New Year’s Cocktails
This is a special New Years themed cocktail edition because if you’re having your wedding around the new year, it’s a double celebration. Here are some delicious recipes that come with extra sparkle.
I’m starting with a mocktail because you want to make sure you last the night. Plus, it’s really simple.
2 cups of non-alcoholic wine or apple juice
1 cup of cranberry-apple juice
1 cup of chilled sparkling water.
All you do is mix everything together and serve with ice. You can garnish with apple and mint if you like. Each batch will make 6 servings so bulk up for your party size. And if you want to make it alcoholic switch out the non-alcoholic wine or apple juice for dry white wine.
Another simple recipe made extra special by the addition of ICE CREAM!
½ cup of freshly squeezed lemon juice
½ cup of sugar
2 cups of water
6 cups of vanilla ice cream.
Mix the lemon juice and sugar together until the sugar’s dissolved then add the water and chill. Next mix the lemonade in the blender with the ice cream. This should give you three portions.
This recipe makes one serving but it is ridiculously easy to make so it won’t be hard to make up for a party.
10 fresh mint leaves
2 tsp of sweetener
¼ cup of pineapple juice
1 lime
½ cup club soda
Mix the mint leaves with the sweetener. Squeeze the juice from the lime and add to the mint with the pineapple juice and some ice then give it a good old shake. Strain over ice and top with club soda. You can garnish with any mint leaves you have left over.
Time to move on to the alcohol and I’m starting with this one because its also the name of one of my favourite songs. This recipe makes one.
1 tsp sugar
3 dashes of Angostura Bitters (widely available in supermarkets and online)
1 tbsp of club soda
2 oz bourbon/whiskey (what’s the difference? Bourbon’s made from corn and whiskey’s made from malted barley)
Dissolve the sugar in the bitters and club soda, then stir in the bourbon or whiskey and serve with a thin strip of lemon peel.
What’s a New Year celebration without champagne? This is quite a big recipe, so you’ll get 8 from each mix.
3 seedless oranges
½ cup of red cherries
½ cup of sweet vermouth
¼ whiskey
1 bottle of champagne but you could also use prosecco or sparkling wine.
Juice the oranges and blend with the cherries in a blender then add the whiskey and vermouth. Divide these into the 8 glasses then fill with champagne.
More sparkle for your party that comes with the freshness of tequila.
½ cup of fresh lime juice
1 cup of silver tequila
½ cup of orange liqueur
1 bottle of champagne or fizz of your choice.
Mix all the ingredients in a pitcher and stir well. Line your glasses with salt then fill with the margarita and serve with lime wedges. You should get 6 glasses from it depending on the size of your glasses.
Chase Bellini
Have you heard of the Chase Distillery? It’s a British company who make vodka. I love these, there is a wide variety of flavours and though I’m a sucker for the blackcurrant one, there’s a new marmalade flavour that I have to try.
Add a dash of vodka to your prosecco, adjust to your taste preferences and there you go. What could be easier?
