It was with this thought firmly in our minds that Mr SSG and I found ourselves crossing the city in peak hour last night to attend a Frangelico Masterclass at Mrs Sippy in Double Bay. The heavy rain of the late afternoon had stopped by the time we reached our destination, leaving behind much cooler Palm Beach candle scented air (for those of us lucky enough to find ourselves upstairs in the function room).
The Frangelico Masterclass was a special event hosted by Oliver Stuart, brand ambassador for Campari Australia. The aim of the evening’s event was to allow guests to make 5 different Frangelico based drinks under Oliver’s watchful and friendly eye. It was a lot of fun and you’ll all be happy to know that come the New Year, I won’t just be baking Frangelico brownies, but I’ll also be indulging in many a hazelnut liquer flavoured beverage.
These were the difficult conditions that we had to work under. Personal bars work stations set up with everything we needed to be mixologists for the evening.
Lots of citrus which works well with Frangelico’s nutty flavours. |
Mixologist standard cocktail shakers and strainers. I was such a pro I didn’t break the glass half of the shaker. But I did stumble with how to use the strainer… |
I want a box of perfectly pre cut citrus wheels and segments to just appear in my fridge every morning. I promise to drink more water with them….. |
Vodka, coffee liquor, ginger ale and prosecco all work well with Frangelico. And on their own for that matter. Not that I personally tested this out Thursday night… |
We had our own glassware set out for us as well as mint sprigs. |
Oliver never stopped being the bearer of good news. Frangelico is a fairly low alcohol and kilojoule liqueur. He suggests not mixing it with milk flavours but rather the citrus and coffee flavours that featured heavily on the evening’s menu.
Hazelnuts are big business in Italy. The Frangelico factory is just across the road from the Ferrero Rocher one in Italy. I forgot to ask if the Nutella den of chocolatey goodness was in the vicinity as well, I suspect it is…
The SSG beverage of choice for the evening was water with pre cut citrus segments. Don’t things always taste better when you don’t have to cut them yourself? |
The evening began with a drink that was already mixed for us, a Frangelico, Lime and Soda. This was Mr SSG’s favourite drink of the evening.
Frangelico, Lime and Sodas mixed by Oliver Stuart. Image courtesy of Trish Nicol Agency. |
It didn’t take us long to get comfortable with pouring generous shots of Frangelico.
Spiced Apple Highball
We scooped ice into tall glasses like we’d been doing it all our lives.
We even grated fresh nutmeg…
The end result was very refreshing and the nutmeg made all the difference.
Image courtesy of the Trish Nicol Agency. |
Seriously, we were working with a bar that had everything. Our next trick required shots of espresso and look, they magically appeared on our benches.
Mr SSG straining his martini that was definitely shaken and not stirred. |
But at least I got my coffee bean garnish to float.
By this point in the evening, things started getting a little messy. Literally. My recipe guide was splattered with espresso, lime juice and ginger beer. It was only because the Frangelico bottles had special spouts attached that prevent it too from being splashed across the bench.
Fortunately, we then moved on to carafe recipes which simply required a sturdy hand to pour the required ingredients into a large, narrow necked glass receptacle. What mess could I possibly make?
For a Hazelnut Fresca, go nuts with the SKYY vodka and guestimate what 200mls would look like in your chosen carafe. Repeat with Frangelico.
And then vitamize that alcohol with lime juice, prevent nausea with ginger ale (it really works for morning sickness) and garnish with those perfectly sliced lime and orange wheels you have lying reading in the fridge.
100ml fresh lime juice
900ml ginger ale
The East West Iced Tea was a very civilized affair, using a good quality green tea that Oliver had steeped and cooled earlier in the day for us. I’ll be making this all summer. In smaller quantities, perhaps….
Did someone say prosecco?
Because even if I can’t drink it right now, I sure as heck still enjoy opening a bottle.
Kaftan – Camilla, bangles – House of Harlow 1960. |
There’s something about traipsing around in a kaftan and statement bangles as Palm Beach candles flicker around me that makes me feel all Bohemian Hamptons and hence someone capable of whipping up a killer Prosecco based beverage. Chin, chin, darlings….
Sparkling Italian Punch |
Sparkling Italian Punch (carafe recipe)
The formalities of the evening ended with canapes and Frangelico affogatos.
And I tried not to look at the mess that I’d created in my corner of the bar….
As night fell, Mrs Sippy became a fairy light lit haven for the locals as they piled in for dinner or drinks in the courtyard. I was obviously not a local because I was the only person drawn to the caravan out the back that probably only opened for business in the height of summer. Still, it did make a pretty picture.
Downstairs at the restuarant… |
It goes without saying that I was desperately hungry by the time the session finished and that only way to rectify the situation was to head downstairs immediately for dinner. Fortunately, despite it being a busy night and us not having booked, the obliging and friendly staff were able to accommodate us pretty quickly.
The dining room at Mrs Sippy is pretty relaxed and comfortable. Large, overstuffed leather couches dominate the centre of the room and there’s a bar and barista at the front. The menu is full of old favourites, cooked well and served in generous portions. I thought the prices were fair for the ritzy locale.
Beer battered flathead, fries, garden salad and tartare sauce – $26. |
Mr SSG had nothing but good things to say about his fish and chips. The batter was crisp and light and the fish inside was a ‘proper fillet’ and tender. The dish arrived with the nicest tartare sauce I’ve had in a while.
Alaskan King Crab linguini, garlic, lemon, chilli, mint – $30. |
My linguini presented well but I wish there was more crab. The flavours were light and the pasta al dente.
Steamed greens – $9. |
Because it was a school night, we responsibly shared a serve of crisp greens.
I have a feeling that Thursday night was the last big night Mr SSG and I are going to have a for a long while. Even for someone going alcohol free for the evening, the masterclass was great fun and very informative. I hope you get the chance to give the recipes a try. They’re easy, look great and from the sips I had here and there, taste refreshingly different.