What’s on this weekend

It’s world gin day this weekend (13 June), and every man and his dog is getting in on the act.

I’ve been picking up a copy of @djmagofficial for as long as I can remember so it was an absolute honour when I got the opportunity to provide a mix for them.
Catch me in the mix this Saturday with @djmagofficial @bulldoggin_uk for @nordoffrobbins 19:00 (BST) #therevival #djmag pic.twitter.com/ab6UwzKSBB

— Frankywahmusic (@frankywahmusic) June 8, 2020

Speaking of dogs, Bulldog Gin (sorry) is teaming up with a handful of DJs to throw a virtual house party in aid of music therapy charity Nordoff Robbins.

Bulldog is partnering with monthly electronic music bible DJ Mag to broadcast a live set across the publication’s social channels.

Bulldog has some firm ties with the UK music industry, having partnered with London Field Day last year, and teaming up with clubbing cathedral Printworks in 2018 to host an event DJed by Groove Armada, Housekeeping, and Siggy Smalls.

But with Printworks closed and reports coming in that clubs around the country will have to significantly reduce their capacity if they’re ever going to reopen this year, Bulldog is taking the charity event digital.

The event will be headlined by house music legend Roger Sanchez, with the line-up featuring additional sets from Franky Wah, Siggy Smalls.

All three have been working hard this year bringing out new releases with no clubs to perform in, but house fans should show them some love this weekend with a mini party at home.

Date: Saturday 13 June, 6pm-10pm

Where: here

If four hours of house music is a bit rich for your blood, UK gin brand Warner’s has launched interactive virtual gin tasting and tour experiences on its website.

Broadcast live from their Falls Farm distillery in Northamptonshire, the “Step Outside” tour experiences invite gin fans to get a look at Warner’s five acres of botanical gardens and an apiary, learn about the brand’s own conservation programme, meet founders and husband and wife team Tina and Tom Warner, and learn how to make cocktails.

When: from Saturday 13 June, 1pm. You can book a few slots throughout the coming weeks.

How much: £40

Where: click here to book

You decided to stay in London for lockdown. It was too risky to go home to mum and dad. Besides, think of all the takeaway pints!

That was four weeks ago, now the cracks are starting to show. You are just longing for grass, trees, bees, nature, anything other than looking at the wall of the block of flats opposite.

To soothe your nerves, Scotland’s Caorunn Gin has teamed up with food creative, Caroline Hobkinson, to bring gin fans an at-home sensory experience.

The brand’s new short films, which will be uploaded to the @caorunngin Instagram feed for World Gin Day, will reveal how sound, smell, and sight play an integral role in impacting the flavours of Caorunn’s Scottish botanicals.

Caroline will invite viewers to pinch their nose, bite into a spoonful of gin-spiked apple sorbet and discover how the flavours come to life.

This does involve a bit of prep, as you may need to make an apple sorbet at one point, although you can also be trabnsported to the Scottish Highlands by way of sound and sight through the video series, too.

When: From Saturday 13 June

Where: here

You’ve replenished the spirits supplies at home and even bought some fancy glassware on Amazon. You’ve been reading a few blogs about boozy desserts. This is the weekend you’re going to get creative with your alcohol intake.

Partnering with Slingsby Gin, Food writer and influencer Anna Barnett is hosting a live cook-a-long on her Instagram on Saturday at 6pm to make Slingsby Drunken Apricots with Meringue and Citrus Cream.

There is still time to go out and buy the ingredients to take part, which are:

Six apricots – halved

One orange – zested and juice added

Two generous slugs of Slingsby’s Marmalade Gin (or whatever citrus-flavoured gin you have at your disposal)

Vanilla pod – halved and scraped out – all added

Two tbsp honey

Five-six sprigs of fresh thyme

Several turns of black pepper

Four meringue nests – crumbled

600ml double cream

One-Two tsp orange blossom

One tsp vanilla bean paste – or use remaining half of pod

Zest of half an orange

Two heaped tbsp of icing sugar – or to taste

To Garnish

Several sprigs of mint – leaves picked

Sprig of fresh thyme

Barnett will host a live cook-along on Saturday evening at 6pm, so you can find another way to get gin into your weekend.

When: Saturday 13 June, 6pm BST.

Where: here

If you aren’t really that bothered about gin, Italian aperitif specialist Campari is helping to (virtually) open three of the world’s best bars.

Over the course of the next few weeks, Campari will be reopening a different bar each weekend, starting with Dante in New York (12-13 June), Rome’s Drink Kong (18-20 June) then Panda & Sons (25-27 June) in Edinburgh. On each night, guests will be able to choose from one of three slots – 6pm, 7.30pm or 9pm – each lasting an hour.

Each session will offer guests the opportunity to take a (virtual) seat at the bar and spend time with an award winning, world-class mixologist, including Linden Pride from Dante, Patrick Pistolesi from Drink Kong and Iain McPherson from Panda & Sons.

Guests will learn how to mix classic cocktails such as the Negroni and Sbagliato, as well as signature creations from the bars themselves.

The initiative is in aid of Campari UK’s Shaken Not Broken fund. The fund is administered by The Drinks Trust and provides much-needed support to frontline workers from the UK’s beleaguered bar industry.

When: 12-13 June, selected times only

Where: book here

On Friday (12 June), Brewdog’s virtual bar, the Open Arms, will open once again and welcome with a live gig you can enjoy at home.

Brewdog’s Punk O’Clock starts from 6pm, featuring a pub quiz and a live set.

When: Friday 12 June, 6pm BST

Where: link