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Cara & Andrew Fernandes

@thefernandine

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At-home mixology, food, and word-nerdiness!
My other account, for whimsy and wonder: @caramariefernandes
📍India

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𝙀𝙭𝙥𝙚𝙧𝙞𝙢𝙚𝙣𝙩𝙨 𝙬𝙞𝙩𝙝 𝙏𝙚𝙖: 𝙃𝙞𝙗𝙞𝙨𝙘𝙪𝙨-𝙞𝙩-𝙘𝙤𝙪𝙡𝙙-𝙗𝙚-𝙖-𝙥𝙪𝙣𝙘𝙝

I've been in a bit of a tea phase lately, and by 'bit' I mean I got four jars of tea, in addition to the ones I already have in the house. Naturally, I wanted to do cocktails, and so here's where my curiositea led me:

🔸️45ml Dark rum (Amrut Two Indies)
🔸️45ml Hibiscus Tea Concentrate*
🔸️30ml Orange Juice
🔸️7.5ml Lemon Juice
🔸️10ml Honey Syrup (2:1)
🧊Ice

Just shake and pour!

*This was cold brewed, left to steep overnight in the fridge (~21 hours). About 1/2 cup dried hibiscus flowers to 600ml of water.

So we have this Punch-like-but-not-really rum & hibiscus cocktail. This went down SO EASY, mostly because it's super refreshing but also largely because unlike punch, it has a very clean finish, and not 'heavy'. It's very much a let's-kick-back, book-in-hand, or something-light-and-bright sort of drink. It's fruit forward, but the hibiscus throws some tartness in the mix there.

And a note on the hibiscus: So for me, cold brewing brought out the tartness without as much bitterness, which works better in cocktails, and also lasts in the fridge longer. Hot brewing and cooling works, but there's a bitterness there that changes the flavour.

Also, fun to know: hibiscus tea contains vitamin C, which is heat-sensitive, so cold brewing helps preserve vitamin C that can be lost during hot brewing. I was concerned about taste, yes, but it's nice when these things happen.

Cheers!

P.S. Yes, it was fun photographing this. Turned into a bit of a photoshoot with angles and kind of felt like a pretty woman in a hat.

P.P.S. the drink is actually a bit more red than it seems here. Certain reds are just notorious to capture correctly!

#thefernandine #rumcocktails #hibiscuscocktails #cocktailrecipes #homebartender taken in Gurgaon, Indian NCR by @thefernandine

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24

2 days ago

𝐄𝐯𝐞𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐅𝐨𝐚𝐦 𝐇𝐚𝐬 𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐫𝐚𝐜𝐭𝐞𝐫

Dukshiri Feni is my favourite of the fenis. Not an OG Feni, but it's just so unique in its character and abilities. And this drink has THREE of my favourite flavours so obviously, I love it.

And even the foam has character.

Here's the recipe:
🔸️60ml Grapefruit juice
🔸️2-3 large Strawberries (Frozen)
🔸️45ml Dukshiri Feni (Cazulo)
🔸️2 bits of Japanese pickled pink ginger
🔸️A tsp of the ginger juice
🔸️10-15ml Agave Syrup (to taste)
🧊1/2 cup ice
🔸️A dash of Mole Bitters (Fee Brothers)
🔸️A dash of Orange Bitters (Regan's)

Blend everything EXCEPT the bitters.
After pouring, add the bitters.

Best made in batches because you're not going to have just one, I promise you.

Okay, flavour: Fruity, smokyish, super refreshing. I like the mouth-feel, and the little ice pieces! It's such a by-the-beach drink. I love a little ginger in my drinks and it's a flavour that goes especially well with Dukshiri feni. Plus, the acidity of the grapefruit, tart-sweetness of the strawberries just make it all work.

And the foam? The foam refuses to leave long after the drink is gone. This got me curious, so here's some foam-science:

SO, strawberries are high in pectin and fiber, and because I used frozen ones, the cell walls were kinda broken down to begin with. So when I blended them, all of that helped trap and stabilise the air I was aggressively introducing into the drink. The dense, velvet-like foam is the result.

I also went down a little Feni rabbit hole and found that Dukshiri Feni has saponins, compounds which can produce and stabilise foam. And given the architectural integrity of this thing, it makes sense.

