Lush Life

Meeting in primary school doesn’t always predict a future business career together, but in the case of our guests today, it most certainly did. They also went to the same prep school, university and lived together in London...oh and did I mention they both love rum!I’m Susan Schwartz, your drinking companion, and this is Lush Life Podcast, every week we are inspired to live life one cocktail at a time by the best in the industry.Alex Jollivet and Tom Wiggett also drank together and while Tom was enjoying a thousand variations on the G&T, the only mixer Alex was being offered with his rum was Coke, not that  there is anything wrong with a good Cuba Libre, in fact I make a Cuba Libre range of Merchandise so check it out at A Lush Life Manual.com/merch. Still it can get monotonous, so what are two guys to do - well these guys created Long Tail Mixers. Three different mixers that were developed specifically to compliment rum, whiskey, bourbon..whatever brown spirit you have on your shelf. Our Cocktail of the Week is the Sundown Spice, a combination that will have you dreaming of the beach in the Caribbean. Ingredients:Long Tail Island Spice Mixer50 ml The Duppy Share RumLime WedgeMethod:Fill your Long Tail Glass with 3 ice cubes. Pour in The Duppy Share Rum, add Long Tail Island Spice Mixer. Cut a lime wedge and add for garnish.If you want to hear more about Duppy Share - go back and listen to my episode titled How to move from insurance to rum in five easy steps!You’ll find this recipe and two more from Long Tail, plus all the cocktails of the week at ALushLifeManual.com, where you’ll also find all the ingredients in our shop. Full Episode Details: http://bit.ly/2LCIktMAlways remember the wise words of Oscar Wilde, “All things in moderation, including moderation,” and always drink responsibly!-----If you live for Lush Life would you consider supporting us by buying us a coffee…Just go to buymeacoffee.com/lushlife and you can donate once or monthly to make sure we are still here every Tuesday.Life Merchandise is here – we’re talking t-shirts, mugs, iPhone covers, duvet covers, iPad covers and more covers for everything, and more!Theme music for Lush Life is by Steven Shapiro and used with permission.Lush Life is always and will be forever produced by Evo Terra and Simpler Media Productions.Until next time, BOTTOMS UP 🍸

A hotel was destined to be our guest’s second home from the time he first stepped into one when he was a little boy. Now Fabio Pezzini is all grown up and behind the bar at one of London’s premier hotels right in the center of it all.I’m Susan Schwartz, your drinking companion, and this is Lush Life Podcast, every week we are inspired to live life one cocktail at a time by the best in the industry.  The Polo Bar at the Westbury Hotel has seen and heard it all. From bowler hats to Beatles performing on the roof nearby on Savile Row, now the modern day fashionistas and Instagrammers. The windows lining the ground floor bar off of Bond Street are the perfect setting for any of his and his team’s cocktails. As Bar Manager, Fabio is guiding the Polo Bar into a new era and his journey from Verona to London will prove he is the one to make it happen.Our Cocktail of the Week is the Bellinicus, a Polo Bar favorite!Ingredients:45ml Italicus20ml Lemon Juice15ml Rose Syrup4ml Peach BittersMoët & Chandon to TopMethod:Put all the ingredients in a shaker, add ice & shake. Strain into a Champagne Flute. Top with Moët & Chandon.You’ll find the cocktail martini recipe and all the cocktails on ALushLifeManual.com, where you’ll also find all the ingredients in our shop. Full Episode Details: http://bit.ly/2xnQ3U0Always remember the wise words of Oscar Wilde, “All things in moderation, including moderation,” and always drink responsibly!-----If you live for Lush Life would you consider supporting us by buying us a coffee…Just go to buymeacoffee.com/lushlife and you can donate once or monthly to make sure we are still here every Tuesday.Life Merchandise is here – we’re talking t-shirts, mugs, iPhone covers, duvet covers, iPad covers and more covers for everything, and more!Theme music for Lush Life is by Steven Shapiro and used with permission.Lush Life is always and will be forever produced by Evo Terra and Simpler Media Productions.Until next time, BOTTOMS UP 🍸

Can you imagine a state where in every bar all that was served were airplane mini-bottles of spirits? So you order an old-fashioned and they take the tiny bottle of JD off the shelf, unscrew it, add sugar and bitters and that’s it. Only order, unscrew, serve for every cocktail! Crazy talk...yet that was South Carolina until 2006 - yes 2006. I’m Susan Schwartz, your drinking companion, and this is Lush Life Podcast, every week we are inspired to live life one cocktail at a time by the best in the industry.  My first trip to Charleston was long after 2006 and this town is on the top of everyone’s list to visit. Could it be because of all the great bars?. I was there as part of a group of Journalists, the British Guild of Travel Writers to be exact, invited to experience the city. The first thing I did was research all the bars that could not be missed and I put all I found in my Lush Guide to Charleston, which you can find on my blog, alushlifemanual.com.I gathered together a few of the people who are making the bar scene so dynamic.  One was Scott Blackwell from High Wire Distillery whom I had on the show a  few weeks ago. Today I have Craig Nelson, whose bar Proof has been written up in all the magazines - for all the right reasons. Then we meet the bar managers of two of the most famous restaurants in the USA which just happen to be in Charleston  - Justin Simko, Bar Manager of the Bar at Husk and Ashley Dodds, Bar Manager of FIG. Our Cocktail of the Week is The Cheshire Cat - created by bartender Nikki Fairman for FIG.Ingredients:2 oz - Cucumber Tequila.75 oz  - Lime Juice.75 oz - Nikolaihof Elderflower Syrup2 droppers - Butterfly Pea Extract 6 drops - Orange Blossom WaterTo Make the Cucumber Tequila:Vacuum seal 1 liter of silver tequila and 400g of peeled, de-seeded, sliced cucumbers. Place in a 140-degree water bath for 2 hours. Shock in an ice bath for 20 minutes. Strain.Method:In a rocks glass, add the Butterfly Pea Extract, Orange Blossom Water and chilled Cucumber Tequila over one large ice cube. Give the contents a quick stir just to incorporate them. Combine equal parts Lime and Elderflower Syrup (.75oz each) together in a  "Pour Me" sidecar. To enjoy this whimsical tipple, just pour in the sidecar ingredients, give it a stir and watch the magic happen!You’ll find the cocktail martini recipe and all the cocktails on ALushLifeManual.com, where you’ll also find all the ingredients in our shop. Full Episode Details: http://bit.ly/2x4PEG4Always remember the wise words of Oscar Wilde, “All things in moderation, including moderation,” and always drink responsibly!-----If you live for Lush Life would you consider supporting us by buying us a coffee…Just go to buymeacoffee.com/lushlife and you can donate once or monthly to make sure we are still here every Tuesday.Life Merchandise is here – we’re talking t-shirts, mugs, iPhone covers, duvet covers, iPad covers and more covers for everything, and more!Theme music for Lush Life is by Steven Shapiro and used with permission.Lush Life is always and will be forever produced by Evo Terra and Simpler Media Productions.Until next time, BOTTOMS UP 🍸

Don’t ever call someone’s idea crazy - you’ll probably end up eating your words or in this case drinking them. Our guest today knew that cider was not just for crepes and galettes any more and when he heard the French government was paying farmers to chop down apple trees in his home region of Normandy, he knew the time was now.I’m Susan Schwartz, your drinking companion, and this is Lush Life Podcast, every week we are inspired to live life one cocktail at a time by the best in the industry.  Xavier d’Audiffret and his cofounder Pierre knew they hit on something when Collette in Paris, the store that put the concept into concept store, and Joel Robocun,  the most Michelin starred chef in the world were the first supporters of Maison Sassy, the cider they had produced in their hometown in Normandy.Now it was up to them to convince the rest of the world.  Xavier is here to tell us how the story began.Our Cocktail of the Week is the Maison SASSY Rosé Negroni.Ingredients:30 ml Red Vermouth30 ml Campari30 ml SASSY Cidre RoséOrange zestMethod:Build all the ingredients in a glass over ice, stir. Garnish with orange zest.You’ll find the cocktail martini recipe and all the cocktails on ALushLifeManual.com, where you’ll also find all the ingredients in our shop.Full Episode Details: http://bit.ly/2Kr4u2bAlways remember the wise words of Oscar Wilde, “All things in moderation, including moderation,” and always drink responsibly!-----If you live for Lush Life would you consider supporting us by buying us a coffee…Just go to buymeacoffee.com/lushlife and you can donate once or monthly to make sure we are still here every Tuesday.Life Merchandise is here – we’re talking t-shirts, mugs, iPhone covers, duvet covers, iPad covers and more covers for everything, and more!Theme music for Lush Life is by Steven Shapiro and used with permission.Lush Life is always and will be forever produced by Evo Terra and Simpler Media Productions.Until next time, BOTTOMS UP 🍸

Before we head into The Connaught Bar, I want to make sure you know this is a two parter. Did you listen to part 1 of Ago Perrone’s story? Then you already know that he is Director of Mixology for The Connaught Bar. If you are flummoxed and have no idea what I’m talking about then head back to last week’s episode where you can hear the beginning of Ago’s journey. If you’re set, then let’s head to Mayfair - Carlos Place, to be exact and one of my favorite hotels in the world.I’m Susan Schwartz, your drinking companion, and this is Lush Life Podcast, every week we are inspired to live life one cocktail at a time by the best in the industry.  So we left off as the Connaught Bar came calling. So exciting...no more faffing about - let’s jump right in...with Ago...and that knocking door.This week’s cocktail, the SWEET & Z is inspired by the story of 2 guests that are completely different but the best of friends ; one in fashion with a love of strong drinks like the Negroni, the other a quieter soul with a love of fine food and sweeter drinks, his favourite being the Golden Cadillac.This drink is a tribute to them with the bitterness of the negroni and sweetness of the golden Cadillac. Add a bit of chocolate candy and you have the Sweet & Z!Ingredients: 30 ml Patron Reposado Tequila30 ml Martini Rubino30 ml Galliano L’aperitivoCacao Cascara light creamGalliano L’AutenticoMethod:Put all the ingredients in a mixing glass with ice, stir. Strain into a champagne coupe glass over diamond of ice. Add a ring of chocolate and spray with grapefruit and basil essenceYeah, it’s tough to make, so much better to head to the Connaught and have one of the excellent staff make it for you there.You’ll find the cocktail martini recipe and all the cocktails on ALushLifeManual.com, where you’ll also find all the ingredients in our shop.Full Episode Details: http://bit.ly/2JRCq81Always remember the wise words of Oscar Wilde, “All things in moderation, including moderation,” and always drink responsibly!-----If you live for Lush Life would you consider supporting us by buying us a coffee…Just go to buymeacoffee.com/lushlife and you can donate once or monthly to make sure we are still here every Tuesday.Life Merchandise is here – we’re talking t-shirts, mugs, iPhone covers, duvet covers, iPad covers and more covers for everything, and more!Theme music for Lush Life is by Steven Shapiro and used with permission.Lush Life is always and will be forever produced by Evo Terra and Simpler Media Productions.Until next time, BOTTOMS UP 🍸

