BOARDWALK EMPIRE launch

To celebrate the DVD and Blu-ray launch of HBO Home Entertainment’s critically acclaimed, epic crime drama BOARDWALK EMPIRE: The Complete First Season out on 9 January 2012, we have joined forces with Marian Beke, head bartender at Nightjar, to create Boardwalk Empire-inspired cocktail recipes.

We were on to sample the the delights on offer, and more importantly get into the prohibition vibe that makes Boradwalk Empire such a fascinating viewing experience.

Nightjar, (voted London’s top bar by the Independent and Best New Bar 2010 by Metro) London’s ‘speakeasy’ style bar remains true to the Prohibition era theme of Boardwalk Empire, with original design and their own list of prohibition era inspired cocktails. Marian Beke is somewhat a prohibition drinks expert and has created a concoction of delicious cocktail recipes using bourbon and gin as the base.

There’s a fine selection for all taste buds which should get you in the drinking spirit whilst you warm up your home cinema system player. Sit back and sip responsibly as you enjoy the Emmy® award winning drama from the comfort of your own home. There’s even a non alcoholic cocktail for the January detoxers.

BOARDWALK EMPIRE INSPIRED COCKTAIL RECIPE (NON-ALCOHOLIC)

Julep

70ml apple juice, 10ml of apricot syrup, 2 sprigs Moroccan mint

Methodology

Add apple juice and syrup to a mini shaker or Julep. Add mint sprigs and crushed ice. Muddle vigorously with the end of a bar spoon. Serve

BOARDWALK EMPIRE INSPIRED COCKTAIL RECIPES (ALCOHOLIC)

Scofflaw Nation

40ml bourbon, 15ml Ratafia, 10ml dry vermouth, 10ml juice, 10ml grenadine, Dash orange bitters

Methodology

Add all the ingredients to a mixing glass and stir with a barspoon for 30 seconds, until the mixture is ice cold. Shake and double strain into a coupette glass. Spritz and garnish with a lemon twist, and serve.

Bootlegger’s Secret

40ml gin, 10 ml grenadine, 15 Amber vermouth, 10 ml lime juice, Half egg white

Methodology

Add all ingredients to a cocktail shaker.Shake hard for 15 seconds to ensure a healthy froth.Strain into a coupette. Garnish with a mini apple and serve.

Atlantic City Sour

50ml bourbon, 20ml sugar syrup, 25ml lemon juice, Half egg white, Dash bitters, 10ml spiced wine

Methodology

Add the bourbon, sugar, lemon juice, egg white and bitters to a cocktail shaker. Shake very hard for 15 seconds. Strain into a rocks glass filled with ice. Float spiced wine through the foam on the top. Spritz and garnish with a lemon peel.

Executively produced by Oscar®-winning director Martin Scorsese and from the pen of Terence Winter, Emmy® Award-winning writer of The Sopranos, BOARDWALK EMPIRE: The Complete First Season received 18 Emmy® Award nominations winning eight including ‘Outstanding Drama Series, Outstanding Casting For A Drama Series’ and ‘Outstanding Lead Actor In A Drama’.

Steve Buscemi (Armageddon, The Big Lebowski) stars in this explosive HBO drama series set at the dawn of the Prohibition era, when the sale of alcohol became illegal throughout the United States. Charting the birth of organised crime, the series chronicles the life and times of Enoch ‘Nucky’ Thompson (Buscemi), the Atlantic City treasurer whose double role as politician and bootlegger makes him the most powerful man on the Boardwalk.

Buscemi is accompanied by an outstanding all-star cast depicting real life people from gangster legend including British stars Kelly MacDonald (Gosford Park, No Country for Old Men) as Margaret Schroeder, Stephen Graham (This is England, Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy) as Al Capone, plus Michael Pitt (Hugo, The Dreamers) as Jimmy Boyd, Michael Shannon (Man of Steel, Machine Gun Preacher) as Agent Nelson Van Alden and Shea Whigham (Take Shelter, The Lincoln Lawyer) as Nucky’s younger brother Eli Thompson.

Set in the 1920′s, the visually stunning BOARDWALK EMPIRE has some of the most awe-inspiring production design ever seen in a television series, outstanding sets and features a 20′s soundtrack that sets the scene taking you back to an authentic gangster-fuelled era.