And THEN there's grapefruit!
...Which foams too, thanks in part to things like pectins, phospholipids, and fibre. So between the frozen strawberries, grapefruit, and feni, and the high-aeration treatment, I really upped the ante on the foam for this one.

And since we drop in the bitters at the end, on this unmovable and terribly amusing block of foam, you get that aroma every time you sip.

It really is very fun. Do try it!

#thefernandine #cocktailrecipes #homebartender #craftcocktails #fenicocktails taken in Gurgaon, Indian NCR by @thefernandine

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34

16 days ago

The Return to Play

The day I made this, I remember one thing: I Just. Wanted. To. Create.

I wanted to make cocktails. And I wanted to photograph them. It had been so long! Not that I hadn't been making any, but you know, that particular rush of also capturing it, the distinct frustration-and-joy that comes from creating something new that *works*, that you really *like*, and then racing against time (because, condensation) to picture it well, all the while willing the sunlight to cooperate (it didn't) and coming up with increasingly creative ways to create some contrast.

This is the result.
It is a product of play.
Of joy.
It tastes like the sunny afternoon I made it. It's citrusy and savoury with coriander playing a lead role. It's a drink that belongs to a warm afternoon. Cooling. And...zesty, personality-wise. The sweetness of the amaro actually goes really well with the coriander notes (which is also why I used gin...botanicals!) and overall I loved it and most importantly, it kept me going back for another sip!

Also, fun fact: I was interested to learn that some people don't like coriander and can potentially find it soapy, so if coriander tastes like soap to you, you're probably carrying a variation of the OR6A2 olfactory gene, which makes you especially sensitive to aldehydes—the same family of compounds found in coriander AND used in the fragrance of some soaps and detergents. Our bodies are so fascinating.

In this drink I put:
- 40ml Gin (Bombay Sapphire)
- 25ml Amaro Montenegro
- 25ml Grapefruit Juice
- 5ml Honey syrup (2:1)
- 10ml Lemon juice (freshly squeezed)
- A pinch of salt
- A small bunch of coriander leaves (just leaves, no stems)

Slap the coriander leaves a little, add everything to the shaker...
Shake, Strain, Serve!

And if you make it, let me know if you liked it!
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#thefernandine #cocktailrecipes #ginlovers #summercocktailrecipes #homebartender by @thefernandine

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22

3 months ago

🔸️𝙏𝙨𝙪𝙠𝙞 𝙜𝙖 𝙠𝙞𝙧𝙚𝙞 𝙙𝙚𝙨𝙪 𝙣𝙚? / 月が綺麗ですね🔸️

𝑇ℎ𝑒 𝑚𝑜𝑜𝑛 𝑖𝑠 𝑏𝑒𝑎𝑢𝑡𝑖𝑓𝑢𝑙, 𝑖𝑠𝑛'𝑡 𝑖𝑡?

Well, firstly, yes. Absolutely!
Secondly, this happens to be a poetic and indirect way of saying "I love you" in Japanese. Isn't that delightful?

Attributed to the Japanese novelist Natsume Sōseki, it is said that he believed translating "I love you" directly into Japanese was too forward and lacked the subtlety and nuance appreciated in Japanese culture. SO, he proposed using "The moon is beautiful, isn't it?" to express the same live-confession-sentiment in a more nuanced, poetic manner.

Honestly, I really like it, because I am, in general, a big fan of the moon. I can also see myself missing the point entirely because of this reason. Sample scenario:
"The moon is beautiful, isn't it?" (Some guy, romantically)
*Me, bobbing my head excitedly, flinging out my arm and smacking him in the face* "ISN'T IT THOUGH?"

Okay, the drink. I thought the makeshift background was a good representation of a river of moonlight, and it's Valentine's! A strawberry and chocolate drink seemed fitting. This is really nice, too. Fresh, fruity, with a lovely chocolate undertone.