I felt right at home with my next guest, even though we had never met. The Connaught Hotel is a place I have been returning to since I was a child. As my parent’s port of call when visiting London, The Connaught has seen me roam its halls, sleep in its beds and also try smoked salmon for the first time in the now legendary dining room. We only stopped staying there because now I live in London. Meeting Ago Perrone, Director of Mixology for the Connaught Bar, was like being reintroduced to an old friend after so many years.I’m Susan Schwartz, your drinking companion, and this is Lush Life Podcast, every week we are inspired to live life one cocktail at a time by the best in the industry.  What can I say about Ago Perrone that hasn’t already been said. Winner of a myriad of personal awards, including CLASS Magazine’s Best Bartender of the year and winner of the Bacardi Legacy. Now he has led the Connaught Bar to be one of the best bars in the world.Over two episodes this week and next, we’ll explore what it takes to earn such accolades. This week sees Ago deciding what path to take in life...and how that choice led him to the doors of the Connaught Bar and next week what happened after those doors opened. We start his journey in a beautiful part of the world, Lake Como.Our Cocktail of the Week is the Mulata Daisy.Ingredients:40 ml Bacardi Superior Rum20 ml freshly squeezed lime juice1 bar spoon caster sugar1/2 bar spoon fennel seeds20 ml dark crème de cacao liqueur10 ml Galliano L’Autentico in the glassGarnish: cacaoMethod:Shake all ingredients over ice and and double strain into a champagne coupe glass. Garnish with cacao powder on the rim. You’ll find the cocktail martini recipe and all the cocktails on ALushLifeManual.com, where you’ll also find all the ingredients in our shop.Full Episode Details: http://bit.ly/2JQtoIBAlways remember the wise words of Oscar Wilde, “All things in moderation, including moderation,” and always drink responsibly!-----If you live for Lush Life would you consider supporting us by buying us a coffee…Just go to buymeacoffee.com/lushlife and you can donate once or monthly to make sure we are still here every Tuesday.Life Merchandise is here – we’re talking t-shirts, mugs, iPhone covers, duvet covers, iPad covers and more covers for everything, and more!Theme music for Lush Life is by Steven Shapiro and used with permission.Lush Life is always and will be forever produced by Evo Terra and Simpler Media Productions.Until next time, BOTTOMS UP 🍸

My friend and fellow podcaster Palle Bo, the Radio Vagabond, tells me that I don’t reveal enough about myself on Lush Life. I am slightly reticent to do that as I want it to be all about my guests. Still I will keep trying little by littleI’m Susan Schwartz, your drinking companion who lives in London by the way, and this is Lush Life Podcast, every week we are inspired to live life one cocktail at a time by the best in the industry.  I wouldn’t have not met my next guest if I hadn’t been invited to the Traverse Elite Content Creators Conference in Antigua. 40 of us from the UK, USA, Canada, Europe and the Caribbean flew to the island of Antigua to teach and learn new skills while discovering the island.When i learned I was invited, I immediately called Peter Holland of thefloatingrumshack.com to ask his advice on drinking rum in Antigua. He’s one of my former guests who knows everything about Rum everywhere.He put me in touch with Lisa Farara, one of the granddaughters  of one of the eight founders of the Antigua Distillery and the rest, well I’ll let her tell you, as she’s our guest today.  After the cocktail of the week, learn where to discover more info on Antigua and where to drink their version of the classic Rum Punch. If you want to make the cocktail of the week first and then listen to the episode I wouldn’t blame you as it will put you right in island mood, now over to Lisa who starts us off with a history of rum in Antigua.Our Cocktail of the Week is the English Harbour Colada - a play on the Piña Colada.Ingredients:2oz English Harbour 5yr Old Rum2oz Fresh Squeezed Antigua Black Pineapple Juice2oz Fresh Coconut WaterPineapple wedge and lime wheelMethod:Build in an old fashioned glass over ice. Garnish with a pineapple wedge and lime wheelYou’ll find the this recipe and all the cocktails on ALushLifeManual.com, where you’ll also find all the ingredients in our shop.Always remember the wise words of Oscar Wilde, “All things in moderation, including moderation,” and always drink responsibly!-----If you live for Lush Life would you consider supporting us by buying us a coffee…Just go to buymeacoffee.com/lushlife and you can donate once or monthly to make sure we are still here every Tuesday.Life Merchandise is here – we’re talking t-shirts, mugs, iPhone covers, duvet covers, iPad covers and more covers for everything, and more!Theme music for Lush Life is by Steven Shapiro and used with permission.Lush Life is always and will be forever produced by Evo Terra and Simpler Media Productions.Until next time, BOTTOMS UP 🍸

Creating one successful brand is hard enough, but two - well as our guest today, Alex Carlton discovered, it’s just as exciting the second time round.I’m Susan Schwartz, your drinking companion, and this is Lush Life Podcast, every week we are inspired to live life one cocktail at a time by the best in the industry.  I met with Alex on his birthday a few weeks ago, having just received the best gift an entrepreneur could. A fantastic review of his Stryyk Not Rum.STRYYK, the distilled zero-proof spirit, was born out of Alex’s inherent need to create. Having already had a massive success with his Funkin smoothies, purees and drinks mixes, he just couldn’t rest on his laurels. This time he is set to dominate the non-alcoholic beverage market..or should I say...He’s set to strike gold again with Stryyk but, before I think up even more bad puns...I’ll let Alex take the floor.Our Cocktail of the Week is the STRYYK Espresso Martini.Ingredients:50ml/2oz Stryyk Not Rum:50ml/2oz Fitches Cold Brew Concentrate15ml/0.5oz Sugar SyrupMethod:Shake and double strain into a coupe glass. Garnish with coffee beans.You’ll find the cocktail martini recipe and all the cocktails on ALushLifeManual.com, where you’ll also find all the ingredients in our shop.Full Episode Details: http://bit.ly/2HsaG7nAlways remember the wise words of Oscar Wilde, “All things in moderation, including moderation,” and always drink responsibly!-----If you live for Lush Life would you consider supporting us by buying us a coffee…Just go to buymeacoffee.com/lushlife and you can donate once or monthly to make sure we are still here every Tuesday.Life Merchandise is here – we’re talking t-shirts, mugs, iPhone covers, duvet covers, iPad covers and more covers for everything, and more!Theme music for Lush Life is by Steven Shapiro and used with permission.Lush Life is always and will be forever produced by Evo Terra and Simpler Media Productions.Until next time, BOTTOMS UP 🍸

When someone says their bourbon is made with 100% corn - you can’t really believe them can you? You can if it’s our guest today. Scott Blackwell of High Wire Distilling Company wanted to create a spirit that was different, but how do you even start?I’m Susan Schwartz, your drinking companion, and this is Lush Life Podcast, every week we are inspired to live life one cocktail at a time by the best in the industry.  Winner of the Best of the South award from Garden and Gun Magazine this year was just one of the many awards that High wire Distilling Co has won since its decision to make bourbon with Jimmy Red, a corn that moonshiner used in the past and came very close to extinction.It’s really Scott’s tale, to tell so I’ll let him tell it.Our Cocktail of the Week is the Old Fashioned.Ingredients:2 oz Jimmy Red Bourbon.25 oz Demerara Simple Syrup5 dashes Angostura BittersMethod:Stir in a mixing glass, strain over a large ice cube. Garnish with a lemon twist.You’ll find the cocktail martini recipe and all the cocktails on ALushLifeManual.com, where you’ll also find all the ingredients in our shop.Full Episode Details: http://bit.ly/2J3nO4hAlways remember the wise words of Oscar Wilde, “All things in moderation, including moderation,” and always drink responsibly!-----If you live for Lush Life would you consider supporting us by buying us a coffee…Just go to buymeacoffee.com/lushlife and you can donate once or monthly to make sure we are still here every Tuesday.Life Merchandise is here – we’re talking t-shirts, mugs, iPhone covers, duvet covers, iPad covers and more covers for everything, and more!Theme music for Lush Life is by Steven Shapiro and used with permission.Lush Life is always and will be forever produced by Evo Terra and Simpler Media Productions.Until next time, BOTTOMS UP 🍸

So you know that your family once owned a gin company and some pubs, but how surreal would it be to find it was not just any gin company but one of the most important brands in the UK ever. Even arguably the oldest.I’m Susan Schwartz, your drinking companion, and this is Lush Life Podcast, every week we are inspired to live life one cocktail at a time by the best in the industry.  Milo Walker, Brand Ambassador and heir to Nicholson Gin, discovered that his family produced not only politicians and cricketers,  but also gin distillers. There might not have been a Lord’s Cricket Ground if Nicholson Gin hadn’t stepped in. It was also Harry Craddock’s, the Savoy’s most legendary bartender, preferred choice for many of the hotel’s most famous cocktails!Milo talks us through his recent education on all things Nicholson Gin!Our Cocktail of the Week is the Gloom Raiser.This classic cocktail featured in The Savoy Cocktail Book and Harry’s ABC back in the 1930s and demanded only Nicholson Gin. They’ve added raspberry syrup as a fresh alternative.Ingredients50ml Nicholson Original Gin15ml Dry French Vermouth2 dots absinthe5ml Raspberry syrupGarnish with a lemon twistMethod:Add ingredients to a mixing glass filled with ice. Stir well and strain into cocktail glass. Garnish with lemon twist. Enjoy!You’ll find this recipe and all the cocktails of the week at ALushLifeManual.com, where you’ll also find all the ingredients in our shop.Full Episode Details: http://bit.ly/2J5i5LaAlways remember the wise words of Oscar Wilde, “All things in moderation, including moderation,” and always drink responsibly!-----If you live for Lush Life would you consider supporting us by buying us a coffee…Just go to buymeacoffee.com/lushlife and you can donate once or monthly to make sure we are still here every Tuesday.Life Merchandise is here – we’re talking t-shirts, mugs, iPhone covers, duvet covers, iPad covers and more covers for everything, and more!Theme music for Lush Life is by Steven Shapiro and used with permission.Lush Life is always and will be forever produced by Evo Terra and Simpler Media Productions.Until next time, BOTTOMS UP 🍸

Can you say that one gelato changed your life? For our next guest, being served an ice cream cone introduced her to the world of hospitality and she never looked back. From the age of 12, Mariantonietta Varamo has been on a fast track to making her dreams come true. Thank goodness for us, she choose to be behind the bar.Little did Mariantonietta know when she left Italy for London that she would be the one to shake things up at Dukes Bar. As the first female bartender at that bastion of martinis and boulevardiers, she would be put to the test. She passed with flying colors and now she is managing GBR, Dukes Hotel’s other bar and restaurant. With this track record, who knows what she has planned next.Our Cocktail of the Week is the Misty Negroni.Ingredients:DOM Benedictine infused with coffee beansMartini Bianco vermouthArdbeg 10 Whisky3 drops of sweet orange bittersSlice of orangeMethod:Build over ice in an Old Fashioned glass. Stir well and serve with a slice of orange.You’ll find the cocktail martini recipe and all the cocktails on ALushLifeManual.com, where you’ll also find all the ingredients in our shop.Full Episode Details: http://bit.ly/2IV4E0qAlways remember the wise words of Oscar Wilde, “All things in moderation, including moderation,” and always drink responsibly!-----If you live for Lush Life would you consider supporting us by buying us a coffee…Just go to buymeacoffee.com/lushlife and you can donate once or monthly to make sure we are still here every Tuesday.Life Merchandise is here – we’re talking t-shirts, mugs, iPhone covers, duvet covers, iPad covers and more covers for everything, and more!Theme music for Lush Life is by Steven Shapiro and used with permission.Lush Life is always and will be forever produced by Evo Terra and Simpler Media Productions.Until next time, BOTTOMS UP 🍸

