Summer
La Hora del Vermut, or ‘Vermouth Hour’ (if you must speak the King’s), was originally a chance to pause, gather one’s thoughts and enjoy an aperitif before lunch. We’re solid believers in the practice; but why limit yourself to any one time of the day? As the weather warms, and the days grow longer, we think a glass or two, over ice (with a slice, of course) is a great way to begin a day or evening.
Perhaps commence with an outside seat - the contrasting light of day is always best watched from the street – and an order of sunset appropriate, deep red, rust coloured vermouth, and watch as the long shadows of the mid-afternoon are swallowed by the golden glow of the slow-sinking sun.
Maybe it’s the balance of botanicals and herbs, the harmony of aromatics and infusions all coming together that inspire us, but there’s also something about the colours and tones of vermouth. Even the labels and the shapes of bottles make our festive hearts skip a beat.
If you wanted to enjoy vermouth in winter we’d understand, it’s a wonderful drink, but there’s something about vermouth and ice rattling around a tumbler that seems to match the ease of a summer afternoon - a moment to breathe before the inevitable activity of the meal ahead.
We’ve tied in several appropriate snacks, from razor clams steamed in Manzanilla to confit seafood on toast. But we couldn’t have this special ritual without including the Gilda. A magical combination of anchovies, guindilla peppers and olives, they are deliciously salty, unbelievably morish and feel like Spain on a stick.
“Give us a moment there’s a vermouth for that…”
A vermouth-based cocktail has been developed with long sunny days in mind, and is served tableside via a siphon with a feeling only a cocktail served tableside can bring. Not wanting to stray too far from the process, we call it the ‘Preparado con Sifon.’
Much like the drink itself, La Hora del Vermut is surprising, unpredictable and unique. What happens in that time is for the vermouth gods to decide, but perhaps an old-school, Spanish style, Fot-li ‘Rojo’ Vermut (Catalonia) or La Goya ‘Goyesco’ Vermut Marco de Jerez will conjure up feelings of Madrid or Mediterranean holidays, while local varieties like Ochota Barrels ‘Botanicals’ or Saison’s ‘Fallen Quinces’ will have you pondering the existential; love, life, or what’s next on the menu…
There are no rules, just some excellent vermouths to try, snacks to match and stories to be told. Whenever you’re ready; we can’t wait to share it with you.
