PREVIEW of the Sinatra
cocktail conceived for next week - Waterstones, Piccadilly
‘Ol Blue Eyes
3 measures of
Stolichnaya Vodka
1 measure of
Blue Curacao
3 large ice
cubes
1 orange wheel
Place three good sized
ice cubes in an Old Fashioned (Lowball) glass and gently pour over the Blue
Curacao. Pause, then slowly add three measures of chilled vodka. Garnish with
an orange wheel or wedge before presenting.
Of course Bourbon was his first and most enduring love, but
Sinatra was more than fond of vodka, good vodka, especially the smooth,
triple-distilled Stolichnaya Premium Vodka. Not only was it a pleasant
alternative to the usual Jack Daniel’s – it also had similar healing
properties. When a guest at a poolside party stumbled and cracked his head it
was Sinatra who came to the rescue, immediately sprinting to the bar and
returning with a bottle of vodka which he then poured over the cut to staunch
the bleeding.
The Empire State Building was bathed in blue light the night
after Sinatra passed, a tribute to one of his most famous aliases – ‘Ol Blue Eyes. Sinatra’s intimates talked
about The blue-eyed ray – an intense
beam he would unleash in moments of passion and anger; it could indicate
romance or an imminent fury. The ‘blue’ in blue curacao however is usually
Brilliant Blue E133, since the liqueur itself is naturally colourless and has a
taste of bitter and sweet oranges.
Which is complemented by the orange wedge. Orange, the colour
not the fruit, was not a colour most people would associate with Sinatra. He
looked to dress mainly in white shirts and dark suits. Blacks and midnight
blues were what he wore at night; but he loved touches of orange (on a tie, a
sweater, a sports shirt). “Orange is the
happiest colour” he once said, which is why he nominated it his favourite.
The glass is his usual choice and the number of ice cubes was
the precise number Sinatra judged to chill but not dilute the drink.
DRINK UP AND BE SOMEBODY