Strawberries only on Sunday could be the name of one of her cocktails, but as our guest today revealed her grandfather would truly only allow his strawberry jam to be enjoyed as a treat on Sunday. The strawberry season in Norway is only three weeks after all and he made jam so they could eat them all year round and that meant having a little bit only on Sunday to make it last.Monica Berg, one of the glittering stars of the cocktail world, is here with us today. Her journey from Norway to London brought with it a respect for the transience of food at its peak eating time, as well as a keen business savvy thanks to her father making her create budgets from the time she was little.No wonder she can juggle not only the opening of a new bar in London, Tayor+Elementary, but also the launch of a new generation of liqueurs, Muyu. She is also a co-founder of Pour the non-profit organization devoted to exploring new ideas, sharing information, and exchanging inspiration within the drinks industry. Pour will be holding its first symposium in London, but more about that after we hear all about Monica.Our Cocktail of the Week is the Jasmine Highball.Ingredients: 50ml Muyu Jasmine Verte100ml ChampagneMethod:Add the Muyu Jasmine Verte to a Champagne glass, add the Champagne slowly, stir.Enjoy!You’ll find the cocktail martini recipe and all the cocktails on ALushLifeManual.com, where you’ll also find all the ingredients in our shop.Full Episode Details: http://bit.ly/2Gg9i7AAlways remember the wise words of Oscar Wilde, “All things in moderation, including moderation,” and always drink responsibly!-----If you live for Lush Life would you consider supporting us by buying us a coffee…Just go to buymeacoffee.com/lushlife and you can donate once or monthly to make sure we are still here every Tuesday.Life Merchandise is here – we’re talking t-shirts, mugs, iPhone covers, duvet covers, iPad covers and more covers for everything, and more!Theme music for Lush Life is by Steven Shapiro and used with permission.Lush Life is always and will be forever produced by Evo Terra and Simpler Media Productions.Until next time, BOTTOMS UP 🍸

It’s so easy to be seduced by the Italian way of life. Long lunches, great food, weather, wine, and all of August off on holiday. Rob Patchett fell for it in a big way and a gap year turned into nine years that would change his life.What Rob learned in Italy would stay with him for the rest of his career. Even when he returned to his hometown, he had acquired a touch of host-Italia: that perfect combination of hospitality and bella figura that usually only Italians are born with.Now he’s with us today to explain how how went from North Yorkshire to the Cotswolds Distillery where, as Regional Sales Associate, he brings that attitude to their award winning spirits.Our Cocktail of the Week is Cotswolds Martini. Two sprays of Cotswolds Absinthe in a Nick and Norah Martini glass60ml Cotswolds Dry GinStir in a mixing conical for 90 seconds or until the dilution is just perfectStrain into you Absinthe lined Nick and Norah Martini glassExpress some grapefruit oil over the top and discard the peelOr just simply pour 60ml Cotswolds Single Malt Whisky into a Glencairn whisky glass and think about life.Enjoy!You’ll find the cocktail martini recipe and all the cocktails on ALushLifeManual.com, where you’ll also find all the ingredients in our shop.Full Episode Details: http://bit.ly/2G9v7W2Always remember the wise words of Oscar Wilde, “All things in moderation, including moderation,” and always drink responsibly!-----If you live for Lush Life would you consider supporting us by buying us a coffee…Just go to buymeacoffee.com/lushlife and you can donate once or monthly to make sure we are still here every Tuesday.Life Merchandise is here – we’re talking t-shirts, mugs, iPhone covers, duvet covers, iPad covers and more covers for everything, and more!Theme music for Lush Life is by Steven Shapiro and used with permission.Lush Life is always and will be forever produced by Evo Terra and Simpler Media Productions.Until next time, BOTTOMS UP 🍸

Can you ever have enough bourbon? Not as far as I am concerned. Therefore after a trip to Glendalough, we are heading straight back to Kentucky. This time to take a tour of Maker’s Mark Distillery - virtually.When I say a tour, I mean a tour. Today the lovely Matty will guide us through the ins and outs of the Maker’s Mark Distillery in Loretto Kentucky. Discover why Maker’s Mark is called so, what’s in its mash bill, why the bottles have their distinctive look and more...Then we’ll head over to the bar to make one of Maker’s Mark's most popular cocktails and even get yourself a t-shirt from the Lush Life cocktail collection.After the episode make sure to check out alushlifemanual.com where you’ll find photos of all the places you are about to visit.Our Cocktail of the Week is the Maker’s Mark Manhattan made with Maker’s 46.Ingredients:2 parts Maker's 46 Bourbon1 part sweet vermouth2 dashes aromatic bittersCherry for garnishMethod:Combine ingredients over ice in a mixing glass. Stir and strain into a chilled cocktail glass neat or on the rocks. Garnish with a cherry.You’ll find this recipe and all the cocktails on ALushLifeManual.com, where you’ll also find all the ingredients in our shop.Full Episode Details: http://bit.ly/2I6kVzdAlways remember the wise words of Oscar Wilde, “All things in moderation, including moderation,” and always drink responsibly!-----If you live for Lush Life would you consider supporting us by buying us a coffee…Just go to buymeacoffee.com/lushlife and you can donate once or monthly to make sure we are still here every Tuesday.Life Merchandise is here – we’re talking t-shirts, mugs, iPhone covers, duvet covers, iPad covers and more covers for everything, and more!Theme music for Lush Life is by Steven Shapiro and used with permission.Lush Life is always and will be forever produced by Evo Terra and Simpler Media Productions.Until next time, BOTTOMS UP 🍸

Poitin isn’t something to hide behind all the other bottles anymore. Gary Mcloughlin and his fellow co-founders of Glendalough Distillery in Wicklow, Ireland knew it was to be the first spirit that they had to make when establishing Ireland’s first craft distillery. If you don’t know what it is, then now is your chance to find out.Poitin is the traditional spirit of Ireland and after years if it being illegal, it’s finally out in the open being enjoyed along with all the other award-winning gin and whiskey that Glendalough Distillery has created.Come along with me to Wicklow, the garden of Ireland, to hear the legend of St. Kevin and how he inspired Gary and his friends even before Glendalough has produced even one drop of spirit.Our Cocktail of the Week is Galway In Spring.Created by Jonathan Kahn for the J Parker in Chicago but you can easily make this one at home!Ingredients:1.5 oz Glendalough Double Barrel.25 oz Chartreuse Green.25 oz Mint syrup.5 oz Lemon juice Topped with a splash of soda waterMint SprigMethod:Measure out all ingredients and pour into a shaker. Add ice and shake vigorously for 8-10 seconds. Strain through a Hawthorne strainer into a tall glass. Add fresh ice and top with soda water. Add a fresh mint sprig for garnish.You’ll find this recipe and all the cocktails on ALushLifeManual.com, where you’ll also find all the ingredients in our shop.Full Episode Details: http://bit.ly/2usQvzaAlways remember the wise words of Oscar Wilde, “All things in moderation, including moderation,” and always drink responsibly!-----If you live for Lush Life would you consider supporting us by buying us a coffee…Just go to buymeacoffee.com/lushlife and you can donate once or monthly to make sure we are still here every Tuesday.Life Merchandise is here – we’re talking t-shirts, mugs, iPhone covers, duvet covers, iPad covers and more covers for everything, and more!Theme music for Lush Life is by Steven Shapiro and used with permission.Lush Life is always and will be forever produced by Evo Terra and Simpler Media Productions.Until next time, BOTTOMS UP 🍸

The Old-Fashioned is one of the most iconic cocktails on the planet. Adored by Bourbon-lovers world-wide. Three simple ingredients - bourbon, sugar, and bitters, and a bit of fruit have wowed them since the 19th century. A billion variations have popped up especially in these cocktail-crazed times, but the true recipe is just perfection and hard to top. Today’s episode we see how the Old-Fashioned came to be, and that could only begin in one town - Louisville, Kentucky. I’m Susan Schwartz, your drinking companion, and this is the Lush Life Podcast, every week we are inspired to live life one cocktail at a time by the best in the industry. Today is the launch of my Lush Life cocktail collection. Remind everyone how simple it is to make an old-fashioned by wearing one of my Old-Fashioned t-shirts. Head to Alushlifemanual.com/merch to check this out! Remember that every penny goes to bring you more Lush Life! Back to the Old-Fashioned and its origins. As David Wondrich, the award-winning cocktail writer says, "Anyone who hooks his cart to any cocktail history is going to go off road!" I truly want to believe that the Old-Fashioned was invented at the Pendennis Club, so that’s where we are beginning. James Gerhardt, the General Manager of one of Louisville’s oldest private clubs and where the old-fashioned is purported to have been invented, is here to tell us his side of the story. Then we pop down to Whiskey Row and Old Forester’s new distillery to meet Holly McKnight to see how their bourbon fits into this jigsaw puzzle of Old-Fashioned History. After that we wander down whiskey row to the Evan Williams Bourbon Experience to let George Harrison explain how we wouldn’t even have bourbon if it weren’t for Evan Williams! For the pure enjoyment of this episode, I would skip ahead to our cocktail of the week and while stirring, double back to savor the story ahead. Our Cocktail of the Week is Pendennis Old-Fashioned Ingredients 2.5 ozs Bourbon (Old Forester 86 proof) Quarter size pour of Simple Syrup 2 Dashes of Angostura Bitters Method Put in a quarter size pour of simple syrup in the bottom of an Old-Fashioned glass Add two dashes Angostura bitters, orange wedge, maraschino cherry…. Muddle gently without smashing everything together. Pour 2.5 ozs bourbon (house is Old Forester 86 proof) on to the ingredients and add ice. Some bartenders have expressed a lemon over it and rubbed on rim, but that is overkill at this point. You’ll find this recipe and all the cocktails on ALushLifeManual.com, where you’ll also find all the ingredients in our shop. Full Episode Details: http://bit.ly/2W6BK0A ----- Become a patron of A Lush Life Manual for as little as $1 a month - less than Starbucks: www.Patreon.com/LushLife Lush Life Merchandise is here - we’re talking t-shirts, mugs, iphone covers, duvet covers, ipad covers and more covers for everything! and more! Produced by Simpler Media Follow us on Twitter and Instagram Get great cocktail ideas on Pinterest New episodes every Tuesday, usually!!

