Rosemary & Orange infused Southern Comfort Whiskey cocktail

Firstly, please forgive the long boring name, I have't figured out a catchy name for this one, so any suggestions would be welcome! 

OK, getting down to business... so I know its a little early in the week to be doing posts on cocktails, but... wait, who I am kidding, it's never too early in the week for cocktails! Besides this one is really good, and hopefully something you guys can try out over the weekend. 

I made a batch of this on Saturday night. We had originally planned to go out for drinks and dinner, but the hubby had to work- a call that kept getting postponed all day, and then finally happened just as it was time to go out! I was pretty annoyed, and after throwing a bit of a tantrum, I thought why not have some boozy fun at home:) 

On a trip to the Philippines, DH picked up a bottle of Southern Comfort, and I've been thinking about trying out some cocktails with it. Saturday night, at home, a little miffed at not being able to go out... perfect for a little cocktail experiment and the two other musketeers could be my guinea pigs! (Evil laugh)

I have to say, I was expecting a bit of a disaster,especially considering the mood I was in, but it worked out quite well and trust we when I say this cocktail really improved my mood... a few sips and I was feeling downright mellow:) 

This is a nice drink that went down really well... a drink that would be especially nice on a warm spring day. Ideal for a BBQ, if you want something that has a little more kick than beer. And let me warn you that this has quite a kick! Since it was an experiment (and I didn't want to waste a good single malt on an experiment) I used Vat 69, but next time I plan to replace it with a nice non-smokey single malt.

Here's the recipe

1. Chill 3 lowball glasses

2.Add a few slivers of orange rind in a cocktail shaker with a pinch of salt, a pinch of pepper and a dash of cinnamon powder

3. Use a muddler  to lightly crush the rind to release its oils

4. Add a lot of ice to the shaker

5. Add a stalk of rosemary, 1 measure of Southern Comfort, 3 Measures of Whiskey, 1/2 Measure of orange juice

6. Stir for 30 seconds and leave to stand for 2 minutes

7. Add 1-2 cubes of ice in each chilled glass, along with a few chunks of orange 

8. Pour the chilled mixture through a strainer into each glass and garnish with a twist of orange rind.

Enjoy! And write in with your ideas for a name for this one!

Serves 3

1 measure = 60ml

[All images- Shalini Pereira]

A Visit to Humayun's Tomb

I had planned to do this post ages ago, but somehow never got around to it. But since I've recently done a post on Delhi sights, I thought I'd follow it up with this one.

Sometime back I had visited Humayun’s Tomb with family who were visiting during Diwali break. This was my second visit, the first being years before, when I was too young to remember/appreciate much. It was a cool Novemeber day when we visited, but the sun was shining brightly and the sky was clear and bright blue. We arrived late in the morning, and luckily it wasn’t too crowded.

Located in Nizamuddin, East Delhi, Humayun’s tomb is a must see if you are visiting Delhi. It is a UNESCO world heritage site and I think it’s magnificent, bearing a striking resemblance to the Taj Mahal. This structure of red sandstone and white marble is a beautiful example of Mughal Architecture. The Tomb lies in the centre of a Char Bagh Garden, a Persian style garden with a quadrilateral layout. The highly geometrical layout of the garden, with its channels of flowing water creates a soothing atmosphere- its as though an air of tranquility hangs over the entire area. This was one of the things I really loved about my visit here, the sense of calm that the garden was originally meant to provide could really be experienced, unlike the almost manic experience of visiting the Taj, with its noisy, surging crowds that detract from the serenity the structure was meant to portray.

Come here on a weekend, with family or friends and enjoy the architecture, breathe in the history and the atmosphere in peace. There are also several spots surrounding the structure, where you can sit under the shade of orange trees and catch your breath after all the exploring.

Here are a few images I clicked...

Facts- Open daily

            Nearest metro stations is JLN Metro Station or Central Secretariat metro station

[Images- Shalini Pereira]