Friday Night Cocktails-The Scorpion and memories of 1982

Suggested by Mr Andrew Foster of Dorset

March 1982. Even the Falklands (Malvinas) were unheard of, and everything that followed that is but a twinkle in the eye of time. In the cold winter air we braved our way on Friday nights to the Beachcomber Bar in Berkeley Street W1. Here we gathered in happy hours with a crowd of civil servants, scientists, advertisers and IT folk, to while away some time in the company of a supercharged cocktail or two. And what a tropical locale in that icy landscape! Dense vegetation of palms and parrots, with real live caimans floating in pools and tanks. A little more fun than The Gasworks Arms! And to celebrate the tropicality of it all, here’s a scorpion, which had a sting that left you unable to walk. Well, we were young.

Put five cubes of ice in a cocktail shaker. Add one measure of brandy, half a measure of white rum, and half a measure of dark rum and two teaspoons of Amaretto, then two measures of fresh orange juice. Shake, and serve into a chilled glass over the cubes. Decorate with slices of orange and lemon

Source: The Ultimate Cocktail Book, Hamlyn

_{In memory of Nicki Southwell (neé Moll) 1956-2019 Never forgotten}

#cocktails #beachcomber #london