Sometimes the worlds collide and two people not only find each other but also speak the same language.  The language that Charles Roche and Eleanor Holcroft speak is cocktail creation.Charles and Eleanor who, from the depths of their underground kitchen, have concocted Jam Doughnut Negronis, Chicken Dumpling Martinis, and Cookie Dough Old Fashioneds and that’s just the beginning. Their bar consultancy company, Liquid Intellect, has created cocktails and menus for brands and bars all over the world.Our Cocktail of the Week is Boys to the Yard.Ingredients:50ml Tanqueray 1010ml Strawberry Shrub*100ml Cedar & Strawberry Tonic**0.01g E202 Potassium SorbateMethod:*Blend the strawberries with Pectinex at 50 degrees for 10 minutes. Transfer to centrifuge and spin for 30 minutes at 4000RPM. Combine the clarified strawberry juice with apple cider vinegar & sugar at a ratio of 3:1:2**Blend the strawberries with Pectinex at 50 degrees for 10 minutes.Transfer to distillation flask and distill at 40 degrees until all the liquid has distilled to the collection flask. Whilst the strawberry juice is distilling, add 1L of tonic water the Ultrasonic Homogeniser with a burnt stave of Cedarwood. Blast on full power for 10 minutes.Once infused, combine the Cedar wood tonic with the distilled strawberry juice in a ratio of 1:1.If this was way too much to comprehend, you know you’ll find this recipe and all the cocktails on ALushLifeManual.com, where you’ll also find all the ingredients in our shop.Full Episode Details: http://bit.ly/2VYEwoOAlways remember the wise words of Oscar Wilde, “All things in moderation, including moderation,” and always drink responsibly!-----If you live for Lush Life would you consider supporting us by buying us a coffee…Just go to buymeacoffee.com/lushlife and you can donate once or monthly to make sure we are still here every Tuesday.Life Merchandise is here – we’re talking t-shirts, mugs, iPhone covers, duvet covers, iPad covers and more covers for everything, and more!Theme music for Lush Life is by Steven Shapiro and used with permission.Lush Life is always and will be forever produced by Evo Terra and Simpler Media Productions.Until next time, BOTTOMS UP 🍸

It really was just a coincidence that an Irishman is on our show the week of  St. Patrick’s Day. I promise it wasn’t planned! And what a pleasant coincidence it is to have James Goggin of Maverick Drinks on the show today.Slainte, I’m Susan Schwartz, your drinking companion, and this is Lush Life Podcast, every week we are inspired to live life one cocktail at a time by the best in the industry.I actually met James at the Embassy of Ireland almost one year ago and I knew he would make a great guest. He has that wonderful quality of making you feel that you are the only one that he is telling his tales to. A natural bon vivant and born for hospitality, his role as Brand Advocacy Manager for Maverick Drinks, the Craft Spirits distributor, fits like a glove.But let’s start with how he got from a small town in county Carlow to New Zealand and back again.Our Cocktail of the Week is  the Teeling Irish Coffee.Ingredients:40ml Teeling Small Batch120ml Freshly Brewed, Robust Coffee20ml Spiced Stout Syrup*Fresh CreamFreshly Grated Nutmeg  Method:Preheat glass with some warm water and discard. Add the Teeling Whiskey, stout syrup, brewed coffee and stir to combine. Warm a large spoon and gently pour the cream over the back of the spoon and onto the coffee. Garnish with a light dusting of grated nutmeg and enjoy with friends!*Spiced Stout Syrup (makes approx. 1.5L of syrup):   1L Irish Stout (Guinness or similar)1kg Demerara Sugar½ Cup Whole Cloves½ Cup Pimento/Allspice3 Cinnamon Sticks1 Whole Orange Zest2 Inch Fresh Ginger GratedPinch of Salt3 Whole Star Anise Pods  Add all ingredients to a saucepan and bring to the boil, allow to simmer for 10 minutes. Remove from heat and allow to steep for 5 minutes. Strain through a fine sieve and cheesecloth and bottle. Keeps for 2 weeks refrigerated.Suggested Glassware: Irish Coffee GlassIf this was way too much to comprehend, you know you’ll find this recipe and more St. Patrick’s Day cocktails on ALushLifeManual.com, where you’ll also find all the ingredients in our shop.Full Episode Details: http://bit.ly/2H8NbAwAlways remember the wise words of Oscar Wilde, “All things in moderation, including moderation,” and always drink responsibly!-----If you live for Lush Life would you consider supporting us by buying us a coffee…Just go to buymeacoffee.com/lushlife and you can donate once or monthly to make sure we are still here every Tuesday.Life Merchandise is here – we’re talking t-shirts, mugs, iPhone covers, duvet covers, iPad covers and more covers for everything, and more!Theme music for Lush Life is by Steven Shapiro and used with permission.Lush Life is always and will be forever produced by Evo Terra and Simpler Media Productions.Until next time, BOTTOMS UP 🍸

It takes a lot of guts to enter a cocktail competition when you are new to the business. But thanks to a gently prodding and supportive mentor, our guest today Ninon Fauvarque from Annecy France entered the Havana Club Grand Prix. What’s the worst that could happen?Bonjour, I’m Susan Schwartz, your drinking companion, and this is Lush Life Podcast, every week we are inspired to live life one cocktail at a time by the best in the industry.Ninon never found out the worst because she ended up sweeping the awards and not only winning the Grand Prix but also taking home the First Sip and People’s Choice Awards that night.How could this happen? She had just started bartending six months ago. I headed to Annecy to meet her in the bar Le Queue du Coq where her journey from bar back to competition winner transpired.Our Cocktail of the Week is the Curvas - crafted by Ninon Fauvarque from La Queue du Coq bar in Annecy.Ingredients: 65 ml Havana Club 7 Years Old10 ml Horchata5 ml orange & lime reduction15 ml spice-infused honey syrup (cinnamon, ginger and star anise)20 ml red bean aquafabaMethod:Put everything in the shaker, dry shake. Fill with ice and shake. Double strain and serve up in a jicama glass.You’ll find this recipe and all the cocktails of the week on ALushLifeManual.com, where you’ll also find all the ingredients in our shopFull Episode Details: http://bit.ly/2GYW2ozAlways remember the wise words of Oscar Wilde, “All things in moderation, including moderation,” and always drink responsibly!-----If you live for Lush Life would you consider supporting us by buying us a coffee…Just go to buymeacoffee.com/lushlife and you can donate once or monthly to make sure we are still here every Tuesday.Life Merchandise is here – we’re talking t-shirts, mugs, iPhone covers, duvet covers, iPad covers and more covers for everything, and more!Theme music for Lush Life is by Steven Shapiro and used with permission.Lush Life is always and will be forever produced by Evo Terra and Simpler Media Productions.Until next time, BOTTOMS UP 🍸

It sounds so easy. Master vacuum distillation and then create the gin that Alessandro Palazzi has selected for the most famous martinis in the world at Dukes Bar in London. But as our guests today, Ian Hart and Hilary Whitney of Sacred Spirits know, it’s not as easy as as all that.What is easy is checking out our Lush Life Merchandise at www.alushlifemanual.com/merch I’m trying to convince Alessandro to serve his martinis in the lush life mug.  We can always hope and dream. You can serve yours in one and at the same time you are helping to support this very podcast.  I’m Susan Schwartz, your drinking companion, and this is Lush Life Podcast, every week we are inspired to live life one cocktail at a time by  the best in the industry.We were talking gin with Ian and Hilary - more specifically vacuum distillation, which they are both pros of now. But there was a time when Ian’s neighbors feared for their lives. It really is amazing how he is still alive...Our Cocktail of the Week is the Sacred Rosehip Spritz.Ingredients: 3 parts Sparkling Wine2 parts Sacred Rosehip Cup1 part Soda WaterSlice of OrangeMethod:Take a large wine glass and fill with ice. Add sparkling wine, Sacred Rosehip Cup and soda water in a 3-2-1 ratio. Top with a slice of orange. Alternatively, make it up in a large jug with plenty of ice and slices of orange. You’ll find this recipe and all the cocktails of the week on ALushLifeManual.com, where you’ll also find all the ingredients in our shop.Full Episode Details: http://bit.ly/2GOXvO0Always remember the wise words of Oscar Wilde, “All things in moderation, including moderation,” and always drink responsibly!-----If you live for Lush Life would you consider supporting us by buying us a coffee…Just go to buymeacoffee.com/lushlife and you can donate once or monthly to make sure we are still here every Tuesday.Life Merchandise is here – we’re talking t-shirts, mugs, iPhone covers, duvet covers, iPad covers and more covers for everything, and more!Theme music for Lush Life is by Steven Shapiro and used with permission.Lush Life is always and will be forever produced by Evo Terra and Simpler Media Productions.Until next time, BOTTOMS UP 🍸

As a child, I couldn't stand asparagus, spinach, peas in fact most green vegetables.  Also wine, beer and spirits and, now I love them. How is that even possible? My nephew says it’s because our taste buds are getting old - which in turn means we are getting old. Well I’d rather have it that way if it means I can enjoy sipping a dram of whisky.Our guest Jason Clark never wanted to be in the drinks industry. His parents owned a bar and when he was up and ready to play they were still in bed. He even had to make them coffee to rouse them in the morning.Strange how things turn around and now not only is he in the bar industry but he has been recently appointed Brand Ambassador for Talisker Whisky. This is after an incredible journey already of winning competitions and even owning his own bar. All from a guy who had planned to spend his whole life outdoors.Jason will describe what’s on tap for Talisker’s Race to Skye competition. Our Cocktail of the Week is the Talisker Campfire Hot Chocolate.Ingredients: 50ml Talisker 10-year-old, or Storm 50ml Hot water60g Dark Chocolate150ml milk (can be dairy or non-dairy)1 tbsp dark chocolate powder10ml golden syrupMethod:To a milk steaming jug add chocolate, hot water and stir. Add the other ingredients and steam to heat, mix & froth the milk. Serve in a mug and garnish with a large marshmallow on a stick, toasted over a flame and dust with cinnamon or allspice. You’ll find this recipe and all the cocktails of the week on ALushLifeManual.com, where you’ll also find all the ingredients in our shop.Full Episode Details: http://bit.ly/2GDWOqFAlways remember the wise words of Oscar Wilde, “All things in moderation, including moderation,” and always drink responsibly!-----If you live for Lush Life would you consider supporting us by buying us a coffee…Just go to buymeacoffee.com/lushlife and you can donate once or monthly to make sure we are still here every Tuesday.Life Merchandise is here – we’re talking t-shirts, mugs, iPhone covers, duvet covers, iPad covers and more covers for everything, and more!Theme music for Lush Life is by Steven Shapiro and used with permission.Lush Life is always and will be forever produced by Evo Terra and Simpler Media Productions.Until next time, BOTTOMS UP 🍸

I am so excited Lush Life is getting out of the studio and onto the slopes with our first Lush Guide. I‘m Susan Schwartz, your drinking companion and this is Lush Life Podcast - every week I’m inspired to live life one cocktail at a time by the best in the industry.Maybe it was speaking to Mia Johansson from Sweden for the past two weeks, but I couldn't help wanting to jump into the snow. So I headed to Morzine France - a skiers paradise  - quaint, pretty, with great slopes.Honestly, I prefer Après-Ski to ski and I am definitely not poo-pooing vin chaud, shots of toffee vodka or Jägermeister, or the endless amounts of white wine you drink with fondue - hey, I did an episode praising Savoie White Wines - but sometimes you just need a good old-fashioned in a civilized bar with a mud-free floor, or that perfect pint of craft beer.I found all this and more in Morzine and sat down with a few of the folks who are offering alternatives to the definition of apres ski...but the fun of a Lush Guide is there is always more!  After the podcast, head to ALushLifeManual.com to discover what the local spirit is and where to drink it, also did you know there is an igloo bar on the mountain - so much good stuff!First we head to Laury’s Bar, then Beanies and then end up with a beer in our hand at Bec Jaune.Our Cocktail of the Week is the Dead Rabbit.Ingredients:40ml Jameson’s10ml Martini Rosso2 Dashes Creole bittersGinger Beer TopFresh sliced GingerFresh scorched Rosemary garnishMethod:Rub the ginger slice around the rim and drop it into a glass. Add in the Jameson’s, Martini Rosso and dashes of Creole Bitter. Stir with ice and top with Ginger Beer. Garnish with Burnt Rosemary You’ll find this recipe and all the cocktails of the week on ALushLifeManual.com, where you’ll also find all the ingredients in our shopIf you head to my sister site, Bestbitworldwide.com, you’ll find out what to do in Morzine when you’re not in the bar - fun things to do from skiing to night sledging to snowshoeing plus where to eat fondue and other cheesy Savoie treats.Full Episode Details: http://bit.ly/2MQ2peNAlways remember the wise words of Oscar Wilde, “All things in moderation, including moderation,” and always drink responsibly!-----If you live for Lush Life would you consider supporting us by buying us a coffee…Just go to buymeacoffee.com/lushlife and you can donate once or monthly to make sure we are still here every Tuesday.Life Merchandise is here – we’re talking t-shirts, mugs, iPhone covers, duvet covers, iPad covers and more covers for everything, and more!Theme music for Lush Life is by Steven Shapiro and used with permission.Lush Life is always and will be forever produced by Evo Terra and Simpler Media Productions.Until next time, BOTTOMS UP 🍸

