The Blushing Buck - Gin Cocktail

[ThermomixBlogger]

Hi Everyone!

We have a new distillery in my town and their "Victoria Gin" is powerfully fantastic  .  And it doesn't hurt that they did such a great job on their label design either    Had to find a reason to justify all the gin I was buying so I was inspired to create a cocktail for the blog. Thinking of all you Aussies in the heat too and thought I'd share the recipe here. Would love to know if you think this drink is too weak . Seriously! I was being conservative as it really is one to drink early in the day (almost like a punch or a slushie), so I didn't want to be too heavy-handed. (Also, the gin I used is quite strong...)

Blushing Buck

Ingredients (for two)

100 g. Victoria Gin (more or less, to suit your taste)
1 chilled blood orange
1 chilled large Navel orange (or similar seedless variety)
1/2 chilled lime
100 g. chilled ginger ale
3-4 ice cubes

Method
    * Prepare oranges by cutting off the peel and removing any seeds. It is important to remove peel by cutting rather than simply by peeling, as this will also remove most of the white pith. (Some pith is okay on the fruit, but retaining all pith will result in a very bitter drink!) Cut oranges into quarters and toss into Thermomix bowl.
    * Squeeze juice from the half lime (remove any seeds) and add this juice to the bowl with the ginger ale. Add ice cubes to bowl and puree for 45 seconds on speed 8.
    * Use spatula to scrape pureed fruit down from lid and sides of bowl. Add gin and mix gently for 4 seconds on REVERSE speed 4.
    * Serve immediately. Garnish as desired with slices or twizzles of lime or orange, or with juniper berries (from the spice section of your grocery store).

The Blushing Buck is pretty and pink 
You can see photos and additional notes at:
www.superkitchenmachine.com/2010/5396/thermomix-victoria-gin-cocktail-recipe.html

Here on Vancouver Island we are just coming down from the 'high' of the Olympic games which turned out to be MUCH more fun than anyone expected. I made this drink for watching our gold-medal hockey game yesterday. Wooopeeeeeee!   

Cheers!
TMB

[judydawn]

Well, if looks are anything to go by Helene, this will be a winner.  Need to pick up a blood orange somewhere before I can do this one so hold onto your hat until I do so. 

[ThermomixBlogger]

so hold onto your hat until I do so. 

holding.... holding.... 

Cheers Judy 

[Very Happy Jan]

Yum. Looks fantastic. Blood oranges can be a bit hard to find here but will have a go. Thanks Helene

[Nay-nay]

What no music this time!  Wow!  That orange looks fantastic - I've never seen anything like it! Yeah I don't get out much. 

[Thermomixer]

Thanks TMB - looks can be deceiving - looks so innocuous 

[ThermomixBlogger]

Ha ha Thermomixer... this IS innocuous! Truly, if you try it you will see it is quite 'light' because I expected folks would maybe want this with brunch and so maybe best to go a little easy on the hard stuff...

Nay-Nay... you made me laught too! I only put music with the 'slideo' and this one isn't a slideo. (If I made this into a slideo I think it would come out looking more like a gin commercial than just a little recipe for TMX fans.) As it is,  I took far too many photos with the gin bottle because their lable is so attractive. The gin is extremely tasty too -- "assertive" is the word for it.

Very Happy Jan: Was sorry to read that blood oranges are hard to find. I had (wrongly) expected that they would be more common in the land of sun where you live. Here we get them easily but they do come to us from California. I agree, the colour is spectacular is it not? That's why I just HAD to use them in a cocktail... but you can just go ahead and use regular oranges of course. Let me know how it turns out!

Cheers! 

[judydawn]

Helene just been to a large shopping centre trying to get a few things for TMX recipes including the blood orange.  Tried 3 places and although they are in season, no-one had any.  Some places weren't even going to bother getting any in. Obviously not a good seller. The Adelaide Central Market would be the best bet I guess but now I have read you can use ordinary oranges, I'll go down that path later today.

[Very Happy Jan]

but now I have read you can use ordinary oranges, I'll go down that path later today.

What time do you want us there for cocktails JD? 

[judydawn]

Would be lovely for you all to pop in and join me, DH doesn't can't drink because of his MS so it is a little lonely at times having the odd drink on your own.

[judydawn]

Talk about blushing - I am blushing with embarrassment.  Firstly I put the gin in too early then I poured the dry ginger ale in but it was in fact, sarsaparilla   It was in before I noticed my mistake.  It doesn't taste as bad as you may think but now I will have to have another one tomorrow night with the correct ingredients and in the right order.   It's been a long day - well that's my excuse anyway. 
This cocktail is not too weak for me Helene, in fact I might cut the gin back a tad tomorrow night.

[Thermomixer]

So, how many daiquiris had you consumed before the cocktail making episode ? 

[judydawn]

It may have looked that way Thermomixer but I don't usually mix my drinks    I will get it right tonight, I have retyped TMB's recipe in a very simple form.

[judydawn]

TMB, this is a really nice drink (when you get it right) and I just wished I hadn't halved the recipe tonight  .  I cut the gin down to 40mls but it will go back up to 50mls next time for that little kick and I don't know whether you strained it or not but I did tonight and it was much nicer than last night's unstrained one.  Thank you for the posting, will be looking out for blood oranges wherever I go although ordinary oranges were just fine. 

[ThermomixBlogger]

Hey hey Judydawn:

Glad you tried and liked it. No, I did not strain it, as I prefer the "smoothie" texture with pulp, as a drink for earlier in the day. Sort of like what the "Slushies" that the kids drink. But as an 'evening' and er... um... 'more sophisticated' drink, then strained would apply I suppose, though I have to wonder how you got any liquid at all from straining...

One thing for sure: I had fun 'playing' with this gin recipe 

Cheers!