𝙏𝙨𝙪𝙠𝙞 𝙜𝙖 𝙠𝙞𝙧𝙚𝙞 𝙙𝙚𝙨𝙪 𝙣𝙚
🔸️40ml Whiskey
🔸️15ml Cacao Liqueur
🔸️1 tsp Sugar Syrup
🔸️1/2 tsp Lemon Juice
🔸️2-3 Strawberries
🧊Ice

🔸️First off, muddle the strawberries in a shaker. Add the rest—the whiskey, the cacao liqueur, the sugar syrup, the lemon juice, and shake with ice.
🔸️Strain and pour. Drop the muddled strawberries into the glass too. Great texture.

Happy Valentine's!
P.S. I have decided to be a sprite, a fairy of the forest, who appears suddenly and without warning, hopefully with something interesting to say or at least a good drink.

Cheers!
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#thefernandine #valentinecocktails #valentinesday #cocktails #drinkstagram #cocktailsindia #thecocktailbible #thecocktailstory #strawberrycocktails #chocolatecocktails #whiskeycocktails #cocktailrecipes #japanesephrases #wordsforlove #poeticwords #unusualwords #cocktailsofinstagram #cocktailjoy #cocktailculture #cocktailphotography #drinkphotography #cocktailideas by @thefernandine

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68

2 years ago

🍎𝐺𝑒𝑧𝑒𝑙𝑙𝑖𝑔ℎ𝑒𝑖𝑑🍎

Since I was a child, I've loved apple crumble, so I wanted to make something apple crumble inspired. It's warm and Christmassy and festive, infused with the comforting flavours of apple, cinnamon, and nostalgia.

...And I succeeded! I used stewed apples to really extract that particular flavour, and it came out so well. It tastes of curling up under the covers with a bowl of apple crumble, with a fragrance to match.

So Gezelligheid fit perfectly! It's is a Dutch term that encapsulates a sense of coziness, warmth, and togetherness. It's not just curling up in warmth with a bowl of apple crumble, it's sharing that warmth with someone (or someones). It's connection, and a sense of joy and belonging. It's such a cozy word, so it just made sense to use it for a cozy drink.

Just in case I don't post before Christmas again—Merry Christmas, everyone! Wishing you loads of warmth and joy, and a sense of gezelligheid, of course!

Note** Measurements given for one drink, but best enjoyed with company!

𝐺𝑒𝑧𝑒𝑙𝑙𝑖𝑔ℎ𝑒𝑖𝑑
🍎40ml Brandy
🍎60ml Orange Juice
🍎10ml Water
🍎20ml Red Wine (I used Shiraz)
🍎1 tsp Honey (I used Sheesham honey!)
🍎A dash of Lemon Juice
1-2 Cloves
🍎A stick of Cinnamon
🍎A sliver or two of freshly stewed apple (stewed with a little water, sugar, and spice)
2-3 dashes Aromatic Bitters

Method:
🍎Pour the brandy in a glass.
🍎In a pot, simmer the orange juice, water (just to dilute it a bit), red wine, honey, and lemon juice with the spices (cloves and cinnamon) WITH the stewed apple slivers.
🍎Don't let it boil or even simmer for too long. 🍎Once you get a simmer, take it off and strain it into the glass with the brandy.
🍎Add your aromatic bitters and the apple slivers. Give it a quick stir.

Cheers, and Merry Christmas! taken in Gurgaon, Indian NCR by @thefernandine

3

47

2 years ago

🔸️ᴄòsᴀɢᴀᴄʜ🔸️

Unwinding in front of a crackling fireplace when there's a chill in the air, tugging a scarf in place, surrounded by the scent of cookies and the hum of easy chatter, sipping on a drink that tastes of laughter and comfort and magic (with hints of butter, coffee, chocolate, and vanilla).

That's what Còsagach (Scottish Gaelic, pronounced "kosgough") is. That feeling of being snug, sheltered, content. We got some coffee rum, I had an *idea*, and this was the result. It's so warm and cozy. Slightly buttery. With notes of chocolate. And not-subtle hints of vanilla. And an undercurrent of coffee! Mum said it reminded her slightly of a Brandy Alexander, while my thoughts strayed towards Butterbeer (well, the concept of it).

It's lovely and made me happy. I had so much fun arranging it in my head and even more bringing it to life (in the glass and in the photograph). And you can adjust it to what give you most comfort, tall drink or short—either way, it's like sinking into the softest cushion!