You know sometimes there is just too much pressure, not that starting a third season of Lush Life is so difficult but i had decided to start the season with a spoken intro, like I’m doing now and then it all changed and I went back to the way I was doing it before with the little canned intro I had slightly updated. why didn’t I do it the new way?This week the subject of our episode is how to start all over again with a vengeance. I‘m Susan Schwartz, your drinking companion and this is Lush Life Podcast - every week we are inspired to live  life one cocktail at a time by the best in the industry.But this episode is not about me and how I started season three with the wrong intro...it’s about Mia Johansson and how she began what would become one of the best bars in the world: Bar Swift in London’s Soho.  If you are coming to this episode new  - FYI it’s a two-parter so turn around and go back to Part 1. A small recap: Mia has been through the wringer and now after a successful pop-up at Callooh Callay she receives a phone call out of the blue…Our Cocktail of the Week is the Sgroppino.Ingredients:10ml Italicus Rosolio di Bergamotto1 scoop of lemon sorbetProseccoLemon zestMethod:Combine Prosecco with 10 ml of Italicus Rosolio di Bergamotto (but this could be any spirit of your choosing, usually vodka) into a coupe. Add a scoop of lemon sorbet. Garnish with lemon zest.You’ll find this recipe and all the cocktails of the week on ALushLifeManual.com, where you’ll also find all the ingredients in our shop.Full Episode Details: http://bit.ly/2sOBNBqAlways remember the wise words of Oscar Wilde, “All things in moderation, including moderation,” and always drink responsibly!-----If you live for Lush Life would you consider supporting us by buying us a coffee…Just go to buymeacoffee.com/lushlife and you can donate once or monthly to make sure we are still here every Tuesday.Life Merchandise is here – we’re talking t-shirts, mugs, iPhone covers, duvet covers, iPad covers and more covers for everything, and more!Theme music for Lush Life is by Steven Shapiro and used with permission.Lush Life is always and will be forever produced by Evo Terra and Simpler Media Productions.Until next time, BOTTOMS UP 🍸

We are beginning Lush Life Season 3 with a guest who somehow manages to be a surgeon and a nurse all at the same time. To be a great surgeon you need absolute precision and knowledge of your craft and to be a great nurse you need compassion, warmth and patience.  Mia Johansson combined these attributes in a mixing glass and out came Bar Swift. Determining who wants or needs to be hugged and/or a martini is an art and Mia has mastered it.She has been Imbibe’s Personality of the Year Award, trained at Hix and Milk & Honey, and of course co-owner of Bar Swift in Soho - which by the way is one of the fifty best bars in the world, according to drinks international magazine and anyone else who’s ever had their sgroppino.If you want to know what Mia’s favorite bars are in Stockholm, you’ll have to wait until the not-so bitter end.Our Cocktail of the Week is the Piccolina - just like surgeons and nurses work together - here, port and sherry are collaborating to make an assume cocktail.Ingredients: 60ml dry white port30ml amontillado sherry15ml fig liqueur3 dashes AngosturaGreen OliveMethod:Stir it all together over ice in any mixing glass, strain into martini glass. Pop a green olive in.You’ll find this recipe and all the cocktails of the week on ALushLifeManual.com, where you’ll also find all the ingredients in our shopFull Episode Details: https://alushlifemanual.com/mia-johannson-swift-bar-londonAlways remember the wise words of Oscar Wilde, “All things in moderation, including moderation,” and always drink responsibly!-----If you live for Lush Life would you consider supporting us by buying us a coffee…Just go to buymeacoffee.com/lushlife and you can donate once or monthly to make sure we are still here every Tuesday.Life Merchandise is here – we’re talking t-shirts, mugs, iPhone covers, duvet covers, iPad covers and more covers for everything, and more!Theme music for Lush Life is by Steven Shapiro and used with permission.Lush Life is always and will be forever produced by Evo Terra and Simpler Media Productions.Until next time, BOTTOMS UP 🍸

Welcome to Season 3 of Lush Life Podcast. If you’ve listened to the first two seasons of Lush Life, you know this is the place to meet the movers and shakers, I couldn’t help myself, in the drinks industry. I keep reminding you that Lush Life is the how-to guide for living life one cocktail at a time. I think it’s time I explain what I mean by that. A few years ago I went through a pretty traumatic medical experience. The medicine I was taking affected my esophagus and I was unable to eat and drink easily. I happened to discover that vodka martinis slid right down with nary a problem, just like Mary Poppins and her spoonful of sugar. From that moment on, I felt that the dirty martini was a gift from the gods. As my body went through hell, I could always count on that martini to make me feel like myself again. Needless to say, I had quite a few of them. Getting to know the men and women creating my martinis was one of the joys I had over a difficult ten months. The stories of their lives and experiences inspired me so much that I created Lush Life podcast and then my blog Alushlifemanual.com. So grabbing a mic, I went out and now Season 3 is ready to launch. Each and every episode is a thank you letter to those who made me feel whole at a time when I was anything but. Can you tell that for the third season, you’ll be hearing not only from my guests but also from me a whole lot more. Not only will there be the recipes for the Cocktails of the Week, but I’ll make them with you. We’ll travel together to bars and distilleries around the world and I’ll be creating more Lush Guides to tell you what to drink and where to drink it in as many places as I can physically visit. Most importantly, how each guest makes me live life one cocktail at a time. Get ready for the cocktail adventure of a lifetime which will also be known as Lush Life Season 3, beginning next week with Mia Johannson of Bar Swift in London. ----- Produced by Simpler Media Follow us on Twitter and Instagram New episodes every Tuesday, usually!

99 episodes ago I had a mic and “bottom’s up” to end the show. Now we have reached the 100th episode - I have a mic, bottoms up and 99 episodes of Lush Life Podcast!This is due to the hard work and dedication of everyone involved with a Lush Life Manual and Lush Life podcast, especially my producer Evo Terra who was with me when Lush Life was in the idea stage and who has remained my work partner throughout my Lush Life Journey and of course, my boyfriend and life partner Akis Stephanides, architect extraordinaire! You may not hear their voices but their presence is felt in every episode.Everyone who sat across from me has become part of the Lush Life family. I’ve been inspired by all their stories and lucky enough to have tasted some of the best drinks in the world thanks to their time and generosity.Of course there would be no show if you didn’t listen to it and I thank you for tuning in every Tuesday!Planning my 100th episode was easy, I had to revisit some of my previous guests who had gone on to other adventures. Really I just wanted an excuse to see them again.So today I’m back with Fabiano Latham, now Brand Ambassador of Reyka Vodka; Tom Soden, who’s now created Ace & Freak cocktails plus a billion other things; Anna Sebastian, now Bar Manager of Artesian, Dave Miller whose at Nuala Bar, and, of course, I had to finish up by going back to the beginning with my first interviewee ever: Andy Mil of the Cocktail Trading Company.Our Cocktail of the Week is The Puffin Collins, made with Reyka Vodka.Ingredients:50mls Reyka Icelandic Vodka30mls fresh pink grapefruit juice20mls elderflower cordial1 x cherry tomato50mls soda waterMethod:Muddle tomato in shaker, add ingredients (not the soda…explosive). Shake like a Viking beast! Strain over ice in a highball. Top with soda and stir. Garnish with a cherry tomato on the vine.You’ll find this recipe and all the cocktails of the week on ALushLifeManual.com, where you’ll also find all the ingredients in our shopFull Episode Details: https://wp.me/p90reB-3t6Always remember the wise words of Oscar Wilde, “All things in moderation, including moderation,” and always drink responsibly!-----If you live for Lush Life would you consider supporting us by buying us a coffee…Just go to buymeacoffee.com/lushlife and you can donate once or monthly to make sure we are still here every Tuesday.Life Merchandise is here – we’re talking t-shirts, mugs, iPhone covers, duvet covers, iPad covers and more covers for everything, and more!Theme music for Lush Life is by Steven Shapiro and used with permission.Lush Life is always and will be forever produced by Evo Terra and Simpler Media Productions.Until next time, BOTTOMS UP 🍸

Our guest today always loved the stories, that’s why he went in for a degree in history. Now Pete Garraway, Brand Ambassador of STARWARD whisky, spends his days telling one particular story - of why one should be drinking Australian whisky. It’s not hard to convince them once they have had a sip of STARWARD, the award winning whisky born and bred in Australia. He joins us today to tell us his story, having just returned from Singapore a place that brought back all sorts of memories for him.Our Cocktail of the Week is the Mac’s Sly Grog - This drink comes from their “5 Boroughs of Melbourne” cocktail menu. A little history lesson of Melbourne in this one - it’s a Cherry Ripe riff on the Manhattan inspired by the borough of Fitzroy and its bygone days when gangsters slung under the table grog and the MacRoberston’s chocolate factory dealt out their sweet goods from Kerr Street.Ingredients:40ml STARWARD Wine Cask15ml Belsazar Red Vermouth10ml Jack Rudy Cherry5ml Mr Black’s Coffee Amaro2 dashes cacao & macadamia bitters2 dashes AngosturaMethod:Stir down over cubed ice in a mixing glass. Strain. Spritz an orange zest and then discard. Garnish with a cherry.You’ll find this recipe and all the cocktails of the week on ALushLifeManual.com, where you’ll also find all the ingredients in our shopFull Episode Details: https://wp.me/p90reB-3rGAlways remember the wise words of Oscar Wilde, “All things in moderation, including moderation,” and always drink responsibly!-----If you live for Lush Life would you consider supporting us by buying us a coffee…Just go to buymeacoffee.com/lushlife and you can donate once or monthly to make sure we are still here every Tuesday.Life Merchandise is here – we’re talking t-shirts, mugs, iPhone covers, duvet covers, iPad covers and more covers for everything, and more!Theme music for Lush Life is by Steven Shapiro and used with permission.Lush Life is always and will be forever produced by Evo Terra and Simpler Media Productions.Until next time, BOTTOMS UP 🍸

My first stop on my first trip to Louisville or so I thought, but I was to be corrected by our guest today. Technically we were in Shively not Louisville even though it’s minutes away from the centre of town. Sylvia Holden, Team Leader for the Bulleit Frontier Whiskey Experience at Stitzel-Weller Distillery, explained why being in Shively was so important for bourbon history. As a native Kentuckian, even she had to leave Louisville to return to Bourbon.Our Cocktail of the Week is the Kentucky Meadow Hot Toddy.Ingredients:1 Smith Teamaker Meadow Sachet1¼ oz. Bulleit BourbonGreen apple peelCinnamon stick1 tablespoon raw honey or maple syrupApple wedgeNutmegMethod:Place 1 Smith Teamaker Meadow sachet in a cup or mug, add boiling water, leaving room for the whiskey. Steep 5 min. Add 1 1/4 oz. Bulleit Bourbon and remove sachet. Add green apple peel and a cinnamon stick. Stir in 1 tablespoon raw honey or maple syrup. Garnish with apple wedge and shave nutmeg on top of final beverage.You’ll find this recipe and all the cocktails of the week on ALushLifeManual.com, where you’ll also find all the ingredients in our shopFull Episode Details: https://wp.me/p90reB-3qIAlways remember the wise words of Oscar Wilde, “All things in moderation, including moderation,” and always drink responsibly!-----If you live for Lush Life would you consider supporting us by buying us a coffee…Just go to buymeacoffee.com/lushlife and you can donate once or monthly to make sure we are still here every Tuesday.Life Merchandise is here – we’re talking t-shirts, mugs, iPhone covers, duvet covers, iPad covers and more covers for everything, and more!Theme music for Lush Life is by Steven Shapiro and used with permission.Lush Life is always and will be forever produced by Evo Terra and Simpler Media Productions.Until next time, BOTTOMS UP 🍸

