I know I’m not alone in saying that I cannot wait for 2020 to be over! Celebrate the end of one of the worst years in recent history by saying ‘Cheers!’ with one of these cool cocktail recipes.
Vodka & Cranberry Blush
A sweet and sophisticated cocktail with the colour of a summer sunset – perfect for seeing in the new year.
Ingredients:
200ml each of vodka* and Cointreau
600ml cranberry juice
400ml orange juice
Strips of peel from a couple of limes
Crushed ice to serve
Method:
Pour gin and Cointreau into a jug and add the cranberry juice and orange juice, stir well.
Pare strips of peel from limes, fill glasses with crushed ice and pour over cocktail mix. Garnish with lime peel.
*Our vodka of choice: Pure Heart Vodka from Copper Road Distillery – this batch brewed vodka recently won a gold medal for vodka in the NZ Spirit Awards, the only vodka to be awarded gold in both 2019 and 2020.
Peach Sangria
Create a titillating twist on classic Sangria by making it peachy-keen.
Ingredients:
2 bottles of dry white wine
4 tbsp Cointreau
250ml peach schnapps
2 cinnamon sticks
2 sliced limes and 2 sliced oranges
500ml soda water
ice to serve
Method:
Put the dry white wine, Cointreau, peach schnapps, cinnamon sticks, sliced limes and oranges into a large bowl, stir and chill. To serve, add the soda water and some ice and pour into jugs.
Elderflower and Cucumber G&Ts
A delicate and refreshing take on this summer classic.
Ingredients:
Cucumber (for juice and garnish)
100ml elderflower cordial
100ml gin*
Tonic water and ice to serve
Method:
Grate the cucumber into a sieve over a bowl and press down to extract as much juice as possible. Add the elderflower cordial and gin to the cucumber juice. In a glass of ice pour in a quarter of the gin and cucumber mix, top with tonic and garnish with a strip of cucumber.
*Our gin of choice: Juno’s Extra Fine Gin, this gin from the foot of Mt Taranaki is appealingly aromatic and well balanced, the perfect base for building delicious cocktails or for the perfect G&T.
Raspberry Martini Fizz
Fizz the season! Make your New Year’s Eve sparkle with this bubbling beauty.
Ingredients:
350ml Martini Rosso
150ml gin
4 tsp icing sugar
24 frozen raspberries
2 bottles chilled prosecco or other sparkling wine
Method:
Step 1: Mix the Martini and gin together and chill or store in a bottle if making ahead. To make it extra cool, chill your Champagne glasses, too.
Step 2: When ready to serve, spoon ½ tsp icing sugar into champagne glasses. Pour over the Martini mixture, mix with a spoon and add the frozen raspberries. Top up with prosecco / sparkling wine.