ᴄòsᴀɢᴀᴄʜ
🔸️40ml Coffee Rum [Old Monk]
🔸️10ml Vanilla Liqueur [Licor 43]
🔸️30ml Hot water
🔸️5-6 Dashes Chocolate Bitters [Australian Bitters Company]
🔸️0.5 tsp Homemade Chocolate Ganache**

🔸️Mix the chocolate sauce and hot water in a separate glass. Add the rum and vanilla liqueur (I love Licor 43, use that if available). Stir. Pour into the main glass. Add the chocolate bitters. Give it a quick stir. Cheers!

🔷️🔸️To make a taller version of this drink, use 90ml of hot water, and 1tsp of chocolate sauce. It's just as comforting and slightly less strong.

(I'm using two glasses because mixing the water and chocolate is a little rigorous and I'm protective about my glasses.)

**My homemade chocolate ganache has a deep chocolate-salted-caramel-like flavor. I use milk chocolate, butter, cream, sea salt, and a dash of cinnamon whiskey. The chocolate, butter, and cream are (roughly) in a 2:(0.5):(0.4) ratio. Heat the chocolate and butter till they melt (medium flame), add the cream (low flame), and let it simmer for a bit. Take it off the flame, add a pinch of sea salt and a dash of cinnamon whiskey, and stir well. It's GREAT for ice cream...and cocktails. by @thefernandine

3

59

2 years ago

🔸️𝘈𝘳𝘴 𝘭𝘰𝘯𝘨𝘢, 𝘷𝘪𝘵𝘢 𝘣𝘳𝘦𝘷𝘪𝘴🔸️

Art is long, life is short.

A tad poignant perhaps, but it sort of fit the vibe of the picture, wouldn't you say? :)

And art really does take on a life of its own. Existing independently and beyond its creator. Immortalizing its creator too, in a way. It's leaving a small part of you in the world, something that wouln't have existed if not for you. A painting, a picture, a vase, a book, a recipe.

And maybe we *want* to be immortalized in some small way, to leave a mark, to prove we existed. It's a captivating side to creation, for me.
Art is long, life is short.
And both are beautiful.

Plums have just gone out of season, and this seems like a fitting last drink. It's a plum brandy sour, essentially, and has texture (slightly thick) and tons of flavor (that flavor mostly being tart, because our plums were beautifully sour, but we balanced it out). It was fun. And fruity. A good way to send off summer!

𝘈𝘳𝘴 𝘭𝘰𝘯𝘨𝘢, 𝘷𝘪𝘵𝘢 𝘣𝘳𝘦𝘷𝘪𝘴
🔸️60ml Brandy
🔸️40ml Plum Purée
🔸️20ml Plum Simple Syrup (1:1, blanched plum water to sugar)
🔸️1/2 tsp Lemon Juice*
🧊Ice

*Add this according to your plums. Ours were were adequately sour.
Ice

🔸️Shake all ingredients with ice. Strain and pour.

(I do want to note that no matter how much I tried, the drink kept getting photographed with a more orange tint to it. It's more red though. Not deeply, but a soft red. I really liked it.)

Cheers!
P.S. Yes I just really couldn't choose between the pictures.
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#thefernandine #cocktails #drinkstagram #brandycocktails #cocktailrecipes #cocktailsathome #thecocktailstory #cocktailsindia #cocktailculture #cocktailjoy #cocktailoftheday #cheerstotheweekend #weekendcocktails #plumcocktails #cocktailideas #cocktailphotography #cocktailoftheday #cocktailart #drinkoftheday #latinphrases #art #summercocktails #cocktailinspiration #cheers #artislonglifeisshort by @thefernandine

3

80

2 years ago

🔻𝐴𝑙𝑖𝑠 𝑣𝑜𝑙𝑎𝑡 𝑝𝑟𝑜𝑝𝑟𝑖𝑖𝑠🔻

A Latin phrase that means "He flies with his own wings."

I thought it delightful and fitting because I went a little too far out left field for this one. I essentially saw the flower pot and went, "WHY NOT those saplings are delightful and stem of that plant is pretty" and now here we are.

