After making an order on Friday afternoon I had a special delievery arrive less than 24 hours later and just in time for a special evening with one of our closest and oldest pals. We had Jonny’s best mate and his little girl staying with us so of course this meant late night sitting around the table talking about music while we eat good food and sip even better drinks. A 31Dover order was obviously in the offing then and I knew, because I’ve used them before many times, that even though it was a late in the day order, it would arrive bang on time.
Often I order gin from 31Dover because, well, who doesn’t like it? But I’ve been mixing it up a bit of late and my last order before this weekend was for their amazing Skinny Prosecco (67 calories a glass – yum), some whisky and two very exceptional looking bottles of Vodka which I had wanted to buy for my hard working builders as thank you gifts. I find that each time I order from them, even if the order starts out as a bog standard ‘I just need to replenish the booze cupboard’, it kind of turns into something really personal and this time was no exception.
Our friend is really heavily inked and as it seems to on other people but not myself (I could never pull it of) he looks fab with his tatts and reminds me of my lovely friend Katy from Modern Mummy who also is a Queen tattoo owner. Katy told me recently about this event in London, a kind of art exhibition really, run by American tattoo artist (and wow, it really is art) Scott Campbell. He was bringing his installation to Covent Garden in London and Katy was totally intrigued by the fact you could go and register for a lottery ticket and then if your number came up you would be asked to join a queue to put your arm through a hole and have it inked by Scott. Scott Campbell’s Whole Glory looked amazing and his creations are utterly superb, so detailed and so beautiful. Watch the video on his site because everyone looked so so pleased with their designs – I’m just not brave enough to do it but it looked wild!
And perhaps fitting because our friend is so into tattoos but the bottle (this time is was Hennessy cognac) I ordered from 31Dover for this wekeend’s shenanigans is a limited edition ‘inked’ bottle by none other than Scott. The Hennessy Vs Scott Campbell Edition bottle is so beautiful and just about as close to a tattoo needle that I will get (probably) and looking at his crations closely I can see just how talented he is!
I knew that our lovely friend would enjoy that element and I also knew we would all revel in the drinking. The smell alone is tantilising on the senses and as the smooth liquor is sipped, a kind of warm relaxed washes over you in only a way that an evening with your oldest friends can. But… Before the drinking, or at least aong side it, comes food. No evening around the kitchen table is complete without a yummy supper and as I had decided to make my famous tiramisu for the occasion it seemed only fitting that I should add the Hennessy to it for the alcohol element. I never understand why people decide to put cheap and rough alcohol into these type of recipes because at the end of the day, surely having the best ingredients makes the best food. A tiramisu is not baked and rough alcohol remains rough and untoched if used so in my opinion only the best should be added! Here’s my recipe (which is also so easy you could do it with your eyes closed but it’s definitely an impressive desert if everyone who tries it is to be believed – now this is my kind of cooking)!
Ingredients: 200g sponge fingers, 200ml espresso coffee 100ml Hennessy Cognac, cocoa powder, 400g marscarpone cheese, 5 large eggs (separated), 125g caster sugar.
Method: In one bowl whip the egg yolks with two thirds of the sugar until pale and creamy. In another bowl whip the egg whites with the remaining sugar until they form stiff peaks and when the bowl is turned upside down it stays put. In a third bowl whip the marscarpone cheese until it is soft and then slowly add it to the egg yolks until it is all blended in. Finally fold in the egg whites very carefully. Mix the coffee with the Hennessy Cognac and lay a layer of sponge fingers on the bottom of a dish before pouting half of the coffee and alcohol mixture over the top and after that, spreading half the creamy mixture before repeating the layering. Dust with plenty of cocoa powder and then pop in the fridge for at least 4 hours before serving.
The Cognac in the tiramsu is delicious but of course we drank it neat to really get a flavour of it too and we can highly recommend! Cool service, interesting bottle and a very drinkable Cognac. Perfect for our Saturday ngiht supper!
So you’ve heard what I had to say but what do www.31Dover.com think of the Hennessy/Campbell limited edition?
The world’s number one cognac, Hennessy Very Special (V.S) has partnered with American tattoo artist Scott Campbell to continue a legacy of artistic collaboration that spans centuries. The new bottle serves as an embodiment of Hennessy’s dedication to “the art of blending” by overlapping two very different, very old traditions: tattoo artistry & Cognac making.
Celebrated as one of the brightest new faces on the art scene, Scott Campbell owns the legendary Saved Tattoo parlor in Brooklyn, NY, where he boasts a client list spanning New York’s art, design and fashion elite and has also earned acclaim from fine art communities around the world for his work in mediums other than skin.
The new Scott Campbell bottle holds the same great tasting Hennessy VS, with the modern update set to inspire and tempt a new generation of cognac drinkers.
The Hennessy Vs Scott Campbell Edition costs £33.95 at 31Dover.com.
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