Lanchester has reason to cheer: his latest novel, Capital, is storming the book charts. Whatever the celebration, this foolproof classic is an appropriate pour. London banker Roger Yount, the central character in Capital, might prefer vintage Dom Pérignon in his, but for those not as fortunate to own a multi-million pound Clapham villa like his, this works equally well with £15 supermarket promo champagne or cava.
Make it...drip two 4 drops of Angostura bitters onto a white sugar cube. Place in the bottom of a flute glass. Cover with cognac (20ml). Top with chilled bubbly.
Drink it…The Bar at The Capital Hotel, SW3; Claridge’s Bar W1; Prism EC3; Épernay, Manchester and Leeds; Hotel du Vin, Glasgow and Brighton; Malmaison, Oxford; 23, Sheffield.
