[#AD – Press Event. Thank you to The Botanist York for having me!]
UPDATE, 2020: For unfathomable reasons, this blog post remains one of my most-viewed and clicked-on posts. It was written years ago, pretty early on in my blogging journey, so do be assured that both my writing and images have improved a lot since then. Thank blummin’ goodness…
There are many, many things I love about living in York,one of them being the huge selection of cocktail bars that the city has to offer. Whilst everybody who knows me is aware that I’m a die-hard Evil Eye fan, it’s time to reluctantly admit that I have a new favourite to add to the list: The Botanist.
I’m not gonna lie, I was hooked from the second I read the phrase ‘bring some theatre to your drinking experience’ on my invitation to their cocktails and canapés evening, and the event itself certainly did’nt disappoint: delicious food and excellent company, and the drinks were just FABULOUS. We got to try out four different cocktails, and I can one hundred percent confirm that they taste as good as they look…
Strawberry and Elderflower Bellini: this is exactly the kind of thing I usually go for in a drink. Lengthened with Prosecco and served in an elegant flute, it was the perfect sweet and summery drink to kick off the evening.
Raspberry Disaronno Sour: my favourite recipe of the evening; the combination of raspberry, lemon and pomegranite with the Disaronno tasted like tangy, sour sweeties. And it comes in a plant pot (A PLANT POT, what a time to be alive!!!) complete with steaming dry ice and decorative greenery; this is definitely the one that will make it onto your Instagram feed and make all your sober friends incredibly envious.
Velvet Green: this one is a bit less in-your-face, with more subtle flavours and presented in a Martini glass. It combines apple, kiwi and lemon flavours with gin, topped with a botanical elixir: the pigment that allows plants to absorb light. Proper fancy, right? This one wasn’t my favourite since I’m not really a fan of apple flavours, but I can imagine it being a gorgeously refreshing choice on a summer’s day all the same.
Pimms Teacup: and to finish with a bang, a good old brew of Pimms. Combined with cranberry, lemon and poppy liqueur, this drink was absolutely delicious; if it wasn’t socially unacceptable, I reckon I could happily put away as many cups of this as I do of my go-to English Breakfast tea. And there’s just something about being able to pour a cocktail out of a teapot that’s absolutely blummin’ precious. It’s an experience all in itself.
Whilst consuming all of these amazing creations, we were also served some amazing little snacks, including bitesize burgers and mini fish and chips. Why is it that tiny food always tastes like the best food?!
If the standard of these nibbles matches the rest of the menu, I can’t wait to bring my friends for a meal. And best of all? Clear allergy information provided upon request. Hallelujah. After chatting to the chef, I even found out that the kitchen is willing to modify specific dishes on the menu to give more choice of suitable meals to those with allergies like mine… something that fellow allergic-to-life folk will know is a blessing not to be taken lightly…
I had a wonderful evening, and I’d like to say a HUGE thank you to The Botanist for hosting a fab event and for being so accommodation of my allergy requirements, and to Ellie and the rest of the bloggers for such an enjoyable evening. It’s a tough job sitting down and chatting whilst an endless supply of incredible food and drinks are brought to you, but I sure as hell volunteer as tribute….
You can find your local The Botanist here. If you liked this post, you may be interested in my guide to wheelchair accessible pubs and bars in York too!
