Well it’s Friday morning in Singapore, aka Thursday evening in the states, but I am pretty sure it is 5 o’clock somewhere. So let’s start drinking! I know a lot has changed here at The EGG with me moving halfway across the world and all, but I think I can keep a little consistency with maintaining the Friday cocktail recipe posts. Sure alcohol is a little on the expensive side here in Singapore, but the very least I can do for my readers is get drunk a minimum of one day a week. Hopefully in my drunken stupor I will remember to post on Saturday next time. That way you guys will actually get the recipe on Friday. Time zones can be so complicated, especially after you’ve had a few so bare with me here. Today’s cocktail is non other than the famous, or should I say infamous, Singapore Sling! The Singapore Sling is a cocktail that was developed sometime before 1915 by Ngiam Tong Boon, a bartender working at the Long Bar in Raffles Hotel. The original recipe used gin, Cherry Heering, Bénédictine, and fresh pineapple juice, primarily from Sarawak pineapples, which enhance the flavour and create a foamy top. Unfortunately, the original recipe is no longer being served anywhere on the island. The hotel’s current recipe was recreated based on the memories of former bartenders and written notes regarding the original recipe. (Pretty ridiculous in my opinion, but who’s to judge? Not I.) Basically the drink is different all over town, depending on who is making it, but we had ours at the Raffles Hotel, and since that is where the drink was born, that is the recipe we are going with. Seems silly since it is now made from a machine due to high volumes of orders, but whatever… Here is the recipe before I ruin the mystique of the drink all together.
Ingredients
- 1 ½ ounces gin
- ½ ounce Cherry Heering
- ¼ ounce Cointreau
- ¼ ounce Bénédictine
- 4 ounces pineapple juice
- ½ ounce lime juice
- ⅓ ounce grenadine
- 1 dash Angostura Bitters
Directions
Shake with ice. Strain into an ice filled Collins glass. Garnish with a cherry and/or pineapple.
Notes: This sucker will set you back about $26, so don’t go buying the house a round. You will be very surprised when you get the bill. I would suggest limiting yourself to one, so you can say you did it, and then head over to FairPrice and pick up a couple of six packs. Beer isn’t cheap either, but after the Singapore Sling price tag, anything seems reasonable.
Before arriving in Singapore I had never seen or heard of a Dragon Fruit. I know I lead a sheltered life, but I am working on it. On our first trip to the grocery store we did not buy much… We were sorta just checking things out, but we did buy a Dragon Fruit just because it looked so cool. The Hubby is a sucker for anything weird-looking and I am a sucker for anything pink. Dragon Fruit definitely fit the bill. When we got cut that sucker open and were very surprised with what we found. When you first cut into it looks like cookies and cream ice cream, but don’t be fooled by its appearance, it definitely does not taste like ice cream. The texture is like that of a kiwi. The taste is also similar to the kiwi, but much milder and more subtle. It actually does not have much flavor at all, but would be great in 
