The boy and his poison: The Brighton Rock

This was an irresistible drink conceit to end my contribution to Sussex Week on. I initially toyed with the idea of working up a variation on a 40s classic cocktail to celebrate the book but as a child the overriding memory of Brighton I have is walking away, decaying my teeth slowly on a minty stick of rock. That said, rather than take the easy route of popping out and buying a bottle of Crème De Menthe to play with, I decided to pursue an adult twist on the flavour of mint and what could be more adult than infused spirits.

So bottle of gin in one hand and fresh mint in the other, I set about making a Brighton Rock. The fundamental principles of infusion open up a wealth of possibilities for experimentation. In this case I took Hendricks (an already cucumber strong gin) and let a packet of mint steep in it for two days, but the beauty of the method is that its just as simple to experiment with a multitude of combinations.

For the mint infused gin you'll need

• 150ml of gin or Vodka
• Two large stems of mint leaves

Make it

• Pour your gin into an airtight jar (an old jam jar will do)
• Wash and add the mint leaves, 
• Push down so the gin covers the mint
• Seal and store for a few days in a cool dark place
• Remove the mint and move the jar to the freezer

For the Brighton Rock you'll need

• 100ml mint infused chilled gin
• The juice of half a lime
• A dash of elderflower cordial
• Mint leaf to decorate

Make it

• Add the ingredients to the base of a cocktail shaker
• Stir until combined
• Strain into a cocktail glass
• Garnish with a mint leaf