THE BRAVER

Although this might sound full-on for brunch (especially if you’re hungover), trust me: as a pick-me-up The Braver punts a Bloody Mary firmly out of the park. It’s similar to the scotch classic Morning Glory Fizz, and it’s bright and pleasingly complex. There are a fair few ingredients in the mix, and shaking drinks for a group might be the last thing you feel like doing in the morning, but it’s worth it. It’s also a great example of the magic of absinthe in cocktails. Don’t be put off: absinthe lifts drinks in a wonderfully stimulating and ‘green’ way. A good tip is to buy a small bottle of absinthe and decant it into a dropper or spray bottle (a little goes a long way).

1½ shots (40ml) blended scotch (light, although something bolder with a hint of smoke makes a brilliantly deeper version)

2 teaspoons Cointreau

1 tablespoon lemon juice

2 teaspoons lime juice

1 tablespoon sugar syrup (see page 104)

3 mint leaves

4 dashes absinthe

1 dash Angostura bitters cubed ice chilled soda, to finish lemon, to garnish Using a peeler, remove a long ‘horse’s neck’ (a full strip from round the whole fruit) of lemon peel and set aside.

Add everything else to a shaker (except the soda) and shake hard with ice. Double strain over fresh cubed ice into a small highball glass. Top with soda and garnish with the long piece of lemon peel. Drink immediately and enjoy the revitalising effects!

THE BRAVER MAGIC

There are a lot of ingredients in this drink, each subtly making the whole all the more interesting, but you can add more provided you do so with care.

I often use the straightforward likes of soft berries (particularly raspberries) or herbs (coriander or tarragon) that I might have in the kitchen. But a small spoonful of jam, a couple of cloves or even some green tea leaves shaken through the mix will fit right in.