It should come as no surpise that cocktails are ever-present in the lively mountain town of Banff. With that said, the annual MADE WITH LOVE Banff Food and Cocktail Festival is a time of year where bars and restaurants get especially creative.
Happening from April 19 to May 4, 2024, the 16-day festival will see spots like Banff Ave Brew Co., Block Kitchen + Bar, Hello Sunshine, Park Distillery Restaurant + Bar, and Shoku Izakaya serving up feature eats and drinks as well as many taking part in a kick-off weekend's cocktail competition. It's here that a trophy, $5,000 cash and bragging rights are on the line.
The suspense!
Shoku Izakaya has come up with a playful Spritz cocktail for this year's festival and has graciously shared the recipe with us. So, if you can't make it up to Banff for all of the MADE WITH LOVE Banff Food and Cocktail Festival festivities, then mixing this drink up at home is, at the very least, a refreshing consolation prize.
Parlour Room Spritz
1 oz Eau Claire Distillery Parlour Gin
0.75 oz yuzu juice (or lemon juice in lieu)
0.75 oz cucumber syrup (see recipe below)
0.25 oz fresh ginger juice
3 oz Masumi sparkling sake
Thin cucumber ribbons, for garnish
Candied ginger, for garnish
Place gin, yuzu juice, cucumber sysrup and fresh ginger juice into a cocktail shaker.
Fill with ice, cover and shake for 15 seconds then double strain into a coupe glass.
Top with sparkling sake, garnish drink with cucumber and candied ginger and serve.
How to make cucumber syrup
2 cups sugar
2 cups water
1 english cucumber, diced
Place all ingredients in a small pot and bring the mixture up to a slow boil on medium heat. Stir until sugar is fully dissolved.
Remove from heat and let cool. Once cool, strain into a sealable container or squeeze bottle.
Keep in fridge until ready to use as desired.
- Yield:
- 1 cocktail