Our guest today made his way from Georgetown Kentucky to Tahara Japan and came back with Ganbaru -the Japanese word for never stopping until a goal is achieved. This became crystal clear when I met Daniel Harrison, co-founder of Country Boy Brewery. DH, as he is known, was always a beer lover, but during his stint teaching english in japan it became a passion. Arriving home in Kentucky he and his partners were inspired not only to make beer, but the very best, and won’t stop until this goal is achieved.Usually after we finish chatting, we go on to our cocktail of the week, but this week we are doing something a little different. Since we’re talking beer, I decided to scrap the cocktail of the week for this episode. Instead we’re going on a tour!When I visited Country Boy, DH walked me through the brewery and I thought why not take you with me as well.So consider this our first Lush Tour…Look out for a cooler near you to see if Country Boy is stocked!I will be writing a piece on my travels through Kentucky so make sure to check back on alushlifemanul.com or my sister site bestbitsworldwide.com or head to www.kentuckytourism.com to find out more about Kentucky.Always remember the wise words of Oscar Wilde, “All things in moderation, including moderation,” and always drink responsibly!-----If you live for Lush Life would you consider supporting us by buying us a coffee…Just go to buymeacoffee.com/lushlife and you can donate once or monthly to make sure we are still here every Tuesday.Life Merchandise is here – we’re talking t-shirts, mugs, iPhone covers, duvet covers, iPad covers and more covers for everything, and more!Theme music for Lush Life is by Steven Shapiro and used with permission.Lush Life is always and will be forever produced by Evo Terra and Simpler Media Productions.Until next time, BOTTOMS UP 🍸

Our guest didn’t realise he was a lover of rum until he sipping it at his first RumFest. His wife’s comment “wouldn’t it be fun to go to the Rum Fest in London for the weekend” changed everything for him. Now Pete Holland has given his life over to this molasses based spirit and has never regretted it. He is the man behind TheFloatingRumShack.com and one of the UK’s Authorities on Rum. Now he is also the Brand Ambassador for Old Fashioned Week here in London.Our cocktail of the week is Agri’Old Fashioned in celebration of the forthcoming Old Fashioned Week.Ingredients: 60ml Rhum JM V.O. 15ml Rhum JM Shrubb3 Dashes of Angostura BittersOrange ZestMethod:Build in a rocks glass, stir to perfection. Garnish with a lovely orange zest.You’ll find this recipe and all the cocktails of the week on ALushLifeManual.com, where you’ll also find all the ingredients in our shop.Always remember the wise words of Oscar Wilde, “All things in moderation, including moderation,” and always drink responsibly!-----If you live for Lush Life would you consider supporting us by buying us a coffee…Just go to buymeacoffee.com/lushlife and you can donate once or monthly to make sure we are still here every Tuesday.Life Merchandise is here – we’re talking t-shirts, mugs, iPhone covers, duvet covers, iPad covers and more covers for everything, and more!Theme music for Lush Life is by Steven Shapiro and used with permission.Lush Life is always and will be forever produced by Evo Terra and Simpler Media Productions.Until next time, BOTTOMS UP 🍸

The region of Savoie Mont Blanc in France is known for a lot of things - mountains, skiing, hiking, Michelin starred restaurants, but not usually its wines. That’s all changing as more and more of them are winning awards. I was invited by Savoie Mont Blanc Tourism to meet the folks who are spreading the word about the wines I’ve been sipping with my tartiflette when shushing the slopes of Chamonix.First I met Bernard Vissoud the Savoie wine specialist, who took me on a tour of the vineyards teaching me the history of the region, then I toured two of the local vineyards the Domaine Dupraz and the Domaine Edmond Jacquin who are open to visitors and ready to talk wines with anyone who is in the neighborhood.I have definitely become an ambassador of Savoie wines and have been introducing them to everyone I know. But don’t think just because it’s wine country that I wasn’t drinking a cocktail or two. 1883 Syrups are located in Savoie Mont Blanc and I was treated to a cocktail-making class with Brand Ambassador Johnny Salvo.Our cocktail of the week is one of the many that Johnny made for me. It’s called the Mauresque Mai Tai  - the Savoie twist on the Mai Tai or you could say a tiki twist on the local Mauresque cocktail, originally made with Absinthe and Orgeat.Ingredients:20 ml Pastis20 ml Classic Rum (Cuban or Puerto Rican)20 ml Sugar cane rum (Cachaca, Rhum Agricole)20 ml Orgeat Syrup (Almond)1 teaspoon of Orange Blossom Water20 ml squeezed lime juiceAromatic BittersGarnish - mint, slice of dried lime and a star aniseMethod:Put all the ingredients into a shaker, add ice and then shake. Double strain into a rocks glass filled with crushed ice. Add a few dashes of aromatic bitters on the top. Garnish with mint, slice of dried lime and a star anise. You’ll find this recipe and all the cocktails of the week on ALushLifeManual.com, where you’ll also find all the ingredients in our shop.If you are heading to Savoie Mont Blanc, check out my latest post on bestbitsworldwide.com or the Savoie Mont Blanc Tourism or http://www.savoie-mont-blanc.com.Always remember the wise words of Oscar Wilde, “All things in moderation, including moderation,” and always drink responsibly!-----If you live for Lush Life would you consider supporting us by buying us a coffee…Just go to buymeacoffee.com/lushlife and you can donate once or monthly to make sure we are still here every Tuesday.Life Merchandise is here – we’re talking t-shirts, mugs, iPhone covers, duvet covers, iPad covers and more covers for everything, and more!Theme music for Lush Life is by Steven Shapiro and used with permission.Lush Life is always and will be forever produced by Evo Terra and Simpler Media Productions.Until next time, BOTTOMS UP 🍸

Most of the people I interview have been doing their jobs as brand ambassadors for a long, long time - having begun their career as bartenders or in house at a drinks brand. Few have come to it through a special program designed to appeal to graduates from all backgrounds. I thought that hearing that journey would make a change.Our guest today, Scott Lever was one of those lucky grads. Only a year ago, he embarked on the Chivas International Graduate Programme and is here to tell us all about it.Our cocktail of the week is the Chivas Extra Old Fashioned.Ingredients50ml Chivas Regal Extra12.5ml Nut and Raisin Syrup15ml Pedro Jimenez Sherry2 dashes of Nut BittersOrange Twist GarnishAdd all ingredients to a mixing glass, add ice and stir down. Serve on the rocks, garnish with Orange Twist.You’ll find this recipe and all the cocktails of the week on ALushLifeManual.com, where you’ll also find all the ingredients in our shop.Always remember the wise words of Oscar Wilde, “All things in moderation, including moderation,” and always drink responsibly!-----If you live for Lush Life would you consider supporting us by buying us a coffee…Just go to buymeacoffee.com/lushlife and you can donate once or monthly to make sure we are still here every Tuesday.Life Merchandise is here – we’re talking t-shirts, mugs, iPhone covers, duvet covers, iPad covers and more covers for everything, and more!Theme music for Lush Life is by Steven Shapiro and used with permission.Lush Life is always and will be forever produced by Evo Terra and Simpler Media Productions.Until next time, BOTTOMS UP 🍸

It might seem like a long stretch to go from lawyer to Co-lead Brewer at Truman’s Brewery, one of the most iconic of British brands. but not if you listen to the advice of our guest’s mother. Charlotte Cook wasn’t shy and she grabbed what she could.  It literally took one sip of IPA to get her to change her career from would be lawyer to would be brewer, but let her tell you how.I am forgoing our usual cocktail of the week to give you a guided tour through a few of Truman’s special beers.Truman’s Brewery has been around since 1666 and thankfully a few of the old recipes were discovered.The first is called London Keeper  - a dark and wintery stout Based on a Truman's recipe from 1880, Beer writer Pete Brown, describes it best. “A silky, chocolatey, vinous essential... Look out for it. Put it on your present wish list. In fact, mug, steal or blackmail to get it if you must.”Then we fast forward to a recipe from 1916. This time it’s a Barley Wine made from traditional English hops alongside a malt base. Red fruits can be tasted, thus the wine factor.Runner was traditionally the name of a brewery's easy drinking session beer - available to everyone everywhere. Truman's Runner is their interpretation of this. Super easy to drink.Now the award winning beer - To celebrate the reopening of Truman’s Brewery,  they created Lazarus, a pale gold refreshing beer which has gone on to win tons of awards.You’ll find a selection of these beers in our shop.Always remember the wise words of Oscar Wilde, “All things in moderation, including moderation,” and always drink responsibly!-----If you live for Lush Life would you consider supporting us by buying us a coffee…Just go to buymeacoffee.com/lushlife and you can donate once or monthly to make sure we are still here every Tuesday.Life Merchandise is here – we’re talking t-shirts, mugs, iPhone covers, duvet covers, iPad covers and more covers for everything, and more!Theme music for Lush Life is by Steven Shapiro and used with permission.Lush Life is always and will be forever produced by Evo Terra and Simpler Media Productions.Until next time, BOTTOMS UP 🍸

Thanks to the hard work of our guest today, Pisco Waqar is a whole lot easier to find on the shelves in London than it was even three years ago. Javiera Lorenzini Raty, Brand Ambassador for Pisco Waqar, fell in love with Pisco and John Donne at about the same time. I don’t usually say that in a sentence that’s for sure. Her passion for English poets may have led her to London, but her studies as a sommelier led her to Waqar and she couldn’t pass up the chance to work with her favorite Pisco here in Europe.Our cocktail of the week is the Pisco Sour.Ingredients3 Parts – WAQAR PISCO1 Part – Fresh Lime Juice1 Part – Gomme Syrup1 Egg White1 Drop of Angostura BittersMethodIn shaker with 5 large ice cubes (not crushed ice), combine liquids adding egg whites last.Shake vigorously for 10-15 seconds.Strain into six ounce rocks glass (be careful not allow any ice to pour into the cocktail.Garnish: One drop Angostura Bitters and a dried lime or lemon on top.You’ll find this recipe and all the cocktails of the week on ALushLifeManual.com, where you’ll also find all the ingredients in our shop.----Hello everyone - Don't get confused! Before there was Lush Life, there was Best Sips Worldwide, I rebranded after the first season. Although I reference Best Sips – it’s Lush Life through and through – the same great guests, the same music, and the same me! -----

I truly believe that today's guests were on a mission to take on the business world as soon as they were born and in this case that would be the same day. Joyce and Raissa de Haas are the twin sisters behind Double Dutch Drinks, the extremely successful mixers that in less than a year were the most sought after in London. These two took the time to sit down with me to tell me their tale of where they began and how they went on to win the prestigious Foodpreneur Award by Sir Richard Branson.Our cocktail of the week is the Notting Heels.Ingredients30ml Portobello Gin15ml Cointreau2 lime wedges squeezedDouble Dutch Cranberry TonicIn a glass with ice, add 30ml Portobello Gin. Add the Cointreau to the glass, squeeze in the juice of two lime wedges. Stir well. Top up with Double Dutch Cranberry Tonic.You’ll find this recipe and all the cocktails of the week on ALushLifeManual.com, where you’ll also find all the ingredients in our shop.Always remember the wise words of Oscar Wilde, “All things in moderation, including moderation,” and always drink responsibly!-----If you live for Lush Life would you consider supporting us by buying us a coffee…Just go to buymeacoffee.com/lushlife and you can donate once or monthly to make sure we are still here every Tuesday.Life Merchandise is here – we’re talking t-shirts, mugs, iPhone covers, duvet covers, iPad covers and more covers for everything, and more!Theme music for Lush Life is by Steven Shapiro and used with permission.Lush Life is always and will be forever produced by Evo Terra and Simpler Media Productions.Until next time, BOTTOMS UP 🍸