𝐴𝑙𝑖𝑠 𝑣𝑜𝑙𝑎𝑡 𝑝𝑟𝑜𝑝𝑟𝑖𝑖𝑠 is used to emphasize self-reliance, or independence, or the ability to succeed via one's own effort. It's a wonderful, empowering phrase but also, a good reminder (in my opinion) that it takes a little stubbornness and a splash of crazy-boldness to Go Do The Thing. Whatever the thing may be. Yes?

This is a riff on a plum margarita, and embodies the phrase as well! Fruity, floral, and refreshing, we used Mahua Spirit in this one, although you can potentially substitute that for tequila. The spirit is made out of the flowers of the Mahua tree, which are fragrant and sweet, making it slightly reminiscent of honey (to me), and definitely floral. Mixed with fresh plum purée gives the cocktail a slightly thick texture, but it's summery and lovely all the same, and the ice serves to thin that out anyway. The slight orange-ness of triple sec, lemon juice to balance it and...you have yourself a wonderfully unique plum summer serve!

𝐴𝑙𝑖𝑠 𝑣𝑜𝑙𝑎𝑡 𝑝𝑟𝑜𝑝𝑟𝑖𝑖𝑠
🔻60ml Mahua Spirit [DesmondJi]
🔻30ml Triple Sec Liqueur [Wenneker]
🔻20ml Plum Simple Syrup (1:1)
🔻1 tsp Lemon Juice
🔻40ml Plum Purée*
🔻Sea salt
🔻Lemon wedge/juice (for rimming the glasses)
🧊Ice

*We blanched and blended fresh plums. Ours were a sweet and tart, and used the residual water to make the syrup. 1:1.

🔻Rim the glasses with crushed sea salt.
🔻Mix all the ingredients with ice in a shaker.
Strain and pour!

Cheers!
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#thefernandine #cocktails #drinkstagram #plumcocktails #cocktailriffs #margarita #margaritariff #mahuacocktails #desmondji #cocktailideas #cocktailphotography #cocktailsathome #cocktailsindia #prettydrinks #thecocktailstory #thecocktailbible #tw50bc #tequilacocktails #cocktaillove #cocktailjoy #cocktailsofinstagram #cocktailoftheday #drinkoftheday #alisvolatpropriis #mahua by @thefernandine

3

72

2 years ago

🔹️Pan-Seared Lamb Steaks with Mustard-Oregano Sauce
🔹️Zucchini, broccoli, and bell pepper stir fry

(And that one buttered toast which is my signature move because, well, limited stomach space and different priorities!)

It honestly speaks for itself. Loved it all. The lamb especially was cooked to perfection! And it's hard to go wrong with a zucchini-broccoli combination!
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#thefernandine #dinnerideas #foodtalk #foodtalkindia #goodfoodathome #foodideas #foodstagram #lambsteak #stirfryideas #steaksauceideas #joyspotting #foodgram #foodiesofinstagram #foodie #foodphotography #food #sauceideas #menuideas by @thefernandine

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53

2 years ago

I don't usually like tomatoes. These ones though, they were SO GOOD. Air-fryed, they literally burst with flavor (which happened to be tomato and peri-peri). Absolutely delicious. Never thought I'd say the tomatoes were my favourite part of a meal, ever. Combine this with baked chicken breasts with red wine sauce (which speaks for itself) and some sautéed broccoli and well, you have yourself a really delicious, not-heavy-at-all dinner. Imagine little balloons of flavor popping in your mouth with a mouthful of chicken in wine sauce and the soft crunch of sautéed broccoli.

Oh, and three kinds of 'fire' were used in this meal (which is just amusing, nothing more). Fire, Oven, Air-Fryer. :D

🔹️ Three-Ingredient Baked Chicken Breasts with Red Wine Sauce
🔹️ Sautéed Broccoli
🔹️ Air Fryer Tomatoes with Peri Peri seasoning
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#thefernandine #dinnerideas #homefood #airfryercooking #bakedchicken #baking #chickendinners #broccolidishes #goodfoodathome #foodies #menuideas #foodphotography #foodblog #foodstuff #foodideas #food #foodstagram #foodgram #foodtalk #foodtalkindiac by @thefernandine

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43

2 years ago

🔸️ᴍɪᴛғʀᴇᴜᴅᴇ🔸️

Standing in direct opposite to 'Schadenfreude', which is a German phrase for taking joy in others' misfortune (sigh), 'Mitfreude' is to take joy in someone's else's joy.

