This welcome reminder of summer flavours was developed for the Hoppers cocktail list, and is a perfect toast to the mark the end of London Cocktail Week this weekend. The cordial makes a fair bit, but it keeps for about a week in the fridge, and can also be used to flavour gin or vodka and tonic, or to make a refreshing soft drink by adding about 10ml to a glass of soda or sparkling water.
Mango gimlet
Serves 1
For the lime cordial (makes 250ml)
75g caster sugar
200ml fresh lime juice
Finely grated zest of 1 lime
For the drink
50ml mango vodka – a good fruity one (we use Desi Daru)
20ml lime cordial – see above and method
1 strip lime peel, to garnish
First make the cordial. Put the sugar, lime juice and lime zest in a bowl and stir until the sugar dissolves. Cover, put in the fridge to infuse for an hour, then strain into a clean jar, seal and store in the fridge.
To build the drink, measure the vodka and cordial into a mixing glass (or a jug), fill it up with ice and stir for 15 seconds, to chill and dilute. Strain into a martini glass – a chilled one, ideally – garnish with a strip of lime peel, and serve.