Who applies to Harvard when they know they have no chance of getting in? Today’s guest, that’s who, and, of course, Tom Tuke-Hastings, founder of the non-alcoholic spirit Borrago, wowed them in every way and succeeded in winning a place to one of the most exclusive programs in the world. It’s not a surprise - Tom has succeeded in almost everything from winning the design prize at school to cooking for sheiks to writing books on vodka jelly. Now that his sights are set on conquering the drinks world - watch out.Our cocktail of the week is the Green Fizz.Ingredients50 ml Borrago #47 Paloma Blend25 ml Lemon Juice25 ml Basil Syrup2 Fresh Basil SprigsMethodPlace the Borrago, Lemon Juice and Basil Syrup in a shakerShake well over ice.Double strain into a 10oz rocks glass loaded with crushed ice.Garnish with the sprigs of BasilTop with a Borage Flower if you have oneYou’ll find this recipe and all the cocktails of the week on ALushLifeManual.com, where you’ll also find all the ingredients in our shop.Always remember the wise words of Oscar Wilde, “All things in moderation, including moderation,” and always drink responsibly!-----If you live for Lush Life would you consider supporting us by buying us a coffee…Just go to buymeacoffee.com/lushlife and you can donate once or monthly to make sure we are still here every Tuesday.Life Merchandise is here – we’re talking t-shirts, mugs, iPhone covers, duvet covers, iPad covers and more covers for everything, and more!Theme music for Lush Life is by Steven Shapiro and used with permission.Lush Life is always and will be forever produced by Evo Terra and Simpler Media Productions.Until next time, BOTTOMS UP 🍸

La Hechicera Rum is one of those brands I have fallen head over heels in love with. Maybe it was its history recounted so beautifully by owner Miguel Riascos right here on Lush Life in April of this year. Maybe it was my own wonderful adventure to Colombia and tasting La Hechicera in situ or maybe it was because of today’s guest, Stephanie Jordan. I met her when she was Brand Ambassador of La Hechicera Rum earlier this year. Even then, I could tell hers was a story that needed to be told.Our cocktail of the week is the Oro Fashioned, which pays homage to the belief that somewhere in the New World was a place of immense wealth called El Dorado.Ingredients50 ml La Hechicera Rum1 small cube of gold dust covered panela (Panela is dehydrated sugar cane juice, covered in gold. It has far more flavor than sugar and is argued to be healthier. It is hard to find but can be replaced )4 drops of bitters (classic, orange, cocoa or coffee)MethodIn a mixing glass, add gold panela, 3cl of La Hechicera Rum, 2 drops of bitters and 3 ice cubes and stir.After a minute or two, add another 2 drops of bitters and 3 ice cubes. Continue to stir.Serve in a classic tumbler, twist an orange zest on top and garnish with a dehydrated orange wheel.You’ll find this recipe and all the cocktails of the week on ALushLifeManual.com, where you’ll also find all the ingredients in our shop.Always remember the wise words of Oscar Wilde, “All things in moderation, including moderation,” and always drink responsibly!-----If you live for Lush Life would you consider supporting us by buying us a coffee…Just go to buymeacoffee.com/lushlife and you can donate once or monthly to make sure we are still here every Tuesday.Life Merchandise is here – we’re talking t-shirts, mugs, iPhone covers, duvet covers, iPad covers and more covers for everything, and more!Theme music for Lush Life is by Steven Shapiro and used with permission.Lush Life is always and will be forever produced by Evo Terra and Simpler Media Productions.Until next time, BOTTOMS UP 🍸

This episode is a cocktail whose ingredients include hard work, determination, and a natural ease with guests all mixed with a centuries old Italian spirit reborn.This creation is served up by today’s guest, Luca Missaglia, the Brand Ambassador for probably the chicest spirit to come out of Italy today, Italicus - Rosolio di Beragmotto.  I almost said it was a new spirit which has taken the world by storm, but Italian grandmothers have been brewing a version of it in their homes for centuries.Look for its gorgeous blue/green bottle. Remember you can always find it in my shop www.alushlifemanual.com/shop. You’ll need it for one of our easiest Cocktails of the week - the Ipalicus. There is no excuse not to make this one! It’s perfect for the Autumn ahead.You take a chilled beer glass and start with 30ml Italicus, then slowly add in 300ml of India Pale Ale.You’ll find this recipe and all the cocktails of the week on ALushLifeManual.com, where you’ll also find all the ingredients in our shop.Always remember the wise words of Oscar Wilde, “All things in moderation, including moderation,” and always drink responsibly!-----If you live for Lush Life would you consider supporting us by buying us a coffee…Just go to buymeacoffee.com/lushlife and you can donate once or monthly to make sure we are still here every Tuesday.Life Merchandise is here – we’re talking t-shirts, mugs, iPhone covers, duvet covers, iPad covers and more covers for everything, and more!Theme music for Lush Life is by Steven Shapiro and used with permission.Lush Life is always and will be forever produced by Evo Terra and Simpler Media Productions.Until next time, BOTTOMS UP 🍸

Sometimes I sip something at a drinks do and immediately need to meet the people behind it. This time, that cocktail was Silver Swift’s Ready to Drink Wild Rose Gin at the Spirit Show in London.It as fortuitous that Rose Unwin, the founder of Silver Swift, was the one holding the bottle. A few months later, when I could lure her into London from the wilds of the Southwest, she sat down with me to reveal her secrets.Of course Silver Swift is already a perfect Ready to Drink cocktail, but Rose recommends a few ways to make the cocktails even better and all you need is some water and fruit.Recommended serves for Silver Swift spirited spritzers: Wild Rose Gin - fill your ice tray with water and add a couple of raspberries, a slice of lemon and a couple of mint leaves before freezing.Tipsy Iced Tea Vodka - fill your ice tray with water and add a slice of orange and some orange zest or slice of lemon and lemon zest.Basil Blush Vodka - fill your ice tray with water as add some strawberries and a basil leaf before freezing.We recommend the large ice sphere molds as the larger the ice, the longer it takes to melt, and they look awesome!You’ll find more recipes and all the cocktails of the week on ALushLifeManual.com, where you’ll also find all the ingredients in our shop.Always remember the wise words of Oscar Wilde, “All things in moderation, including moderation,” and always drink responsibly!-----If you live for Lush Life would you consider supporting us by buying us a coffee…Just go to buymeacoffee.com/lushlife and you can donate once or monthly to make sure we are still here every Tuesday.Life Merchandise is here – we’re talking t-shirts, mugs, iPhone covers, duvet covers, iPad covers and more covers for everything, and more!Theme music for Lush Life is by Steven Shapiro and used with permission.Lush Life is always and will be forever produced by Evo Terra and Simpler Media Productions.Until next time, BOTTOMS UP 🍸

This week I was invited to the inaugural Peter Spanton Cocktail Competition, being held at the Jin Bo Law cocktail bar in Aldgate, London. Before anyone picked up a shaker, William Stern, the Commercial Director of Peter Spanton, sat down with me to explain why and how they conceived the competition in the first place.Four groups of two bartenders prepared and presented one cocktail to the three judges: Veronika Karola, Jarek Zawadzki and William. And they were off. I snagged them for a chat after their presentation to discover what inspired them and how they chose which Peter Spanton drink to use in their cocktail.  The Cocktail of the week is the No 5 Alive.Ingredients 35ml Portobello Ginstitute lemongrass gin by Tomas Cisty10ml No5. based pine syrup40ml Clarified gooseberry juiceTop up Peter Spanton No5 Lemongrass tonicBuild in slim collins glass, half glass of frozen gooseberries, half of ice (frozen gooseberries chill the drink and also adding flavour).For more clarification, please head to ALushLifeManual.com, where you’ll also find more recipes and all the cocktails of the weekAlways remember the wise words of Oscar Wilde, “All things in moderation, including moderation,” and always drink responsibly!-----If you live for Lush Life would you consider supporting us by buying us a coffee…Just go to buymeacoffee.com/lushlife and you can donate once or monthly to make sure we are still here every Tuesday.Life Merchandise is here – we’re talking t-shirts, mugs, iPhone covers, duvet covers, iPad covers and more covers for everything, and more!Theme music for Lush Life is by Steven Shapiro and used with permission.Lush Life is always and will be forever produced by Evo Terra and Simpler Media Productions.Until next time, BOTTOMS UP 🍸

How is it possible for our next guest to do so many things at once and all well? Reinhard Engel, the owner of Nuremberg’s Altstadthof makes Beer, Whiskey, and gin from his distillery in the historic centre of this ancient city - a city that has over 26,000 kilometers of beer cellars below the street. He’s with us today to describe how he managed to revive A nuremberg beer that was almost lost forever.For this week’s Cocktail of the Week, we give you a few special beer cocktails, but you have to use a red beer, which you can only get in Nuremberg!Beer Royal Ingredients: Red Beer; 2 cl Cassis (Crème de cassis).Preparation: Pour beer in a champagne glass and add the cassis.Special AperolIngredients: Red Beer; sparkling wine, and 2cl Aperol.Preparation: Put ice cubes and orange slice to a tall glass or in a champagne glass, and then add Red Beer, the sparkling (Italian) wine and Aperol.You’ll find more recipes and all the cocktails of the week on ALushLifeManual.com, where you’ll also find all the ingredients in our shop.Always remember the wise words of Oscar Wilde, “All things in moderation, including moderation,” and always drink responsibly!-----If you live for Lush Life would you consider supporting us by buying us a coffee…Just go to buymeacoffee.com/lushlife and you can donate once or monthly to make sure we are still here every Tuesday.Life Merchandise is here – we’re talking t-shirts, mugs, iPhone covers, duvet covers, iPad covers and more covers for everything, and more!Theme music for Lush Life is by Steven Shapiro and used with permission.Lush Life is always and will be forever produced by Evo Terra and Simpler Media Productions.Until next time, BOTTOMS UP 🍸

If you’ve just joined us then you need to go back to the previous episode and start from the very beginning of Tim Etherington-Judge’s journey. Before he established Healthy Hospo - the foundation that provides information, advice, and support on mental & physical health for all hospitality professionals, he’d been all over the world as a bartender and brand ambassador. Now, in this episode, we find him on his way to Africa via London...Our Cocktail of the Week is the Pea & Pine nut version:Ingredients30ml olive oil washed Seedlip Garden 10810ml green pea & pine-nut syrup5ml agave nectar15 drops malic acid solution3 drops citric acid solution20ml aquafabaTo make the green pea and pine-nut syrup we blend 120grams of roasted pine-nuts, 500grams of green peas and 1litre of water together. Then put this all through the centrifuge to remove any of the solids and it was then made into a 2:1 syrup with simple sugar. If you don’t have access to a centrifuge, then a simple superbag should work perfectly fine!Shake dry, then shake wet after to achieve correct aeration and double strained into a chilled glass. Then it’s simply finished with a few droplets of olive oil.You’ll find this recipe and all the cocktails of the week on ALushLifeManual.com, where you’ll also find all the ingredients in our shop.Always remember the wise words of Oscar Wilde, “All things in moderation, including moderation,” and always drink responsibly!-----If you live for Lush Life would you consider supporting us by buying us a coffee…Just go to buymeacoffee.com/lushlife and you can donate once or monthly to make sure we are still here every Tuesday.Life Merchandise is here – we’re talking t-shirts, mugs, iPhone covers, duvet covers, iPad covers and more covers for everything, and more!Theme music for Lush Life is by Steven Shapiro and used with permission.Lush Life is always and will be forever produced by Evo Terra and Simpler Media Productions.Until next time, BOTTOMS UP 🍸

