NO ICE, ICE, BABY

Worried about the cost of living crisis? Douglas Blyde knows an alternative way to keep warm

One way to ward off the impending cold is with a hug in a mug. What’s that, you ask? A warm cocktail, of course. The expanding Bar Swift collection, found at Old Compton Street, Great Eastern Street and soon, Borough, is rightly famed for its silky Irish Coffee serve, starring a filter brew sweetened with demerara, fortified by Irish whiskey, then crowned with whipped cream and nutmeg. In a similar vein, The Cadogan Arms, Chelsea, and The George, Fitzrovia, are offering the Verte Chaud. A boozy take on hot chocolate, it coalesces high quality cocoa with sprightly green Chartreuse and just a pinch of salt, and is opulently garnished with cream and torched marshmallows. Meanwhile, in addition to its signature Taiwanese steamed buns, Mr Bao in Peckham has created a mulled sake to a much guarded secret recipe. And finally, it’s worth waiting for the Peach Tatin from the minds at Hackney Road’s The Natural Philosopher, which debuts at London Cocktail Week (13-23 October) and will star grape-based gin, fragrant peach liqueur and a super savoury oat cordial. (barswift.com; jksrestaurants.com; mrbao.co.uk; naturalphilosopher.co.uk)