Garden Mare was the winning cocktail for this year’s Mediterranean Inspirations and Thanasis Kouziokas, bartender and co-owner of Groove Cocktail bar in Volos-Greece, shares his recipe with us.
Garden Mare was Thanasis Kouziokas’ winning signature cocktail for Gin Mare Mediterranean Inspirations 2014. It was basically what the competition was describing as the Mare Nostrum cocktail: A recipe which should be based on the concept, lifestyle, gastronomy and terroir of Mediterranean. Gin Mare should remain one of the drink’s predominant flavors, while respecting the “mediterranean DNA” of the brand. Garden Mare is a simple but still genius concoction which I have really enjoyed more than a few times after the competition was over. In my opinion, Garden Mare is a cocktail worthy of the winning title. Take a look at the recipe and tell us what you think of it:
Garden Mare
- 50 ml Gin Mare
- 10 ml Vermouth Del Professore (bianco)
- 25 ml botanical homemade syrup*
- 20 ml fresh lime juice
- 2 dashes Bob’s lavender bitters
Combine all ingredients in a mixing glass. Fill the shaker with plenty of ice and shake until chilled. Double strain into a chilled cocktail glass. Use a vegetable peeler to remove the zest from a lemon. Squeeze the lemon peel on the surface of the drink to add some citrus essences coming from the skin’s oils. Discard the peel.
*To make the botanical homemade syrup:
Combine 2 cups water, 2 cups white sugar, 3 crashed cardamom seeds, 2 teaspoons of dried thyme and 2 teaspoons of lavender seeds in a saucepan over low heat. Simmer for 10 minutes. Strain into a clean glass container to store.