Secret Chefs’ Recipes: Punch and Pie

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The Galvin Brothers' Bistrot de Luxe, London, England

When we think about a sunny afternoon and we’re looking for a social yet nostalgic way to connect, food and drink is always top of mind.

 

The Punch

So, it’s no surprise that punch and punch bowls are making their way onto the cocktail menus. Shane Mulvany, head bartender at the Shangri-la Hotel Toronto and a world class bartender winner, is excited about launching a punch menu for the hotel’s Bosk patio this summer. (Of course, we can’t wait for summer, so we asked Mulvany to give us a few summer cocktail recipes to start.) It follows the trend of sharing plates, like mezes or tapas; now it’s about sharing the drinks, too.

“Punch” is derived from a Sanskrit word meaning the number five. The original drink, from India and brought to England via the British East India Company, was made with five ingredients: alcohol, sugar, lemon, water and tea or spices.

In England, at the London EDITION hotel in Fitzrovia, just up from Oxford Street, they’ve dedicated a whole bar to the idea of punch. Yes, it’s called the Punch Room, and it’s very sexy – no hint of great Auntie’s punch parties held for baby showers and the like. These concoctions – 30 of them, in all! – feature bespoke ingredients, just as the interior of the intimate room features tailored, tufted banquettes in a rich teal blue, leather nail head-trimmed club chairs and an oak-paneled corner bar. The lighting is ambient, too, everyone looks good in the room (above), and it wouldn’t be hard to imagine Don Draper having a high-powered meeting here. And, yes, he’d probably order the punch, too, while coolly grooving to the vintage soul soundtrack. I did say it was sexy.

Luckily for us, the mixologists at the Punch Room have shared their signature recipe, EDITION Punch. But we suggest you try it while you’re in London; the lovely staff brings it in a copper bowl and serves it tableside. Just make sure you call ahead to reserve a table, as the after-5 crowd stakes its place early.

www.editionhotels.com/london/restaurants-and-bars/punch-room/

Next: The Pie

The Pie

The only thing better is to have a little sweet to accompany it. Well, of course, we couldn’t resist the thought, so we’ve got that, too. And, speaking of community and sharing, the Michelin-starred Galvin brothers, Chris and Jeff, came up with an idea five years ago to interact at the foodie level with their diners: The annual Tarte Tatin competition, looking for the UK’s best amateur cooks.

We had the pleasure of tasting the Galvins’ delicious recipe at Bistrot de Luxe in Baker Street in London’s Marylebone neighbourhood (above). Yes, that Baker Street, made famous by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s Sherlock Holmes. It was a Monday evening, and the place was hopping. The French bistro vibe adds a joie de vivre ambience, and the service was attentive, informative and not hovering, which is a compliment in our books.

And the food. The menu is a balance of French-inspired dishes mixed with English ingredients and ingenuity. We asked to be put into the very knowledgeable hands of the fantastic front of house manager along with our server as we just couldn’t decide. Every suggestion was top notch, and sharable, too. The Lasagne of Dorset crab and the classic steak tartare were full-flavoured starters, but a glass of bubbles provided the perfect foil for the richness of the dish.

And we did say we like to share, didn’t we? Being protein addicts, for us, the Côte de Boeuf for 2 was just the ticket. Rare hunks of beef sliced against the grain with flecks of lovely fat made the meat tender and juicy and a little copper pot of Béarnaise sauce on the side allowed for personalizing the dish. A cheese plate served tableside and, of course, Apple tarte Tatin and Normandy crème fraîche completed our gastronomic journey.

It turns out that Chris and Jeff Galvin like to share, too. They’ve been kind enough to share with you, dear reader, the recipe for Apple tart Tatin. Who knows? Maybe next year, you might win the competition.

