Test Kitchen - Marmalade Cocktail

Test Kitchen! This is the first drink for the "series," if you will call it that. I am listening to your suggestions and two people told me on Instagram (follow me at minervathai) that I should include alcohol with the orange marmalade. So be it! A marmalade cocktail for you all! By the way, this has become just about one of my favorite cocktails already - isn't that strange? So delicious. Let me know what y'all think of it when you try making it!

Step 1: Ingredients (yields one drink)

• ice
• 2 oz. gin (I used Bombay Sapphire)
• 1/2 large lemon, juice
• lemon peel
• 4 oz. orange marmalade

Step 2: Making
Fill your cocktail shaker almost to the top with clean, untainted ice. Squeeze 1/2 large lemon's juice into the shaker and 2 oz. of gin. Save 1/2 lemon for the peel. Add in orange marmalade.

Step 3: Finishing
Using a paring knife (or any garnish tool you have), slice off a part of the lemon's peel to place as garnish; if you have the right tool, making a corkscrew swirl of this would look beautiful. Close cocktail shaker top and shake thoroughly. Pour through strainer and serve! I actually chewed on the garnish too since the zest is so tasty.

This week's test kitchen ingredient: brandy
Actually the brandy of choice for the week is the Chateau de Laubade VSOP Armagnac. It is brandy from a French region called Armagnac, which is smaller than Cognac (the most well-known type of brandy). Armagnac typically is made in smaller-batch productions and also has a richer taste profile than cognac. It is distributed by smaller companies as well. What should I do with the brandy then? Tell me on Facebook!


Photography by Duc Duong.