We’re as invested in the Conservative Leadership race as the rest of the country - maybe more so - and so have used our creative magic and fun spirit to match a cocktail to each of the Tory Leadership candidates for a summer of debating and sipping.
Keen at-home bartenders and those with even the slightest interest in politics can shake and stir delicious tipples to make the coming weeks and months more bearable - whichever way your loyalty lies.
Some might say summer 2022 marks the most dramatic time in UK politics since Boris Johnson came into power in 2016, and so these cocktails are designed to be served whether you are celebrating, or indeed commiserating with the outcome.
First up from the frontbench we have ex-Chancellor of the Exchequer, Rishi Sunak, who in the past has admitted to being ‘a total Coke addict’, referring of course, to his love of Coca Cola. So what better cocktail to represent the frontrunner himself than the Cuba Libre.
Next up we nod to Penny Mordaunt, Minister of State for trade policy since 2021. Penny launched her bid on Sunday with a bombastic video set to the Rugby World Cup anthem, World in Union, and has rather creatively coined the hashtag #PM4PM, and so of course the Pornstar Martini suits her perfectly - a PM for a PM.
We turn our cocktail shakers to Tom Tugendhat next. Born to a French mother, Tom is the only Francophone in our mix and so this cultured Gallic pairs perfectly with a suave French 75 Cocktail; fresh, clean and sophisticated.
Staunch Brexiteer Suella Braverman has vowed to ‘wage a war on wokeness’ should she get into Number 10. We can’t think of anything more suited to Suella than our very own creation, the British Lemonade; a patriotic Union Jack coloured mix of Raspberry Gin Liqueur, blue curacao and grenadine.
Liz Truss, Minister for Women and Equalities has been standing up for women since she took the role in 2019. She has been cited as an early favourite as the next occupant of Number 10 Downing Street and so we have matched her with a Martini, which is officially the trending drink of Summer 2022.
We now turn our attention to Kemi Badenoch, the underdog in the leadership race which is set to continue well into the autumn months. Also a supporter of Brexit, we think Kemi would like the Manchester Swizzle, a refreshing cocktail born right here in Manchester.
RECIPES
Rishi Sunak’s Cuba Libre
60ml White Rum
1 dash of Angostura Aromatic Bitters
120ml Coca Cola
2 wedges of fresh lime plus 1 additional to garnish
Muddle the lime wedges in a highball glass, add the rum, bitters and Coca Cola with some ice and briefly stir. Garnish with a lime wedge.
Penny Mordaunt’s Pornstar Martini
2 ripe passion fruits (they should have a crinkly appearance), halved
60ml vanilla vodka
30ml passoa
1 tbsp lime juice
1 tbsp sugar syrup
Prosecco , to serve
Scoop the seeds from one of the passion fruits into the glass of a cocktail shaker, add the vodka, passoa, lime juice and sugar syrup. Add a handful of ice and shake well, strain into 2 martini glasses, top up with prosecco, then add half a passion fruit to each.
Tom Tugendhat’s French 75 Cocktail
1 tbsp lemon juice
1 tsp sugar syrup
50ml Gin
Champagne to top up
Shake the lemon juice, sugar syrup and Gin in a cocktail shaker with ice. Strain into a Champagne flute and top with Champagne. Garnish with a strip of lemon zest.
Suella Braverman’s British Lemonade
50ml Raspberry Gin Liqueur
25ml Lime Juice
75ml Lemonade, stir with ice
10ml Grenadine
10ml Blue Curacao
Place the Raspberry Gin Liquor in a tall serving glass, stirring in the lime juice and lemonade with ice. Sink the Grenadine and float the Blue Curacao. Garnish with Lemon.
Liz Truss’s Martini
75ml Gin
5ml Extra Dry Vermouth
1 dash Orange Bitters
Shake all ingredients with ice and strain into a Martini glass. Garnish with a strip of orange zest.
Kemi Badenoch’s Manchester Swizzle
50ml Gin
100ml Coconut Water
25ml Falurnum
15ml Lime Juice
Build over ice in a highball glass, and garnish with mint and lime.
