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Host a Travel-Themed Brunch: Pandan Negroni + Viennese Fingers Menu

ssundays

2026-01-27

10 min read

Pack a pandan negroni and melt-in-the-mouth Viennese fingers for a weekend travel brunch — make-ahead, packable tips and pairing ideas.

Short on time, craving a restorative weekend? Pack a travel-friendly brunch that tastes like a curated escape.

Weekend plans are short, choices are many and luggage is limited. If your Sunday goal is easy luxury — great coffee, an effortless cocktail and a melt-in-the-mouth teatime biscuit you can nibble between trails or on a balcony — this packable menu was designed for you. Combining an Asian-infused Pandan Negroni inspired by Bun House Disco and classic Viennese fingers (the teatime biscuits that always disappear first), you’ll get a compact, make-ahead brunch that travels beautifully.

Micro-escapes, sustainable picnics and regional ingredient storytelling have continued to shape weekend travel into 2026. Late 2025 saw an uptick in boutique cafés and cocktail bars leaning into heritage flavors — pandan and rice spirits among them — and outdoor dining remains a top choice for people prioritizing safety and low-fuss experiences. This menu follows those trends: it’s packable, make-ahead, and leans into provenance for flavor and storytelling.

Pandan Negroni — pandan-infused rice gin, white vermouth, green Chartreuse. (Inspired by Bun House Disco’s pandan riff.)
Viennese fingers — buttery piped biscuits, ends dipped in dark chocolate (Benjamina Ebuehi-style).
Simple pairings: strong coffee or fragrant tea, citrus preserves, and a savory counterpoint (cucumber-salmon roll or marinated chickpeas).

Pandan Negroni Recipe — Packable Cocktail for Two to Four

This is a compact, travel-minded version of the pandan negroni popularized by London’s Bun House Disco (credit: Linus Leung). The pandan adds a green, grassy sweetness you’ll notice first, balanced by the bitter-sweet Negroni structure and herbaceous Chartreuse.

Ingredients (makes 4 servings, easy to bottle)

200ml rice gin (or other neutral gin)
20g fresh pandan leaf (green parts only), roughly chopped
60ml white vermouth
60ml green Chartreuse
Optional: 20ml simple syrup if you prefer sweeter
Fresh citrus peel for garnish

Method — pandan-infused gin (quick infusion)

Roughly chop the pandan and place in a blender with the 200ml gin. Blitz for 20–30 seconds until the gin is vividly green and fragrant.
Strain through a fine sieve lined with muslin into a jar. Let settle for a couple of hours and decant — your infused gin keeps refrigerated for up to 3 weeks.

Assembling the travel-bottle Negroni

In a measuring jug, combine 150ml pandan gin, 60ml white vermouth and 60ml green Chartreuse. Stir to combine.
Taste; add up to 20ml simple syrup if you want rounder sweetness.
Bottle in a small, sealable stainless-steel flask or a 500ml glass bottle (for car travel). Keep refrigerated or on ice in a cooler until serving.

Picnic serving tips

Pre-batch and chill the cocktail. For individual servings, pour 60–75ml over an ice cube in reusable plastic or tempered glass tumblers.
Garnish with a short curl of orange peel or a small pandan leaf tucked into the glass. For portability, pre-prepare peel twists in a small jar.
If you’re serving family or groups, bring a small bottle of soda water to trim the drink into a lighter spritz for daytime drinking.

Note: vermouth oxidizes after opening — keep your pre-batched Negroni chilled and consume within 48–72 hours for best flavor.

Viennese Fingers — Teatime Biscuits Built for Travel

These buttery piped biscuits are a teatime classic that travel exceptionally well. They’re crisp around the outside and delightfully soft inside; the chocolate-dipped ends bring a grown-up finish that pairs beautifully with the pandan’s grassy notes.

