Aviation

How to Cook Aviation

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1. Chill a coupe glass in the freezer for 5 minutes, or fill it with ice water while you make the drink.

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2. Fill a cocktail shaker with ice. Add the gin, maraschino liqueur, crème de violette and lemon juice.

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3. Shake hard for 12 to 15 seconds, until the shaker is very cold.

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4. Empty the ice water from the glass and strain the drink into it through a fine strainer, so that no ice chips fall in.

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5. Drop the brandied cherry into the glass and serve at once.

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What Can Go Wrong

1. Measure the crème de violette with care. A barspoon too much tastes like perfume or soap, and too little loses the colour and the floral note.
2. Use fresh lemon juice, squeezed just before mixing. The drink is sharp and delicate, and stale or bottled juice flattens it.
3. Strain through a fine strainer as well as the shaker strainer. Small ice chips in the glass dilute the drink and cloud the pale blue colour.

On the Table Alongside

Smoked salmon canapés · Oysters · Salted almonds

Keeping Aviation

Best made to order. For a party, mix the gin, liqueurs and lemon juice in a jug and keep it in the fridge for a few hours, then shake each drink over ice. The liqueurs keep for years in a cupboard.

Quick Answers

Nutrition per Serving

Per serving, calculated from the ingredient list. Treat these as an estimate — brands and cuts vary.