Cocktail of the week: Black Lacquer’s like a stone – recipe

This Japanese plum liqueur cocktail with a seaweed-infused syrup is just the thing to take the edge off a long winter’s day. For a booze-free alternative, simply dilute some syrup with tonic to taste.

Like a stone

Serves 1

For the syrup (makes about 250ml)
½ sheet kombu (about 3g)
1 slice lemon
1 fresh thyme sprig
125g caster sugar

For the drink
40ml umeshu liqueur – we use Akashi-Tai
10ml London dry gin – we use Akashi’s 135 East
15ml seaweed, lemon and thyme syrup (see above and method)
Tonic water, to top

First make the syrup. Soak the seaweed in 125ml water for an hour (or longer, if you want a stronger seaweed flavour), then strain into a saucepan.

Add the lemon, thyme and sugar, then bring gently to a simmer, stirring to help the sugar dissolve. When the first bubbles appear, turn down the heat to low and simmer gently for five minutes.

Take off the heat, leave to cool, then strain into a large clean jar and seal – the syrup will now keep for up to a week in the fridge.

To build the drink, measure the umeshu, gin and syrup into a highball glass filled with ice, top with tonic to taste, give it a gentle stir and serve.

• Michele Del Negro, head of bars, Black Lacquer, Hyde London City, London EC4