Cocktails anyone?

It's the season of entertaining and nothing brings your guest together like a good cocktail. So Food takes some of the hassle out of serving the same old with these range of cocktails.

Caipisorrel

Ingredients

2 oz of Appleton Estate V/X Jamaica Rum

¹/² oz of Cointreau

2 oz sorrel

2 oz lychee juice

Juice of 2 lime wedges

¹/² oz clear syrup

Method

Combine ingredients in a rock glass and stir gently to mix. Garnish with a lime wedge.

Created by Manuel Cigarrostegui - champion, Appleton Estate Jamaica Rum Bartender Challenge, Peru 2010.

Jollytini

Ingredients

1 oz Appleton Estate V/X Jamaica Rum

1 oz peach schnapps

1 oz guava puree

2 oz sorrel

Method

Combine all ingredients in a cocktail shaker over ice and shake vigorously. Pour into a martini glass that has been 'rimmed' with a mixture of nutmeg, cinnamon and sugar and drop a cherry in the glass as a treat after having this wonderful cocktail.

- Created by St Aublyn Kidd - Champion, Appleton Estate Jamaica Rum Bartender Challenge, Jamaica 2010.

Sunny and cool

This recipe is a twist on the traditional Dark and Stormy recipe. We have named it in homage to the magnificent weather that we enjoy in Jamaica at Christmas time.

Ingredients

2 oz Appleton Estate Reserve Jamaica Rum

¹/² oz lime juice

³/⁴ oz ginger syrup (see recipe below)

Jamaican ginger beer

Method

Combine all ingredients in a shaker with ice and shake well. Strain into a highball glass and garnish with a lime wheel.

Ginger syrup

Combine ¹/² cup of ginger root slices, 1 cup of sugar and two cups of water in a saucepan. Bring to a boil and then reduce heat and simmer for approximately 10 minutes. Allow to cool and then strain into a glass container (will keep in the fridge for up to two weeks.)

- Created by Brian Miller - Champion, Appleton Estate Jamaica Rum Bartender Challenge, USA 2010.

The Firecracker

Ingredients

35ml Grey Goose L'Orange

35ml French red wine

50ml freshly squeezed pomegranate juice

20ml sugar syrup

Method

Shake and strain into chilled martini glass.

Grey Goose Cosmopolitan

Ingredients

3 parts Grey Goose L'Orange Vodka

¹/² part premium orange flavoured liqueur

Dash of cranberry juice

Squeeze of lime

Method

Pour first four ingredients listed in a cocktail shaker with ice. Shake and strain into a chilled martini glass. Present with a lime wedge or twist.

Awesome Apple Martini

Ingredients

1 oz apple schnapps

1 oz Grey Goose Le Citron vodka

1 ounce apple juice

Method

In a cocktail shaker full of ice combine apple schnapps, vodka and apple juice. Mix well. Pour into glasses and garnish with a slice of apple.

Poinsettia

Ingredients

1 oz Grand Marnier

1¹/² oz chilled cranberry juice

Champagne

Method

Pour Grand Marnier and cranberry juice into a martini glass. Top with well-chilled Champagne.

Add an orange twist and a fresh sprig of mint as garnish. (Courtesy of cocktails.com)

Ciroc Schnapps

Ingredients

2 oz Ciroc Vodka

³/⁴ oz Peach schnapps

1 oz simply syrup

³/⁴ oz lime juice

¹/² oz ginger ale

Method

Combine Ciroc, lime juice, simple syrup and Peach Schnapps into a cocktail shaker and shake. Pour in a rock glass and then top up with ginger ale.

Johnnie Walker Negra

Ingredients

1¹/² oz Johnnie Walker Scotch Whisky

1 oz Cola

Add Johnnie Walker Black and Cola

Serve over ice.

Tanqueray Cuban

Ingredients

1¹/² oz Tanqueray

London Dry Gin

3 oz tonic Water

¹/² oz lime juice

5 oz simple syrup

1 wedge lime

4 mint leaves

Method

Muddle mint sprigs at the bottom of a Collins glass and pull the essential oils up around the sides of the glass. Add Tanqueray London Dry Gin and fresh lime juice. Top with tonic and garnish with a mint sprig.

Gold Rush

Ingredients

1¹/² oz Gold Label Trelawny Rum

Pepsi

Method

Combine the ingredients in a rock glass over three cubes of ice.

Don Julio A Mexicana

Ingredients

1¹/² Don Julio Blanco

1 oz pineapple juice

1 oz orange juice

Method

Pour ¹/⁴ oz grenadine into the bottom of a martini glass for colouring and add sweetness.

Strain contents of shaker into chilled martini glass. Garnish with strawberry and or orange wedge.

Don Julio Legendario Margarita

1 oz Don Julio Blanco Tequila

¹/² oz Grand Marnier

¹/² oz fresh lime juice

1 lime wedge

Method

Add Don Julio Blanco, Grand Marnier, and fresh lime juice. Shake and strain over ice. Salt rim of rock glass. Garnish with lime wedge.

- Recipes courtesy of High Spirits

A well appointed bar

You know its the season to entertain and so you have to make sure you have the essentials.

Tools

Cocktail shaker: A metal shaker with a tight fitting top sometimes fitted with an interior strainer

Jigger: For precise measuring

Ice tongs:

Mixers

Ensure that your bar is stocked with mixers and garnish to add that extra oomph!

Club soda

Fruit juice

Soft drinks

Tonic water.

Have a happy holiday and remember drink responsibly.