Ahh, gone are the days of Joan Collins drinking a Cinzano Bianco on a plane with clumsy boyfriend, Leonard Rossiter. But the dynamic duo did add a little sparkle to a selection of drinks that are bigger than ever today. The cocktail.
It seems logical to us that you wouldn’t keep your summer food menu going throughout the chillier seasons, so why not complement your autumn/winter menus with a few new funsters in a glass? We put our heads together to come up with some simple and effective autumn cocktails. But because cocktails are personal, feel free to put your own twist on them.
1. An Englishman in Russia
So, let’s start off really cool. Smooth Vodka, mixed with crushed ice and chilled Earl Grey tea, add a splash of tangerine juice and you’ll have the coolest cocktail with the warmest welcome.
2. Apple Crumble Stumble
The hint is in the name. Floods of apple juice mixed with Baileys Irish Cream and heated up with two (or three) shots of red Bacardi rum…yum!
3. Hot Ginger Rogers
Chilly autumn evenings can be magical. Never more so than when they’re complemented with a Hot Ginger Rogers. Ginger-infused simple syrup made with demerara sugar is shaken with rum and strained over ice then topped with ginger beer and a slice of lime. Hot to trot.
4. Sweet Cider Insider
This is a must for Christmas custom. Combine apple cider, Sauternes wine, honey, cinnamon, cloves and lemon zest in a saucepan and simmer on a low heat for 45 minutes. Then strain the now-mulled sweet cider and serve. It might be cold outside, but it sure is warm on the insides.
5. The Mr. Kipling
You can’t beat a Mr. Kipling cake…they really are exceedingly good. So imagine a bakewell tart in a glass? Mmmmm. Cranberry Juice, Amaretto and marzipan syrup. Exceedingly simple, exceptionally indulgent. Make sure you serve this with hot sticky toffee pudding.
6. Pumpkin Pie in Yer Eye
Scare the pants off your customers with this pumpkin special. Mix pumpkin juice with hot chocolate and vanilla syrup, then fill the last quarter of the mug with two shots of Southern Comfort.
7. Storm in a Coffee Cup
Forget Costa…this is coffee and then some. Mix hot, strong-brewed coffee in a glass mug with lemon and vanilla liqueur, top up to three quarters with a quality Cognac then fill to the top with whipped cream and cinnamon dusting. But remember, this coffee won’t keep your customers awake after the third mug.
8. Butter Fingers
Why have mulled wine when a silky smooth Mulled Cider will melt away those icy evenings? Simply slow cook apple cider, butterscotch schnapps and cinnamon sticks for 3-4 hours on a low heat for an experience.
9. Apple of my Pie
Remember granny’s good ole’ apple pie? Well this is nothing like it. Hot apple cider blended with Tuaca liqueur gives any granny a run for her money. Top it off with a peel slice and cinnamon and enjoy a granny hug in a mug instead.
10. Nuts about coffee
Strong almond notes from the Amaretto are complemented by the coffee overtones in the Kahlua. These two flavours, smoothed by semi-skimmed milk and then poured over ice, combine to hit you right in the ooohhhh-aaahhhhh, spot.
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