Believe me, there is nothing that kickstarts the festive spirit like being asked to test some Christmas co*cktails. Given the season, I expected a decent amount of mulling, but this week there was not even a hint of it. Our readers, it seems, are far more creative, sidestepping warmly spiced wine for aromatic indulgence in much more sophisticated forms.
I thought it best to start with the sharper drinks, so first came a French 75 from Claire Hutton. Classic, yes, but if you can track down a gin with some interesting botanicals, such as fir, then it will be more than worth your while. The misty morning co*cktail from Lally Francesca Ronchetti MacBeth was the most refreshing of the bunch; serve on Boxing Day to shake off any sluggishness.
Similarly, the bloody mary with beetroot juice and pickling liquid from detoutcoeurLimousin would certainly shift a hangover, and, as suggested, makes for a great start to a meal in place of a traditional starter.
For something altogether sweeter, Colonial Cravings’ gingerbread man with warming amaretto and sweet vanilla notes is, in many ways, the best kind of pudding. And, as Bobby Ananta quite rightly points out, the chocolate and orange combo in his honey chocolate orange is a winning combination at this time of year; make yourself this when you have a moment to flop on the sofa.
Our winner this week, though, is from Fadime and it will please any palate: sweet, but fragrant; light, but still heady; simple to make, but vibrant and pretty. Make a double quantity of this syrup to have on standby in the fridge.
The winning recipe: spicy sumac and pomegranate co*cktails
I use a lot of sumac in my recipes, but I know there is a very good reason for that. This special spice is made from tiny red berries and is absolutely the star of these co*cktails.
Fadime, via GuardianWitness
Serves 6
For the syrup
230g caster sugar
150ml pomegranate juice
Juice of 2 clementines
Peel of 1 clementine
2 ½ tbsp ground sumac
1 star anise
1 ½ tbsp ginger, finely sliced
½ tsp thyme leaves
For the co*cktail
360-375ml sumac syrup
150ml rum
Juice of 3 limes
500-600ml soda water
Pomegranate seeds, to serve
Lime slices, to serve
Ice cubes, to serve
1 Put all the ingredients for the syrup into a pan, bring it to a boil and simmer it for about 5 minutes. Let it cool completely, then pass it through a fine muslin or a clean, thin tea towel to get rid off the sumac grains. Discard the sumac grains and other infused ingredients and transfer the syrup to the fridge to chill.
2 Mix together the syrup and the rest of the ingredients, stir it all together then serve.
Gingerbread man
Give the Baileys a break and make your own creamy concoction.
Colonial Cravings, via GuardianWitness
For the ginger syrup
3 tbsp sugar
3 tbsp water
5cm piece ginger, sliced and bashed a little
Serves 1-2
25ml bourbon
25ml vanilla vodka
25ml ginger syrup
15ml amaretto
30ml single cream
Ice cubes
A pinch of nutmeg or cinnamon, to serve
1 To make the ginger syrup, put all the ingredients in a small saucepan and let the mixture bubble over a low heat for a few minutes. Allow it to cool before straining and using.
2 To make the co*cktail, add everything but the cinnamon or nutmeg to a co*cktail shaker with plenty of ice. Shake to combine, then strain into glasses. Sprinkle the top with a pinch of nutmeg or cinnamon, then serve.
Honey chocolate orange
...because there’s nothing more festive than orange and chocolate.
Bobby Ananta, Leicester
Serves 1-2
1 tbsp hot chocolate powder or 2 pieces dark chocolate, plus extra to serve
1 tbsp boiling water
50ml orange or marmalade vodka
20ml brandy
1 tbsp orange blossom honey
150ml single cream
Crushed ice
Whipping cream, to serve (optional)
1 First, make a chocolate paste by mixing the hot chocolate powder with the boiling water, stirring until smooth.
2 In a tumbler, whisk the chocolate paste, honey, vodka and brandy until combined. Add the single cream and keep whisking gently until mixed well. Top up with crushed ice, whipping cream and chocolate beads.
French 75
French 75s are wonderful at any time of year. If you can find a gin with fir botanicals, it is as close as you can get to drinking your Christmas tree ...
Alice Hutton, London
Serves 4
60ml gin
30ml lemon juice
30ml sugar syrup
500ml champagne or sparkling wine
Lemon peel twists, to serve
1 Mix the gin, lemon juice and sugar syrup in a jug, then divide between a couple of glasses and top with champagne or sparkling wine. Decorate with a lemon twist.
Barszcz bloody mary
Barszcz is Polish beetroot soup – traditionally served on Christmas Eve (Wigilia). It is a sweet and sour soup, and ours was always garnished with sour cream and copious amounts of fresh chopped dill. My Barszcz bloody mary co*cktail is inspired by those festive family dinners and flavours I grew up with.
detoutcoeurLimousin, via GuardianWitness
Makes 1
100ml beetroot juice
50ml vodka
20ml sweet pickled gherkin liquid
15ml lemon juice
5ml Worcestershire sauce
A pinch of cayenne pepper
A pinch of black pepper
A pinch of garlic salt
Ice cubes
To serve
Celery sticks
Dill
Sour cream
Sweet pickled gherkin slices
Lemon wedges
1 Add all the ingredients to a co*cktail shaker with a large handful of ice, shake and serve in a highball glass with your choice of garnishes.
Misty morning
A co*cktail a little like a walk on the moors on a misty morning; refreshing and slightly chilling.
Lally Francesca Ronchetti MacBeth, via GuardianWitness
Serves 1
Lemon wedge, for the glass
Caster sugar, for the glass
Crushed ice
25ml vermouth
25ml gin
Roughly 50ml freshly pressed apple juice
Mint leaves
1 Rub the rim of a martini glass in lemon juice, then dip in the sugar. Put a handful of crushed ice in the glass, then pour over the vermouth and gin and top up with freshly pressed apple juice. Garnish with mint leaves, then serve.B
