Citrus cocktails for Christmas
Preparing Christmas dinner and hosting the day with extended family can be tiring and stressful. Combine that with having to time everything perfectly, meet everyone’s needs – from goose-fat roast potatoes to mashed – and actually produce a meal that is edible and warm, it can all take its toll. It’s a long, complicated process and day. So a cocktail – or two – can definitely make things easier.
For years, mulled wine has been the go-to drink for festivities, but well-mixed cocktails are making evermore-frequent appearances on Christmas menus. Just take festive spices and fruits and mix with alcohol and you’re almost there.
Unlike our friends across the pond, eggnog is not high on British Christmas drinks list (mainly because many people are still unsure as to what it is). But for something less creamy, we have some lighter cocktail recipes to get you through the festive week.
Cointreau fizz with warm vanilla and apple 50ml Cointreau 15ml fresh lime juice 5ml vanilla syrup 30ml cloudy apple juice 40ml soda water
Fill the glass with ice, add the Cointreau, lime juice, vanilla syrup, cloudy apple juice, soda water and stir. Then garnish with a vanilla pod and a slice of apple.
The Christmas Negroni
To add a fun twist of pink and some wintery spice to the traditional Negroni cocktail, gin fans can try the Edgerton Christmas Pink Negroni at home:
80ml infused gin 50ml Martini bitters 50ml Martini Bianco 2 slices of orange
To make the infused gin
120g golden caster sugar 3 cloves zest of 2 oranges 1 cinnamon stick pinch of black pepper 500ml Edgerton Original Pink Gin
Add all the ingredients, except the gin, to a small pan. Gently bring the mixture to the boil then simmer over a low heat for 8-10 minutes, until it forms a light syrup. Take off the heat and leave to cool. Pour the cooled syrup and its infusions into a glass bottle and top up with the gin. Shake well and store for at least two weeks. Make the gin as far ahead as possible, then just before guests arrive, mix the ingredients in a jug, stir well and divide between glasses.
Citrus Christmas surprise
40ml Cointreau 10ml fresh lime juice 50ml fresh clementine juice 40ml sparkling water
Fill a glass with ice, add the Cointreau, fresh lime juice and clementine juice. Then top it off with sparkling water, and stir briefly. Garnish it with three fresh cranberries for a festive feel. – The Independent