Hibiscus & Pomegranate "Chapman"

MAKES ABOUT I LITER

Chapman is a classie drink of my childhood. My friende and I always felt so grown up drinking these at loy Club, a country club in Lagos, where it famoualy Griginates. Technically a nonalcoholic punch with the distinct mix of flavored soda, pomegranate-bursting grenadine and Angostura bitters, the original version is rumored to have been a concoction created by a bartender at Ikoyi Club as a special request for his favorite customer who happened to be called Chapman Although there are other contradictory tales of ita origins, the legacy lives on and I am thrilled to share it with you. I have included two distinctive recipes, one with my own homemade fruit soda and hibiscus syrup mix, and a version closer to the classic, which uses sparkling juice and grenadine for its distinctive rouge tint. Cheers!

500ml soda water

125ml fresh pomegranate juice

(1 medium pomegranate)

125ml fresh orange juice

125ml fresh lemon juice

A few dashes Angostura bitters

1 lemon, sliced

1 lime, sliced

cucumber, sliced

TO SERVE

125ml Hibiscus Syrup (see page 267) or grenadine syrup

Crushed ice

Seeds of 1 pomegranate

A few small sprigs of mint

Lerato's Tip

If the syrup is too thick, heat for 15 seconds in the microwave to loosen or in a saucepan with a little water added. Leave to come up to room temperature before using. To minimize diluting your drink, you can also freeze soda or juice into ice cubes instead of adding ice.

Pour the soda water and fruit juices into a large jug and mix. Add the Angostura bitters, tasting after a few dashes. Reserve a slice of the lemon, lime and cucumber for each glass, then place the rest in the jug. Store in the fridge until chilled and ready to serve.

Divide the Hibiscus Syrup evenly between the glasses. Add a small amount of ice (we don't want this marvelous concoction watered down), a slice of lemon, lime, cucumber and a teaspoon of pomegranate seeds to each glass and top with the chilled juice. Finish with a sprig of mint. Mix your cocktail before drinking.

To make an Original-style Chapman, you'll need 500ml sparkling orange juice, 500ml sparkling lemon-lime juice, a few dashes of Angostura bitters, 125ml grenadine syrup, 1 lemon, sliced, 1 lime, sliced, ½ cucumber, sliced, and some crushed ice. Mix as above. Divide the grenadine between the glasses, Divide the citrus and cucumber between the jug and the glasses and chill in the fridge before serving. Serve as above, or mix all the ingredients in the jug before serving.