Spiced Orange Bitters (gf)

A dash of this will give a delicious festive kick to your Negroni, martini, mimosa or lime and soda. It’s super-easy to prepare too – you just need a couple of weeks up your sleeve to leave it to infuse.

2 cinnamon sticks 1 vanilla bean 2 tablespoons coriander seeds

1 tablespoon each cardamom pods and sugar

1 teaspoon each black peppercorns, caraway seeds and whole cloves

½ teaspoon pink peppercorns

peel of 3 oranges, cut into strips

600ml vodka 400ml brandy

EQUIPMENT: A sterilised 1 litre-capacity jar.

Place all the ingredients except for the alcohol into the jar. Pour over the vodka and brandy and seal well. Shake gently and briefly to combine, then store in a cool dark place for 2-4 weeks, gently tipping the jar every couple of days to help the ingredients infuse. Strain the bitters through a fine sieve into bottles or jars of your choice and seal well. MAKES 1 LITRE