38

You can make vanilla sugar by putting a vanilla pod in a jar of caster/castor sugar.

Pal of Porty · Post by **Pal of Porty** » 24 Aug 2005, 20:53

My favourite cocktail is the one that's in my hand at the time.
I have brilliant memories of my younger days when tons of us used to go up town to a cocktail bar called Refreshers and go cocktail crazy. We were mental.

ecm · Post by **ecm** » 24 Aug 2005, 22:50

Pal of Porty wrote: I have brilliant memories of my younger days when tons of us used to go up town to a cocktail bar called Refreshers and go cocktail crazy. We were mental.

I remember that place well. I think it's a MacDonalds these days.

I got quite hooked on something made with khalua and vodka. It tasted fab.
Can't remember what it was called though. Probably something stupid or suggestive.

Bob Jefferson · Post by **Bob Jefferson** » 25 Aug 2005, 07:20

Ah yes, happy hour at Refreshers! Didn't it become the Marie Rose, open until 4am? Madogs and Negociants are the other places I remember from those days.

Porty · Post by **Porty** » 25 Aug 2005, 11:37

ecm wrote:
Pal of Porty wrote: I have brilliant memories of my younger days when tons of us used to go up town to a cocktail bar called Refreshers and go cocktail crazy. We were mental.
I remember that place well. I think it's a MacDonalds these days.

Nah, its not a MacDonalds, Bob's right it did become the Marie Rose, believe it might be Jekyll and Hydes now. The other cocktail dive was Styx, underneath Brian Drumm hairdressers in George Street. I had some of my best times under that hairdresser

Who remembers Harvey's Hamburger Bar in Lothian Road. It was the original party bar, run by a guy called Brian Waldman, who died quite recently. It was some place.

Bob Jefferson · Post by **Bob Jefferson** » 25 Aug 2005, 12:07

I'd forgotten about Styx. Don't recall Harvey's but I used to enjoy the burgers and cocktails at Rockbottom, the Hollywood hamburger basement at the West End.

Pal of Porty · Post by **Pal of Porty** » 25 Aug 2005, 14:09

The "Happy - Fancy Dress, Music Quiz - Hour", in Harveys will live in my memory forever. The funniest, most brilliant fun you could imagine. When I write my memoirs the antics related from there will make my book a best seller.

ecm · Post by **ecm** » 25 Aug 2005, 18:04

What was that cocktail/Refreshers type place in S. St. Andrews Street, upstairs either in or next door to what's now MacDonalds?

That's where I thought Refreshers used to be.

Sandra · Post by **Sandra** » 25 Aug 2005, 18:30

sounds like there used to be really great bars in Edinburgh

ecm · Post by **ecm** » 25 Aug 2005, 19:20

Sandra wrote:sounds like there used to be really great bars in Edinburgh

I think it was more to do with being young, having no responsibilities and having a lot more disposable income.

Nowadays I would want to drink somewhere that isn't crowded, noisy and extortionate. So that rules out most of the town centre.

Porty · Post by **Porty** » 26 Aug 2005, 13:46

ecm wrote:What was that cocktail/Refreshers type place in S. St. Andrews Street, upstairs either in or next door to what's now MacDonalds?

That's where I thought Refreshers used to be.

I don't recall that bar at all.

Bob Jefferson · Post by **Bob Jefferson** » 26 Aug 2005, 16:35

Not a place I used to frequent, but I believe it may have been called Gatsby's?

Poppy · Post by **Poppy** » 26 Aug 2005, 17:56

Bob Jefferson wrote:Not a place I used to frequent, but I believe it may have been called Gatsby's?

Ooh, yes! I've been trying to remember the name myself - went about twice in late 70s (1970s)!

ecm · Post by **ecm** » 26 Aug 2005, 21:54

Bob Jefferson wrote:Not a place I used to frequent, but I believe it may have been called Gatsby's?

That was it - and you were probably right not to frequent it. Thanks, Bob.

Porty · Post by **Porty** » 27 Aug 2005, 10:48

Yep, got it now.

I am amazed no-one can remember Harveys.

It was before all day drinking, On a friday we used to go for a turkish at porty baths then queue up to get in at 5. There were 2 happy hours 5-6 and 8-9, I think I only made it through both on one occassion. You would get a 2 and 1/2 pint jug of lager for 50p and/or cocktails. They also used to play a pop quiz where you won free drinks and although its boasting, we were brilliant at it. Every week we used to leave piles of drink vouchers (only valid that day) lying on the table when we left. Basically you could get poracho, have a dance, meet a gf, lose that gf and find another gf, kiss her goodbye, get on a bus and be home in bed by 8:30. You would pass the buses heading up town full of people going on a night out. Happy daze.