It is here! Christmas season. Christmas parties are starting, and the all-important prepare-in-advance Christmas goodies are being prepped.
Christmas parties require fabulous drinks! To make your drinks extra fabulous, a great glass as a good starting point, something unique will also mean that you won’t lose your glass. Lots of ice on a hot day will also help keep you hydrated especially if you are drinking alcohol.
You can simply add your chosen drink from here, but it is Christmas, so to make it a bit more fun, add a garnish or go all out with Christmas cocktails (alcoholic or not).
To dress your glass, wet the rim with water and roll in a saucer of sugar. Using a flavoured sugar adds something extra and makes it look that little bit more special. It is easy to make yourself: dry any fruit of your choice to be extra dry and blend until fine, then add sugar (amount up to you, but I use at least as much as the powdered fruit). You can also purchase freeze dried fruit and blend with sugar, also herbs and native plants like lemon myrtle are good.
The contents of the glass can be as simple as a ginger beer, or soft drink/kombucha (choose a premium one), or you can get your cocktail hat on and have a play with cordials, shrubs and bitters with spirits or non-alcoholic distillations of choice.
My favourite recipe is: 2 parts mandarin cordial, 1 part grapefruit/rosemary shrub with mineral water in a glass rimmed with lemon sherbert sugar and topped with a dried lime wheel (all will be available at the Locavore Store, Bindoon soon! A cocktail gift basket also makes a great gift). Vodka or Gin can be added if you want something with a bit more kick, but it really does not need it.
Keep the vodka for making really good vanilla essence — that requires at least a month to prepare. Buy a good quality vodka, and put in half a dozen spilt vanilla beans and leave in the pantry. Shake whenever you think of it. There are a few great small batch vodka producers in Western Australia – check out Alligator Laboratories in Bayswater. The vodka will turn to dark brown and will smell amazing. Decant into small bottles and give as gifts to any baking friends that you have, with a beautiful handmade gift tag. It will be very well received by anyone who bakes, as they will use vanilla.