Ingredients (makes ~30 fingers)

250g unsalted butter, very soft (or vegan butter for a dairy-free version)
100g icing sugar, sifted
1 tsp vanilla extract
250g plain (all-purpose) flour
2–3 tbsp milk (or plant milk) to adjust pipeability
200g dark chocolate, tempered for dipping
Optional: flaky sea salt or crushed pistachio for garnish

Method — easy, travel-minded

Preheat the oven to 160°C (fan) / 180°C (conventional). Line two baking sheets with parchment.
Beat the softened butter and icing sugar until light and pale. Add the vanilla.
Fold the flour in gently, adding milk a tablespoon at a time until the dough is soft but pipeable. The trick: don’t overwork it — keep it tender.
Transfer to a piping bag fitted with a large open-star nozzle and pipe 6–8cm fingers, 2cm apart.
Bake for 12–14 minutes until the edges are barely golden. Cool completely on a rack.
Melt the dark chocolate and dip both ends of each finger. Lay on parchment; add a pinch of flaky salt or crushed pistachio while the chocolate sets.

Make-ahead and storage

Make ahead: These keep for up to 5 days in an airtight tin at room temperature, or freeze for 4 weeks. To transport, layer with parchment in a shallow tin to prevent breakage.
Warm climates: Store chilled and pack in a cooler so chocolate doesn’t bloom or melt en route. For compact field refrigeration and off-grid options, consider portable power station and cooling options.

Travel-Picnic Packing & Preservation: A Checklist

Good packing is the difference between a charming picnic and soggy disappointment. Here’s a compact list tuned for weekends and short stays.

Insulated cooler or soft cooler backpack with ice packs
Stainless cocktail flask or small glass bottle (sealed) — for lower breakage and weight, consider reusable single-serve packaging options that many boutique bars now use.
Airtight tin for Viennese fingers, lined with parchment
Small jar for citrus twists and garnishes
Reusable tumblers and a corkscrew / bottle opener if needed — pack sustainably using items from a resilient smart-living kit.
Cutting board, small knife, napkins, and a compact picnic blanket
Waste bag for easy leave-no-trace packing

Packing protocols and tips

Freeze the pandan gin bottle partially (60–80%) the night before; it will act as a chiller without over-dilution on opening. For reliable power and chilled transit on longer trips, portable options like the Jackery HomePower ecosystem are worth checking.
Pack biscuits flat and don’t over-stack — a single layer with parchment separators avoids breakage. For small-food packing ideas, see compact insulated bento systems.
If you’re flying or taking trains, check alcohol transport rules. For road trips and logistics, travel-planning resources like a detailed road trip planning guide can remind you to secure bottles upright and cushioned.
Bring an insulated small bottle of sparkling water to make lighter cocktails on demand — perfect for daytime brunchers.

Pairings: Savory Counters & Beverages

Balance is everything. The pandan’s sweetness and the Chartreuse’s herbal spiciness play with rich, fatty and tangy flavors.

Savory pairings

Smoked salmon and cucumber rolls with a lime-miso dressing — bright acidity counters the cocktail.
Mini crostini with whipped ricotta, preserved lemon and herbs.
Marinated chickpeas with sesame and coriander for a vegetarian protein.

Beverage pairings

Tea: A fragrant oolong or jasmine tea complements pandan’s floral notes.
Coffee: A medium-roast filter coffee holds up to buttery biscuits.
Mocktail option: For non-drinkers, make a pandan soda — pandan syrup (or pandan-infused water) with soda and lime, plus a dash of tonic for bitterness.

Dietary Notes & Variations

Make this brunch accessible for groups with a few simple swaps.

Vegan Viennese fingers: Use a plant-based butter and plant milk. The texture may be slightly different but still excellent when piped with care.
GF option: Replace 25–30% of the flour with almond meal and reduce the liquid slightly; handle gently to avoid spreading.
Lower alcohol: Reduce gin by half, top with soda and use a touch less Chartreuse; or pre-batch a half-strength bottle for daytime sipping.

Weekend Timeline: A Busy-Traveler’s Prep Plan

Short on time? This timeline gets you from fridge to picnic in under an hour on Sunday morning if you do the right prep on Friday or Saturday evening.

Friday evening (30 minutes)

Make pandan-infused gin and chill in a sealed bottle.
Bake Viennese fingers and let cool. Dip chocolate and store in an airtight tin.

