The spirit of Christmas
Arnaud Volte, French Bartender at the London EDITION hotel in central London shares a fabulous Christmas cocktail with Brandy - it's not just for your Christmas pud! For this "Christmas stocking spritz", Arnaud loves Bardinet brandy which has been made in France since 1857 and is easy available in the UK.
Pomme Canelle Spritz
Ingredients
35ml Bardinet brandy
15ml lemon juice
15ml cinnamon syrup
20ml clear apple juice
Top up with soda water
Glass: wine glass
Garnish: Lemon wedge & cinnamon stick
To make cinnamon syrup:
100gr water
100gr caster sugar
2 cinnamon sticks
In a pan, heat the water and sugar until the sugar is dissolved.
Reduce the heat, add the cinnamon sticks. Cover the pan and leave to infuse for 10-15 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat and allow to cool for at least an hour. Strain and pour into a bottle, it will keep in the fridge for up to one month.
Food pairing: Soft and hard cheese, black pudding, tomato, salted peanuts and thyme.
"
The inspiration behind this cocktail is from my family's restaurant in the South of France, where I spent last Christmas with my grandparents. The signature dish was a cinnamon and apple pizza, and I can remember even now, how beautiful the smell was - it filled the whole place. Apple and cinnamon match really well with the vanilla and dry fruits notes of Bardinet.
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