Essex University friends set up bespoke cocktail service Zizzy Bar.
Colchester and cocktails have proved an excellent mix for four former Essex University students, whose mobile bar service has proved a huge success at events in North Essex.
Graduates Vicky Madzharska, Iliya Todorov, Stefan Georgiev and Nikola Nikolov, who all worked in bars to help fund their studies, set up Zizzy Bar full-time on leaving the university in the summer of 2015 and it has proved an instant hit.
The team bring their oak handcrafted mobile bars to a range of events, along with a huge supply of top shelf spirits and luxury mixers. The experienced mixologists then create a range of drinks specially selected for their guests.
Director Vicky said: “We now do more than 100 events per year compared to our first season when we did only five. Due to our strong social media presence, we have very quickly become a preferred local mobile bar service.”
Christmas, of course, is a busy time of year for the team. “The majority of our events at this time are Christmas work dos and we also put on cocktail masterclasses with festive themed cocktails,” said Vicky. “The most popular drinks at this time of the year are the spiced flavour cocktails with cinnamon, gingerbread and pumpkin spiced. Also, dark coloured spirits such as cognac, spiced rum or port are among the most preferred choices of our clients.”
The foursome certainly know their Bellinis from their Bloody Margharitas and events can be alcohol free, with the bartenders as knowledgeable about mocktails as cocktails. Vicky said: “Our team consists of professional mixologists who all have experience in 5-star hotels and resorts around the world. We specialise in high-quality ingredients and drinks and we also pay special attention to presentation and garnish. The key here is to combine all different flavours of the spirit with the essence of the fruits. We do believe that bartending is not just about serving drinks and collecting glasses, but it is a well respected career path that we have all chosen to follow. What is more, at Zizzy Bar we really enjoy what we do.
“Our menus are quite long. We like to give choice to our customers and let them drink what they really love not just what’s available. You will always find a range of cocktails on our menus regardless of the season.”
As an early Christmas present from the Zizzy Bar, we have a recipe for one of the team’s most popular festive cocktails.
Zizzy Bar Christmas cocktail
Ingredients
35 ml vodka
15 ml cointreau
Cinnamon powder
Raspberry juice or muddled raspberries
Orange peel for garnish
Method
Get a chilled martini glass and fill up with soda water. Add all ingredients to a shaker with ice. Shake for 10 to 15 seconds. Fine strain into the chilled martini glass. Flame an orange peel and place in drink as garnish.
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