Saturday evening (15 minutes)

Assemble the Negroni bottle (combine pandan gin, vermouth, Chartreuse). Refrigerate.
Pack picnic kit and place ice packs in freezer. If you’re sourcing local ingredients and want to emphasize provenance, read more on microcation and local sourcing trends.

Sunday morning (20–30 minutes before departure)

Freeze cocktail bottle partially if desired, place in cooler with ice packs.
Load biscuits in tin, garnish jar, tumblers and serving cloth. Add savoury finger food last to the cooler so it stays cold.

Serving, Storytelling & Host Notes

Part of the charm of a travel-themed brunch is the story behind it. Tell guests where the pandan riff came from (credit Bun House Disco, London) and mention that the biscuits are based on a classic Viennese teatime recipe (celebrated by bakers like Benjamina Ebuehi). A short narrative — 20 seconds at most — makes the menu feel intentional and connects guests to place even when you’re only away for a night.

“A little storytelling — where the flavors originated, why you chose them — turns a picnic into a shared memory.”

Advanced Strategies & Future-Friendly Tips (2026)

As travel and hospitality continue evolving, here are practical ways to future-proof your weekend brunches.

Reusable single-serve packaging: In 2026, boutique bars and pop-ups increasingly use recyclable or reusable sealed pouches for pre-batched cocktails. Look for stainless or silicone pouches that reduce weight and breakage risk — and read forecasts on smart packaging and IoT tags.
Local sourcing: Seek local rice gins or pandan growers. Using municipal producers reduces carbon footprint and deepens the travel story.
Temperature control tech: Compact phase-change coolers and vacuum-insulated flasks are inexpensive and make a dramatic difference in preserving delicate biscuits and cocktails in transit. For portable power and off-grid cooling, consult the roundups on portable power stations.
Quick quality checks: Do a taste check on pre-batched cocktails within 24 hours of service; vermouth can lose brightness after opening.

Common Questions Answered

How long will pandan-infused gin keep?

Stored refrigerated in a sealed bottle, the infusion keeps well for up to three weeks. Flavor will mellow over time; make it within a week for peak vibrancy.

Can I make Viennese fingers gluten-free?

Yes. Replace up to 30% of the wheat flour with almond meal and reduce liquid slightly. Pipe gently and watch oven times closely; they may brown faster.

Is the Negroni suitable for daytime drinking?

It’s bold — but daytime-friendly when diluted slightly with soda. Pre-batch a lighter bottle by halving gin and topping with soda in serving glasses.

Final Notes: Design Your Weekend Brunch Like a Local

Small details make a big difference: the sheen on your chocolate-dipped fingers, the green flash from pandan gin, a jar of citrus twists and a short story about where the idea came from. This menu is intentionally repeatable: make the biscuits and infusion on Friday, assemble on Saturday and you’ll be sipping and sharing memories on Sunday with minimal work and maximum joy.

Inspired by creative bartenders and bakers — notably Bun House Disco’s pandan riff and Benjamina Ebuehi’s Viennese fingers — this brunch is travel-tested for the modern micro-escape. Keep it chilled, keep it simple, and pack a little souvenir: a small jar of extra pandan gin to enjoy back home.

Takeaway Checklist

Prep pandan gin Friday night. Bake Viennese fingers the same day.
Pre-batch Negroni and chill; use insulated bottles for transport.
Pack biscuits flat in an airtight tin and keep cool in a soft cooler.
Bring small jars for garnishes and a bottle of soda for lightening drinks.
Tell a short story about the ingredients — it makes the meal feel like a destination.

Ready to host a weekend that feels like a getaway?

If you’re short on time but long on style, this pandan negroni + Viennese fingers menu will be your new go-to. Test the recipes at home, adapt them for dietary needs, and keep a travel kit ready: pre-batched cocktails in a sealed flask, an airtight tin of biscuits and a compact cooler. Your next micro-escape just got tastier.

Want the print-friendly recipe card and a packing checklist you can email to friends? Click to download our free two-page brunch kit — recipes, shopping list and a weekend timeline. Turn a short break into a long-memory brunch.

sundays

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Senior editor and content strategist. Writing about technology, design, and the future of digital media. Follow along for deep dives into the industry's moving parts.