'10 CREATION COCKTAILS'

                                                

'CLASSIC AND CREATIVE COCKTAILS'

Despite the lack of sun recently, the summer holidays and summer months have meant family and friends have been reuniting and coming together as restrictions have eased. Sun or not, hopefully you can get some garden gatherings and parties can get booked in the diary.

Over the course of the pandemic we have had the time to explore and get resourceful in our kitchens, one of the popular experimentations being cocktails. Whether you’re trying to save a bit of money at home rather than spend away in the pub, you’re looking to host the next garden party or want an activity to delve into with family or friends, I thought I’d share some easy and tasty cocktails to try creating at home.

1)    BANANA COLADA (Serves 2)
- 100ml Rum of choice
- 250ml Pineapple Juice
- 2 Bananas
- 60ml Cream of Coconut (400ml coconut milk, 375g caster sugar, pinch of salt)
- Ice
Cream of coconut directions: Combine ingredients into a pot, gently heat and stir until the sugar dissolves. Transfer to an empty jug to cool to room temperature and store in the fridge for up to a week.
Cocktail directions: Add all ingredients into a blender and blend until smooth.

2)    STRAWBERRY DAIQUIRI (Serves 2)
- 400g frozen Strawberries
- 75-100ml White Rum
- 4 tbsp Caster Sugar
- Juice and zest of 1 Lime
Directions: Blend strawberries, rum, sugar and lime until slushy. Pour and serve.

3)    FROZEROL (Serves 8)
- 200ml Aperol
- 4 x 300ml Orange ice lollies eg. Calippo
- 750ml Prosecco
- 450g Ice
Directions: Cut ice lollies away from their sticks. Blend lollies, 100ml Aperol, ice and prosecco until slushy. Pour into a jug and stir in the remaining 100ml Aperol. Serve.

4)    FROZEN GIN FIZZ (Serves 2)
- 350ml Lemonade
- 100ml Gin
- 2 tsp Caster Sugar
- Juice of half a Lemon
Directions: Pour lemonade into a baking tray or Tupperware and freeze overnight. Break it into clumps, blend with gin and sugar until slushy. Pour and serve.

5)    SUMMER MOJITO (serves 1)
- 5 Mint Leaves
- Shot of White Rum
- 60ml Pineapple Juice
- Passionfruit
- 1 tsp Lime Juice
- Splash of Soda Water
Directions: Mix the lime juice, soda water, rum and pineapple juice in a glass. Squeeze in half the passionfruit and garnish with the other half along with the mint leaves.

6)    GIN SPRITZ (Serves 1)
- 1-2 shots of gin (Pink or Blood Orange Gin works well)
- 100ml Pink Lemonade or Soda Water
- 1 tsp Lemon juice
- Lemon slices and raspberries
Directions: Combine the gin, soda water or lemonade and lemon juice. Pour and garnish with lemon slices and raspberries.

7)    TWISTER TEMPTATION (Serves 1)
- 2 Twister Lollies
- 2 Vodka shots
- Handful of Ice
- Lime slices
Directions: Remove the lollies from their sticks, blend with the vodka and ice until slushy. Pour and garnish with lime.

8)    SEX ON THE BEACH (Serves 2)
- 50ml Vodka
- 25ml Peach Schnapps
- 2 juiced oranges or 50ml Orange Juice
- 50ml Cranberry Juice
- Ice
Directions: Fill required glasses with ice cubes, Pour the vodka, peach schnapps, cranberry and orange juices into a jug and stir. Divide the mixture and stir to combine.

9)    WATERMELON LIMEADE (Serves 2)
- 1 small seedless Watermelon
- 2 Limes
- 2 shots of White Rum
- 2 Tbsp sugar
- Litre of Club Soda
Directions: Slice ¾ watermelon into cubes (reserve ¼ for juice), place the ¾ into a bag and freeze overnight. In a strainer over a bowl, press the remaining ¼ chunks until most of the juice is extracted. Slice limes and squeeze into each glass throwing in the lime. Add a tbsp of sugar and shot of rum to each glass and mix. Fill with the watermelon ice cubes and top with the soda.

1   BISCOFF EXPRESSO MARTINI (Serves 1)
- Coffee Liqueur
- 30ml Expresso or Coffee
- 1 shot of Vodka
- 30g Biscoff Spread
- Biscoff Biscuits
- Ice
Directions: Make 30ml of coffee or an expresso shot and allow it to cool. Blend with ice, vodka, coffee liqueur and biscoff spread. Pour and sprinkle with biscoff biscuits.