Happy Birthday Harry!

Last Sunday was Harry Potter's birthday. I know we are all grown ups here, but some of us quite enjoy occasionally escaping into the world of wizards, witches, mischief and magic. Add the endless possibilities of potion making and character reflection and you have yourself a theme for a cocktail party and a fabulously fun excuse to drink.

Thus, LP named Harry Potter as the theme for July's meeting of the NY Cocktail Club. The cocktail menu is below, followed by notes about food, and finally, a list of all the ingredients at the bar.

Harry Potter Cocktail Club Meeting, July 31, 2011

Our host: LP
Contributing NY Cocktail Club Members: Trader Vicky and me (Urban Gastronomer)

Cocktails: The recipes are below. All were original except the Polyjuice. Our favorites for the evening were the magical and sparkly Felix Felicis, the lovely and composed Minerva McGonagall and the earthy Whomping Willow. 

Gold sparkly cake decorating gel adds luck to Felix Felicis

Felix Felicis
(Liquid luck)  (LP)

1 oz Applejack 

¼ oz Grand Marnier

¼ oz Peach liqueur

Juice of 1 lemon
1 tsp Falernum
1 tsp Orgeat
2-3 dashes Chocolate Bitters

2-3 dashes Orange Bitters

A dollop of gold cake decorating gel

Shake vigorously

Familiar Cicero

Minerva McGonagall (TV)

1.5 oz bourbon

1.5 oz Drambuie

1 oz lemon juice

½ ounce cranberry

3 dashes orange bitters

Shake, add 1 brandied cherry

Completely clear  veritaserum with a few "crazy" ingredients
to make you tell the truth

V for Veritaserum (LP)

1.5 oz Hendricks Gin
¼ oz Tequila blanco
¼ oz Cocci Americano
1 tsp  Maraschino liqueur
1 tsp Elderflower liqueur
2  dashes Regan's Orange Bitters

Stir, garnish with orange zest 

Triwizard Cup

Triwizard cup 

(inspired by the Trinity at Weather Up) (LP)

1 oz Old Tom Gin
1 oz Cocci Americano
1 oz Cardamaro

Stir, garnish with orange zest

Professor Sprout

 Whomping Willow (UG)

2 oz cucumber vodka

½ oz lemon juice

¼ oz green chartreuse

¼ oz yellow chartreuse

¼ oz absinthe

Fennel fronds

Shake

Fennel stem straw (optional)

Note: If you forgo the straw, strain through a fine mesh strainer to remove the grassy bits before enjoying.

Butterbeer (LP)

½ ounce Butterscotch schnapps
2 dashes bitters

1 ounce Chimay OR Stout

Polyjuice Jelly before slicing. Pretty gross.

Polyjuice Potion (recipe from Jelly Shot Test Kitchen): I substituted a neon green lime ice bar for lime sherbet, because I couldn't find it. Don't do this! The result was a very bitter jelly shot. I'm sure the actual recipe is delicious!

Menu: LP whipped up a British-themed feast: a main course of eggy in a basket with sides of roasted tomatoes, potatoes and cherry scones with clotted cream. And, there was an assortment of sweets and treats worthy of a Honeydukes display. Our host also conjured cauldron cakes, licorice wands and chocolate insects, and Trader Vicky made Golden Snitch cake balls with liqueur instead of frosting inside. All delicious!

Golden Snitch cake balls!

Cauldron Cakes!

It was a wonderful birthday celebration and our best Cocktail Club meeting yet!

The Bar List

Base Liquors: Applejack, Bourbon, Cucumber Vodka, Hendricks Gin, Tequila Blanco, 

Vermouths and Amaros: Cocci Americano, Cardamaro

Liqueurs: Absinthe, Butterscotch Schnapps, Drambuie, Grand Marnier, Green Chartreuse, Maraschino Liqueur, Peach Liqueur, St. Germain’s Elderflower Liqueur, Yellow Chartreuse

Bitters: Chocolate Bitters, Orange Bitters, 

Syrups: Falernum, Homemade Gold Syrup, Orgeat

Produce: oranges, lemons, fennel fronds and stems 

This event was hosted of the NY Cocktail Club. A copy of this post is on the Club's blog.

Photos copyright Christina Saylor and Vicky Sweat.