I still remember the first day I saw the words “Kitten” in gold foil on a new shop window in Parkdale almost 2 years ago- I immediately knew whatever was opening up was going to be a new favourite spot. When Kitten and the Bear actually opened a few weeks later I automatically became a regular customer, stopping in for jam and scones whenever I possibly could, and before long I was on a first name basis with the lovely owners Sophie and Bobby.
Flash forward a few years and my fridge is stacked with almost every kind of Kitten and the Bear preserve available. I still constantly visit the shop, and I’ve become quite close with all the staff. During a routine girl-boss meeting a few months back Sophie and I decided we should work on a shoot idea together, and so the Pastel Xmas Par-Tea was born.
On top of helping with sourcing, styling, and planning, Sophie and Bobby came up with all sorts of wondrous creations for our festive tea party, like christmas tree cucumber sandwiches and mini scone canapés. But of course a party isn’t a party without a few cocktails, and Kitten and the Bear had just the thing- a jam infused Sugar Plum Fairy Punch!
Ingredients //
12 oz gin
4 oz Cointreau
8 oz freshly squeezed lemon juice
6 oz Kitten and the Bear Black Plum & Earl Grey jam diluted with 6 oz water
1/2 c sugar
16 oz dry champagne
Instructions //
(Yields 8-12 cocktails)
– First, peel the zest from the lemons with a vegetable peeler, and muddle with sugar at the bottom of a mixing bowl (for a full recipe) or cocktail mixing glass (for a half recipe).
– Add KATB Black Plum & Earl Grey jam and water, and mix/muddle until the mixture is smooth and all of the sugar is dissolved and jam is diluted. Then, add gin, Cointreau and lemon juice (everything except the champagne), and stir.
Option 1:
If you will be serving your cocktail in a punch bowl for a “serve-yourself” presentation, fine strain the whole cocktail into your punch bowl, and chill in the fridge until your guests arrive.
For a festive sugar rim, generously rub the edges of your coupes with a lemon wedge, then dip gently in a saucer of sugar (mixed with edible glitter if you choose!) without letting the coupe touch the floor of the saucer. Then, tell everyone sugar plum fairies came overnight and danced on the rims!
When ready to serve, remove your punch from the fridge, add cold, bubbly champagne, and stir to combine, and garnish with thinly sliced rounds of plum. Display your punch bowl on your bar with sugar rimmed coupes and fancy drink stirrers.
Option 2:
If you will be mixing and pouring rounds of drinks to-order, add ice to your cocktail mixing glass and stir for about 30 seconds with a bar spoon.
Rim your cocktail coupes with sugar (directions above), and pour through a fine strainer directly into the coupe. Serve, and dance the night away!
All barware available at BYOB Cocktail Emporium!
