Extract from 'All Day Cocktails' by Shaun Byrne and Nick Tesar.
Kombucha is fermented tea, so one could say that it is funky tea. Since this cocktail contains mangoes, ‘funky mangoes’ would have sufficed for a name, but that doesn’t sound inviting, does it? Something funky that has always appealed, to me at least, is Studio 54, and this funky cocktail pays homage to that nightclub.
Combine all the ingredients in a highball glass and stir to combine.
Top with ice, garnish with mango and funk the night away.
- 45 ml (1½ fl oz) Mango vermouth (below)
- 45 ml (1½ fl oz) kombucha
- 15 ml (½ fl oz) Lemongrass syrup (page 217)
- 5 ml (1/8 fl oz) ginger juice
- 2 drops of natural blue food colouring
- ice cubes, to serve
- dehydrated mango to garnish
Mango vermouth
I wrote this recipe for my first book, The Book of Vermouth (no prizes for guessing the topic), and thought it was such a good prep recipe that I would steal it for this book. It has so many applications and can be used as a substitute for dry vermouth in any classic cocktail that would benefit from a tropical edge. Mango skins are key to this recipe; that’s where all the aroma is, and we want to bring that to the vermouth. You’ll need to start this recipe the night before you want to enjoy it.
MAKES 700 ML (23½ FL OZ)
- 1 mango
- 750 ml (25½ fl oz/3 cups) dry vermouth
Peel the mango skin with a knife, leaving as much flesh on the stone as possible. Trim the ends of the mango skin to flatten. Add the skins and ends to an airtight container.
Next, cut the mango flesh. Place the mango horizontally on
a chopping board and, with a knife, start in the middle and run the knife down the side of the stone, removing as much flesh as possible. Rotate 90 degrees and do the same for the sides. Scrape the remaining mango off the stone with your teeth and enjoy – it’s the only way to eat it. Discard the stone in your compost.
Cut the mango flesh into 2 cm (¾ in) slices and add to the container with the skins. Pour in the vermouth, seal and leave to sit overnight in the fridge. The next morning, strain the vermouth and transfer to a sterilised glass bottle. Add the skins to the compost and dehydrate the mango flesh (see page 14). The vermouth will last for up to 3 months in the fridge.
