Let's Celebrate Cocktail Week.....with a coffee or two!

Hello there,

Welcome back to Tea With Me and Friends! Did you know that International Coffee Day is this week? Neither did we! It's no secret that Lorna and I are partial to the odd cup of coffee as well as the gallons of tea we enjoy....we also love a cocktail or two. Today's post combines two of our favourite beverages....

In honour of Cocktail Week and International Coffee Day on 1st October, the bars within Jason Atherton’s The Social Company are teaming up with Mr Black to create a range of cocktails featuring the Australian distillery’s coffee liqueur to be available from 26th September until 1st October.

Cold-extracted at 23 degrees, Mr Black’s coffee liqueur packs a punch of coffee flavour, providing the perfect base for a range of cocktails all displaying The Social Company’s signature playful and creative cocktails.

The Geisha at 7 Tales

Located downstairs at Japanese restaurant, Sosharu, downtown Tokyo inspired bar, 7 Tales, will be offering a particularly exclusive cocktail to mark International Coffee Week. The jewel in the crown of Mr Black’s collection, the Panama Geisha is a prize winning and limited edition coffee liqueur, with only 289 bottles available worldwide. With the Geisha an iconic character within Japanese culture, the coffee liqueur is a natural fit for 7 Tales’ Japanese-inspired menu and will be blended with 1999 Nikka coffey grain from the bar’s extensive collection of whiskies. Served in an elegant coupette glass and garnished with a stencil of the quintessential Japanese cultural figure, ‘The Geisha’ features a banana, apricot and sesame foam to create a subtle tropical flavour that pairs perfectly with the coffee liqueur and the 1999 Nikka coffey grain, presenting a modern interpretation of an espresso martini. Priced at £50 per glass, reflecting the exclusive nature of the ingredients used, ‘The Geisha’ will be London’s most luxurious tribute to this year’s International Coffee Day.

Hard Wired Cherry Cola at The Blind Pig

In celebration of International Coffee Day, guests at Jason Atherton’s speakeasy-style bar, The Blind Pig, can enjoy the specially created Hard Wired Cherry Cola. With a blend of Mr Black coffee liqueur, Cherry Heering, a cherry flavoured-brandy, a dash of Fernet Branca digestif and a topping of cherry cola, and finished with a cherry and lemon twist garnish, the cocktail offers guests a grown up interpretation of the classic childhood fizzy drink.

Coff’ Medicine at Pollen Street Social

This International Coffee Day, the bar at Michelin-starred Pollen Street Social will be serving Coff’ Medicine, created by Group Bar Executive, Jamie Jones. Using Mr Black coffee liqueur as the base, Coff’ Medicine is a heady mix of mescal, Campari and chilli and chocolate bitters, to complement the coffee undertones. Garnished with an orange twist and prescription garnish, Coff’ Medicine is just what the doctor ordered.

Black to the Future at City Social

To celebrate this year’s Coffee Day, guests at the bar at Jason Atherton’s Michelin-starred City Social can enjoy Black to the Future. A futuristic take on an espresso martini, instead of coffee, the bar team will be blending Mr Black coffee liqueur with Aylesbury Duck vodka and dash of soy sauce to create a cocktail more akin to a dirty vodka martini. In a nod to the cocktail’s movie namesake, Black to the Future will also be garnished with an OUTATIME number plate, for a cocktail that plays with visuals as well as flavours.

I don't know about you, but I love the sound of the Hard Wired Cherry Cola!

Thank you for popping by today,

Rachel & Lorna

Afternoon Tea News.....Afternoon Coffee at The Arch London

Hello there,

Welcome back to an afternoon tea....or should that be afternoon coffee news article from Tea With Me and Friends! Yes, today we are sharing a little news from the world of coffee (shock horror!). When Lorna and I first started enjoying afternoon tea adventures we were rather partial to a cup of coffee....in some cases we might have asked for coffee instead of tea....yes I know...terrible behaviour! Lorna will probably not forgive me for letting our little secret out!

Today we still love a cup of strong black coffee and also rather enjoy coffee cake.....so when we heard about this afternoon coffee adventure to celebrate Coffee Week (4-10 May 2015) we wanted to find out more!

Priced at £37 per person, the Afternoon Coffee will include coffee treats to delight coffee lovers such as coffee flavour macaroons, mini coffee éclairs and cakes, as well as a selection of other cakes and pastries, finger sandwiches, homemade scones with clotted cream and jam, and of course a cup of freshly brewed coffee.

Doesn't that sound divine?

The Arch is a 5* London hotel, and afternoon  coffee (or indeed afternoon tea) is served in the ‘Martini Library’ which apparently is rather good for cocktails and also full of beautiful Taschen and Daunt books, celebrating the golden age of Broadway. Look out for the discreet ‘butler buttons’ which are placed by the armchairs!

The Arch, London - the Martini Library

Well, I think this afternoon coffee adventure sounds just perfect for all you afternoon tea lovers who also enjoy indulging in a cup of coffee. You can try this afternoon coffee experience at The Arch during Coffee Week and if you do indulge we'd love to hear about your experience!

If you are more traditional in your afternoon tea adventures, you can also indulge in a traditional afternoon tea which is also served in the Martini Library and costs £37.00 per person.

More information can be found on The Arch's website.

Thank you for popping by today,

Rachel