I thought it was a fun one to use with this drink. After all, sparkling wine is associated with celebration in my head, which is often about celebrating someone's joy. (And hey, you could be the someone too.)

Whether it's an event or an achievement or something seemingly small, it's a wonderful feeling to engage in, to participate, claim, and truly feel someone else's happiness as your own. Because it doubles! You get twice the joy.

This is a tart-slightly-sweet drink, a bit thick in terms of texture (using purée will do that), but so so nice! Definitely a great accompaniment and add-on to joy!

And, delightfully, this word reminds me of one of my best friends. While it means taking joy in someone else's joy (which she does very well), it's a compound word, arising from 'mit' (with) and freude (joy). Literally, 'with joy', which is what she signs off her emails with!

ᴍɪᴛғʀᴇᴜᴅᴇ
🔸️15ml Brandy
🔸️5ml Lime Syrup
🔸️40ml Peach Purée*
🔸️(~180ml) Sparkling Wine (chilled)

*Our peaches were slightly tart. You might want to toggle with the lime syrup (use a dash of lime juice instead of a teaspoon of syrup in case your peaches are very sweet).

🔸️Mix the brandy, lime syrup, and peach purée together. Spoon/pour that into a glass (it'll be slightly thick), top up with the sparkling wine, and give it a quick stir!

Cheers :)
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#thefernandine #joy #mitfreude #germanwords #rarewords #funcocktails #cocktails #celebrations #sparklingwinecocktails #peachcocktails #brandycocktails #cocktailideas #cocktailjoy #joyspotting #drinkstagram #thecocktailstory #cocktailsathome #homebartending #germanwords #cocktailphotography #cocktailoftheday #cocktailstotry #mitfreude #withjoy by @thefernandine

3

71

2 years ago

🫐𝑉𝑜𝑜𝑟𝑝𝑟𝑒𝑡🫐

You've heard of enjoying the moment and afterparties, but what about the pre-fun-and-excitement?

I'm SURE you're familiar with the feeling of looking forward to something... but to be specific... what about *excited anticipation*? That Happy Tingle you get before you know with certainty that something good and fun and lovely is about the happen.

Voorpret is a lovely Dutch word that means exactly this—the feeling of "yeah, you know what, this is going to be awesome and I am SO ready to dive right in!".

And 'diving right in' is exactly what I wanted to do with this drink (swipe, you'll see). It's getting ridiculously hot here, with temperatures well above 40 degrees Celsius, and something like this, which is essentially all the cool aspects of summer in a glass, and fruit + ice, is absolutely what I needed. The fruity-ness of the blueberries goes really well with the tartness of the lemon and the sweetness of the peach. That said, it's not too sweet overall, because most of it comes from the fruit. And you can adjust the sweetness by controlling the amount of the peach schnapps (more schnapps, more sweetness) and the muddlement of the berries.

Have fun, stay cool, and dive right in!

𝑉𝑜𝑜𝑟𝑝𝑟𝑒𝑡
🫐 15 Blueberries (yes, we counted)
🫐 1 quarter of a Lime
🫐 45ml Gin [Tanqueray]
🫐 20ml Peach Schnapps [Wenneker's]
🫐 Tonic Water
🧊 Ice

🫐Muddle the blueberries and the lemon together.
🫐Add the gin. Muddle again.
🫐Add the peach schnapps.
🫐Add ice.
🫐Add the tonic water. Give it a quick stir.

Cheers!
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#thefernandine #cocktails #summercocktails #drinkstagram #summercocktailrecipe #cocktailrecipes #cocktailphotography #cocktailculture #cocktailoftheday #blueberrycocktails #ginlovers #gincocktails #colorfulcocktails #thecocktailbible #bestcocktails #thecocktailstory #cocktaildossier #cheerstohappyhour #peachcocktails #cocktailjoy #cocktailsindia #cocktailideas #jotspotting #voorpret #rarewords #dutchwords by @thefernandine

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117

2 years ago