If you are new to the hospitality industry or even an old-timer, you should listen to the next two episodes of Lush Life. The story that unfolds over these two episodes could be your story. Our guest, Tim Etherington-Judge has literally been through it all and come out the other side with all the tools necessary to help his fellow colleagues in the hospitality industry.Thank goodness he had the bravery to tell his story and then to establish Healthy Hospo which provides information, advice, and support on mental & physical health for all hospitality professionals. It’s best to let Tim tell you his tale, starting at the very beginning.Our Cocktail of the Week is the Chill Your Chai.Ingredients1L Vodka1L Water20g Golden Tip Assam Tea1.5g Masala ChaiBrew 1L Water with the Golden Tip Assam Tea and Masala Chai for 10 minutes. Add vodka and leave to cool.To Clarify1L Masala Chai Mix300ml Full Cream Milk8g 15% Citric AcidHeat the milk in a pain until it’s close to boiling. Remove from heat and add to your Masala Chai Mix. Allow to stand for 30 minutes.Add the Citric Acid and gently stir to begin the curdling process. Leave to stand and gently stir every 10 minutes for 1 hour. Leave over night.Next day strain the mix through muslin cloth and 2 coffee filters. DO NOT try and push the mix through the filters as you will ruin the process.To servePour 150ml of your Masala Chai Mix over ice and strain into a chilled chai cutting glass. Garnish with a local flower.You’ll find this recipe and all the cocktails of the week on ALushLifeManual.com, where you’ll also find all the ingredients in our shop.Always remember the wise words of Oscar Wilde, “All things in moderation, including moderation,” and always drink responsibly!-----If you live for Lush Life would you consider supporting us by buying us a coffee…Just go to buymeacoffee.com/lushlife and you can donate once or monthly to make sure we are still here every Tuesday.Life Merchandise is here – we’re talking t-shirts, mugs, iPhone covers, duvet covers, iPad covers and more covers for everything, and more!Theme music for Lush Life is by Steven Shapiro and used with permission.Lush Life is always and will be forever produced by Evo Terra and Simpler Media Productions.Until next time, BOTTOMS UP 🍸

Providing a great experience for his punters is the driving force behind everything today’s guest does. I can tell you right now Stephan Schulz has achieved his goal because everyone who either lives in Nuremberg, Germany or visits knows to stop into Mata Hari Bar. He wasn’t even supposed to own a bar but it might be the perfect instance of when a dream becomes a reality.Our Cocktail of the Week is the Mai Tai - Mata Hari Bar version.Ingredients5cl Havana Club 3y.4cl Apricot Brandy2-3cl Lime Juice Cordial2-3cl Lemon JuiceDashes Orgeat (Almond syrup)Add ice and then shake well. Strain it all into a long glass with ice.You’ll find this recipe and all the cocktails of the week on ALushLifeManual.com, where you’ll also find all the ingredients in our shop.Always remember the wise words of Oscar Wilde, “All things in moderation, including moderation,” and always drink responsibly!-----If you live for Lush Life would you consider supporting us by buying us a coffee…Just go to buymeacoffee.com/lushlife and you can donate once or monthly to make sure we are still here every Tuesday.Life Merchandise is here – we’re talking t-shirts, mugs, iPhone covers, duvet covers, iPad covers and more covers for everything, and more!Theme music for Lush Life is by Steven Shapiro and used with permission.Lush Life is always and will be forever produced by Evo Terra and Simpler Media Productions.Until next time, BOTTOMS UP 🍸

I really want to make this the shortest intro of all. It’s just I don’t want to give away anything about our next guest until you hear it from him. Visit Justus Hoffstaedter at the Hotel Heureka in Venice now and I mean now because you’ll want to say you knew him when. As for his future plans, I’ll let him tell you, but it all began in Baden-Baden!Our Cocktail of the Week is the Lagoon Spritz.Ingredients6 cl White wine (or Prosecco)3 cl CynarDash of club sodaSlice of lemonGreen oliveAdd to a glass of ice, 3 cl of Cynar, then add the white wine and top up with a dash of club soda. Garnish with a slice of lemon and then add a green olive.You’ll find this recipe and all the cocktails of the week on ALushLifeManual.com, where you’ll also find all the ingredients in our shop.Always remember the wise words of Oscar Wilde, “All things in moderation, including moderation,” and always drink responsibly!-----If you live for Lush Life would you consider supporting us by buying us a coffee…Just go to buymeacoffee.com/lushlife and you can donate once or monthly to make sure we are still here every Tuesday.Life Merchandise is here – we’re talking t-shirts, mugs, iPhone covers, duvet covers, iPad covers and more covers for everything, and more!Theme music for Lush Life is by Steven Shapiro and used with permission.Lush Life is always and will be forever produced by Evo Terra and Simpler Media Productions.Until next time, BOTTOMS UP 🍸

Our guest today is not a bartender, distiller, or brand ambassador - but boy, does she make what they do look good. If it weren’t for the kindness of the city’s bar staff, Sara Stode might never had stayed in London, but she did and we are the lucky ones. How did this Swede end up being the London’s most famous Drinks Illustrator, she was here to tell us.Our Cocktail of the Week is the Sgroppino from Bar Swift in London’s Soho:Ingredients10ml Italicus Rosolio di Bergamotto1 scoop of lemon sorbetProseccoLemon zestCombine Prosecco with 10 ml of Italicus Rosolio di Bergamotto (but this could be any spirit of your choosing, usually vodka) into a coupe. Then add a scoop of lemon sorbet, and garnish with lemon zest.Always remember the wise words of Oscar Wilde, “All things in moderation, including moderation,” and always drink responsibly!-----If you live for Lush Life would you consider supporting us by buying us a coffee…Just go to buymeacoffee.com/lushlife and you can donate once or monthly to make sure we are still here every Tuesday.Life Merchandise is here – we’re talking t-shirts, mugs, iPhone covers, duvet covers, iPad covers and more covers for everything, and more!Theme music for Lush Life is by Steven Shapiro and used with permission.Lush Life is always and will be forever produced by Evo Terra and Simpler Media Productions.Until next time, BOTTOMS UP 🍸

Our next guest spent her early years in the woods foraging for tasty treats, leaving her mother in constant fear that she might nibble on a poisonous mushroom. Happily, we can report that Sigi Klein is alive and well and using those same herbs to build her cocktails. Working at Gelbes Haus, the oldest cocktail bar in Nuremberg, Sigi revealed how she ended up as a Chef de Bar in the first place.Our Cocktail of the Week is the SchorschIngredients5 crushed cloves4  mint leaves5 cl Pear Schnapps2.5 cl lemon juice2.5 cl Orgeat syrupCrush the cloves and put them in the shake. Then add 4 slightly crushed mint leaves. Add the other ingredients to the shaker with ice and then shake it. Then fine strain it into a chilled cocktail coupette.Always remember the wise words of Oscar Wilde, “All things in moderation, including moderation,” and always drink responsibly!-----If you live for Lush Life would you consider supporting us by buying us a coffee…Just go to buymeacoffee.com/lushlife and you can donate once or monthly to make sure we are still here every Tuesday.Life Merchandise is here – we’re talking t-shirts, mugs, iPhone covers, duvet covers, iPad covers and more covers for everything, and more!Theme music for Lush Life is by Steven Shapiro and used with permission.Lush Life is always and will be forever produced by Evo Terra and Simpler Media Productions.Until next time, BOTTOMS UP 🍸

Our guest today is a revolutionary and an innovator in the fIeld of Cognac. Even though her family have been making cognac for four generations before her, Fanny Fougerat came late to the party. She joins us today to tell us how she is making up for lost time. Creating the first of many mind-blowing cognacs which are making bartenders sit back and rethink everything they knew about the spirit.Our Cocktail of the Week is Petite Cigue50ml Fanny Fougerat Petite CigueCawston Rhubarb & Apple sodaTake a highball glass and top with ice.  Serve with a rhubarb twist.Always remember the wise words of Oscar Wilde, “All things in moderation, including moderation,” and always drink responsibly!-----If you live for Lush Life would you consider supporting us by buying us a coffee…Just go to buymeacoffee.com/lushlife and you can donate once or monthly to make sure we are still here every Tuesday.Life Merchandise is here – we’re talking t-shirts, mugs, iPhone covers, duvet covers, iPad covers and more covers for everything, and more!Theme music for Lush Life is by Steven Shapiro and used with permission.Lush Life is always and will be forever produced by Evo Terra and Simpler Media Productions.Until next time, BOTTOMS UP 🍸

Our guests today are the guardians of Lady Charlotte Fitzrovia’s daring love story. It was up to Sandy Kaur and Mario Romano to recreate the world of Lady Charlotte and her lover at Vijay’s Lounge in London’s busy centre of town. How did they even start? I’ll let them tell you all the details.Our Cocktail of the Week is the Ananda Brew created by mixologist Topesh Chatterjee who hails from New Delhi.Ingredients 1 Masala Tea Bag60ml Vodka50ml Egg white20 ml Lime juice20 ml Sugar syrupFuse all ingredients in a shaker, and simply shake it!Serve the final result in a martini glass, and garnish with a slice of orange and a cinnamon stick.Always remember the wise words of Oscar Wilde, “All things in moderation, including moderation,” and always drink responsibly!-----If you live for Lush Life would you consider supporting us by buying us a coffee…Just go to buymeacoffee.com/lushlife and you can donate once or monthly to make sure we are still here every Tuesday.Life Merchandise is here – we’re talking t-shirts, mugs, iPhone covers, duvet covers, iPad covers and more covers for everything, and more!Theme music for Lush Life is by Steven Shapiro and used with permission.Lush Life is always and will be forever produced by Evo Terra and Simpler Media Productions.Until next time, BOTTOMS UP 🍸

The family of our guest today views the world by what is edible and what is not edible. It’s not a shock that Valentine Warner would end up as one of the most well known chefs in the UK. Working hand in hand with Mother nature, Valentine’s first foray into the spirit would produced award winning Hepple Gin.Our Cocktail of the Week is the Hepple Martini.Ingredients10 Parts Hepple Gin1 Part Dry VermouthPour ingredients into a mixing glass filled with ice.Stir slowly 30 times. Strain into a chilled glass and garnish with a small twist of lemon peel.Always remember the wise words of Oscar Wilde, “All things in moderation, including moderation,” and always drink responsibly!-----If you live for Lush Life would you consider supporting us by buying us a coffee…Just go to buymeacoffee.com/lushlife and you can donate once or monthly to make sure we are still here every Tuesday.Life Merchandise is here – we’re talking t-shirts, mugs, iPhone covers, duvet covers, iPad covers and more covers for everything, and more!Theme music for Lush Life is by Steven Shapiro and used with permission.Lush Life is always and will be forever produced by Evo Terra and Simpler Media Productions.Until next time, BOTTOMS UP 🍸