CLICK THROUGH for recipes from The London EDITION, Bistrot de Luxe London and Shangri-La Toronto

www.editionhotels.com/london/restaurants-and-bars/punch-room/

www.galvinrestaurants.com/s/4/galvin-bistrot-de-luxe

www.shangri-la.com/toronto/shangrila/

 

EDITION Punch – Punch Room at The London EDITION

Ingredients:

50ml Plymouth Gin

2.5ml Benedictine Dom

20ml Oak-Moss Syrup

1 drop Orange Flower Water

25ml Lemon Juice

75ml Jasmine Tea

 

Method:

Build in a punch glass with block ice. Garnish with jasmine flowers and a slice of lemon.

www.editionhotels.com/london/restaurants-and-bars/punch-room/

Next: The Pie at Bistrot de Luxe, London

The secret to the perfect Apple Tarte Tatin, according to Bistrot de Luxe

Chris Galvin says the secret to the perfect Tarte Tatin is crisp pastry and care over choosing your apples – a real love of the dish always make a difference too! “We always make this dish in celebration of our nan,” says Chris, “who was a terrific cook and always made pies with the apples she grew in her garden. Our Tatin has a great depth, a lovely crispy base and slowly cooked apples and I never tire of it. We couldn’t possibly change the recipe – it would cause anarchy in the restaurants.” www.galvinrestaurants.com

The Galvin Tarte Tatin with crème Normande

Ingredients:

For the Tarte Tatin

  • 7 Braeburn apples, peeled, halved and cored
  • 120g of puff pastry
  • 110g of salted butter, softened
  • 130g of superfine (or castor) sugar

For the crème Normande

  • 120ml of crème fraiche
  • 40g of icing sugar
  • 1 1/2 tbsp of Calvados

Method:

  1. Begin by preparing the base of your tart. On a lightly floured surface, roll out the puff pastry to a 21cm round. Using a fork, prick the pastry all over then leave in the fridge to rest for 40 minutes
  2. Preheat the oven to 160°C/gas mark 3
  3. In a 20cm ovenproof frying pan – or Tarte Tatin mould, if you have one – spread the softened butter in an even layer, followed by the caster sugar. Arrange the apple pieces over the sugar, standing on their sides, with two halves lying flat in the centre of the dish
  4. Remove the pastry round from the fridge and lay it carefully over the arranged apple halves, tucking any overhanging pastry edges down the sides of the pan. Place the pan on the hob and caramelise the sugar over a medium heat for approximately 10 minutes, before transferring to the preheated oven. Bake for 90 minutes
  5. Meanwhile, make the crème Normande. Combine the crème fraîche, icing sugar and Calvados together in a bowl and mix well. Cover with cling film and refrigerate for 1 hour before serving
  6. Remove the Tarte Tatin from the oven and leave to cool for at least 30 minutes, before turning out onto a chopping board. Cut into 4 portions and serve with a generous spoonful of the crème Normande

www.galvinrestaurants.com/s/4/galvin-bistrot-de-luxe

Next: Shane Mulvany’s fresh summer cocktails

Staycation Entertaining ideas: Shane Mulvany, Diageo World Class Canada Winner of 2016 – Shangri-La Hotel Toronto head bartender’s Refreshing Summer Cocktails

 

Treeline Sour

1 1/2oz Tanqueray No. Ten Gin

1/2oz Blanc Vermouth

1/4oz Green Chartreuse

1oz Lemon Juice

3/4oz Simple Syrup

1 Egg White

 

Add all the ingredients to a shaker tin. Fill with ice and close the shaker. Shake hard for 20 seconds.

Strain and pour into a chilled coupe glass. Garnish with a spritz of evergreen essence.

Tierra Roja

1 1/2oz Don Julio Blanco Tequila

1/2oz Campari

1/4oz Siete Misterios Mezcal

1oz Lime Juice

1oz Simple Syrup

1 1/2oz Watermelon Juice

Add all the ingredients to a shaker tin. Fill with ice and close the shaker. Shake hard for 20 seconds.

Strain and pour into a highball glass filled with ice. Garnish with a Watermelon Slice.

Stone Fruit Sazerac

1 1/2oz Bulleit Rye

1oz Cognac

1/2oz Umeshu (Japanese Plum Liqueur)

1/4oz Maraschino

1/4oz Simple Syrup

8 Dashes Peychaud’s Bitters

4 Dashes of Absinthe

 

Add all the ingredients to a mixing glass. Stir for 30 seconds to dilute and chill. Strain into a rocks glass with one big ice cube.

Express lemon zest oil over the top of the drink and garnish with a cherry.

www.shangri-la.com/toronto/shangrila/