3 holiday cocktails you can make at home

Inspired by: Jamaica 
Serves: 1 
Great for: lovers of spice and all things nice
 

 
“This cocktail was inspired by my trip to Jamaica last Christmas. There's a traditional drink there made mostly during the festive season which is called Sorrel Juice, made using hibiscus flowers and traditional spices like allspice, clove, ginger and cinnamon. When I returned home, I set about recreating those flavours into a concentrated syrup to use in my cocktails. The mojito was the obvious choice as it had all the right balancing flavours to complement the hibiscus syrup,”
 
Tom Gaze, director at The Longstore restaurant
 
 

Ingredients 

1 Lime
Mint
25ml Homemade Spiced Hibiscus Syrup
50ml Bacardi Blanca
Soda
 

Method

1)    Add the juice of a whole lime and fresh mint to an old fashioned glass full of ice
2)    Add 25ml of homemade spiced hibiscus syrup to the mix
3)    Add 50ml of Barcadi blanca
4)    Stir and top with soda
5)    Garnish with a fresh lime wheel and a sprig of mint
 
 

Hibiscus Syrup Recipe

 

Ingredients

500g White Sugar
250ml Water
250ml Apple Juice
Mulled Spice Mix
One Cup Dried Hibiscus Flower
 

Method

1)    Mix water and apple juice into a pan
2)    Dissolve the sugar into the water and apple juice
3)    Bring to a simmer and add the dry ingredients
4)    Strain the liquid after 15-minutes of simmering and leave to cool

Inspired by: Cornwall 
Serves: 1
Great for: those after some mid-afternoon refreshment
 

 
“This drink was derived from various childhood memories growing up on a farm near Constantine in Cornwall, where there was an abundance of elder bushes. My parents regularly made elderflower cordials and homemade elderflower fizz in the late spring and early summer months. Simple flavours of elderflower and citrus served in a large goblet with lots of ice and fruity garnish make this a very attractive and refreshing drink,”
 
Tom Gaze, director at The Longstore restaurant
 
 

Ingredients

Elderflower Cordial
Mint
Lime Wedges
Pink Grapefruit
Soda
Ice Cubes
 

Method

1)    Fill a large bowl glass with ice and add 50ml of elderflower cordial
2)    Add mint leaves, pink grapefruit and lime wedges
3)    Fill the bowl with soda water
4)    Garnish with a sprig of mint and a wheel of pink grapefruit

Inspired by: Grenada
Serves: 1
Great for: a happiness boost

 
 
“This creation came about last winter when people are usually getting the winter blues and need a pick-me-up.  We came up with something that could help release some of that good ol’ serotonin. The obvious answer was the chocolate orange martini as it was inspired by my honeymoon to Grenada where they produce some of the finest organic cacao. An instant mood lifter,”
 
Tom Gaze, director at The Longstore restaurant
 

Ingredients

25ml Chocolate Paste (a mixture of pure cacao, sugar and water)
25ml Marmalade Vodka
25ml of Cointreau
Sugar Syrup
1 Orange
 

Method

1)    Combine 25ml of marmalade vodka, and 25ml of chocolate paste and 25ml of Cointreau into a cocktail shaker
2)    Add a dash of sugar syrup and shake vigorously
3)    Strain and pour into a martini glass
4)    Garnish with finely grated orange zest