the mixer
With green tea the 'it' flavour in everything from ice cream to frappuccinos these days, it's no surprise bars are increasingly using it to give cocktails an Asian twist.
At Gossip 51 in Wan Chai it's combined with that other classic Asian flavour, lychee, as well as
milk, rum, orange liqueur and Grenadine to create a drink so pink it's fit for Barbie.
Green tea is revered as much for its cholesterol-busting polyphenol health properties as its taste, though adding a dash to a potent alcoholic concoction isn't likely to be quite as good for your heart. But for those who don't like the sweetness of fruit juice in their drinks, it's a great substitute.
That said, Eric Cheung, director of the swish 51st-floor venue with stunning panoramas of Kowloon and Hong Kong Island, insists milk is the more essential ingredient in the bar's signature cocktails because it 'makes them softer' and helps to take the sting out of the alcohol content.
The bar's signature Bubble Pink cocktail looks more like a milkshake since it's shaken so hard that half the glass is filled with bubbles, and its taste is more akin to something you would find at a Taiwanese teahouse.
The Gossip7, a fruit-flavoured cocktail with a strong banana liqueur kick also uses milk, but this and the whisky base are hidden beneath the sweet fruit juices.
The Gossip7 ($80) and Bubble Pink ($60) are available at Gossip 51, 51/F, China Online Centre, 333 Lockhart Road, Wan Chai, tel: 2887 7671.
Bubble Pink
1 shot Malibu
1 shot lychee liqueur (Bols)
1 shot Cointreau
1 shot green tea
1 shot milk
Few dashes of Grenadine
This drink is all about bubbles, so put all the ingredients in a shaker and shake until your arms tire. Serve in a tumbler, ensuring the top half is just froth.
Gossip7 (above)
1 shot whisky (Johnny Walker Black Label)
1 shot banana liqueur (Bols)
1 shot milk
85ml fruit punch (mix of orange, pineapple and lemon juice)
