Christmas Cocktails

Christmas Cocktails - mix and make merry this Christmas!

The office Christmas party may be over with the debauchery a lasting merry memory but the shenanigans for the season certainly aren't. The season for festive cocktails has only just begun and that needn't mean mulled wine and mince pies or ginger wine and christmas cake. If you're a party animal or a Brie Vandecamp style hostess, then you may want to try something fancy and delicious but it needn't cost 35,000 pounds like the famed concoction at the A-list Movida club in London, that made headlines in 2007

There's always the good'ol nogg and mulled wine with a boozey punchbowl around but why not try something different this year? spice things up or sweeten them a tad more than you normally do, with a Christmas twist on conventional year round cocktails. A peppermint margherita or a ginger martini with a swirl of orange rind, may be just what you need after a long day or to get your guests to unwind into a relaxed party mode before treating them to richer, fancier treats.

But how in santa's name do you get cocktails that look christmassy, taste christmassy and make you feel like christmas came early or is actually here? Well that's what I'd been thinking, wondering how to steer away from tradition while preserving the aromas that make Christmas so special.

The warm winter flavours of cinnamon, peppermint, chocolate and cherries, in cranberry hues and elfy green tints with snowy finishes and a touch of holly can be yours in a glass with a bit of creativity and basic bartending skills.

There's always a lot you can do with chocolate, especially when you've discovered a low cal hot chocolate mix that makes pink hot chocolate an easy treat for anytime. Options instant chocolate works well hot or cold and tastes even better when stirred in with a bit or flavoured spirit or liquer I discovered.

If you're looking for quick and easy concotions in deep reds and festive greens with sprikles of twinkles and sparkles then read on...to see what my housemate has been sipping, sampling and helping put a name to when my tipple titling took ludicrous to a whole new level.

Elf apple spritzer ...it's green, refreshing and goes well with salty nibbles and cheese straws or melt in the mouth stollen.

All you need is:
Gingerale
Apple juice
a sprinkle of ground ginger
Green food colour

and to garnish:
Raspberry
Silver balls
Mint leaves
Sugar

To make your magical green sprit, place the ground ginger and even a teaspoon of grated apple if you fancy, into the bottom of a tall drink glass and then pour in the apple juice and ginger ale as per your taste. Add a few drops of green food colouring and drop in a few silver balls. To garnish, slit a rasberry halfway through and slide onto the rim of the glass with a few mint leaves through the slit. By this time the silver balls will turn into sparkly effervescence before leaving silver twinkles in the drink.

If you were hoping for a white Christmas in a glass, then you may fancy a Snowconut Prancer...a snow rimmed cocktail to keep you prancing like prancer through the season.

For a Snowconut Prancer,

All you need is:
Instant white hot chocolate
Malibu
White crème de cacao
Milk

and to garnish and finish:
Honey
Dessicated coconut
A Chocolate flake

To whip up this malibu cocktail, coat the rim of a red wine glass with honey and then dip the rim in dessicated coconut.Mix Options white chocolate mix with cold water and then add a little cold milk. Add a shot or two of Malibu and white crème de cacao and then garnish with a chocolate flake and silver star spinkles.

Stars however, may not be enough to light up your Christmas sprit so having Rudolph light the way may be a good idea, which is why there's a Kir Rudolph on the menu here.

For a Kir Rudolph,
All you need is:
Hotchocolate – Options, galaxy or make your own
Kirsch
Crème de cacao

and to garnish:
French Glace cherries
Whipped cream
Red sugar*
Green sugar*

*easy to make if like me you couldn't find it on the shelf at your local Sainsbury's – add a few drops of colour to white sugar, let it dry out and voila!

To whip up this rich velvety cocktail, add hot water to options dark chocolate mix or make a fresh steaming cup (or cups) of hot chocolate. Add a shot of Kirsch and crème de cacao. Top with whipped cream, a glacé sherry and sugar sprinkles

Serve this hot in a mug or chill in a long island iced tea glass.

If you prefer the after 8-ish flavours of chocolate and mint, then you may like to add a minty twist to your chocolate tipple and try Vixen's pillow, a sinfully delicious winter warmer that can also make a cool party drink in a martini glass.

For Vixon's pillow you need is:
Crème de menthe
Crème de cacao
Hot chocolate

and to garnish:
A candy cane- if you don't find any then a candy strip lollipop works too
Whipped cream
Red granulated sugar
Green granulate sugar

To whip up this minty chocolate mix, fix yourself a hot chocolate – instant or fresh - add in the crème de cacao and crème de menthe and top with whipped cream and a sprinkle of red and green sugar. Garnish with a candy cane.

Rich as these luxurious Christmas drinks are, they may not be tipply enough for some. If you like your cocktails strong and aren't fussed about frilly patties and pretty drinks, then Brandy is always soothing when the temperature dips and a Calvados Comet is your answer to a Brandy Snifter full of Christmas.

All you need for a Callvados comet is:
Calvados/brandy
Apple slices
Cloves
Cinnamon

and to garnish:
Star sprinkles

Heat the Calvados. Slice the apple whole and cut out a star from the centre and put the cinammon stick through the star. Stick a few cloves into the slice with the round bulb removed (this can be quite hot) so the 4point star is visible on the apple slice. Let it simmer with the Calvados. Pour into a brandy bowl or snifter and sprinkle with star sprikles.

If you feel like something stronger , then you could always try a Rusty Sleigh.

All you need for a Rusty Sleigh is:
Orange juice
Ginger ale
Crushed candied ginger
Candied peel
Red food colouring

and to garnish
Sugar
A slice of orange
Star sprinkles

Mix the orange juice and gingerals to your taste, and pour over crushed ginger and candied peel in a wide rimmed glass or goblet and then rust it with whatever booze you're in the mood for!
Brandy, ginger wine, whiskey, ale, gin or even some good 'ol perry like Lambrini!
(add a few drops of red and green food colour work to get the right hue).

That would have been the lot if Cupid wasn't around with Vodka cranberry for those who simply like their regular fix..but this isn't the cupid from february, and it's not a plain and simple sling either.

To fix yourself a Star kissed Cupid, all you will need is:
Vodka
Cranberry juice
Rasberries
Sprite/Lambrini/Cherry Lambrini

and to garnish:
Star sprinkles.

Pour in a double vodka and then add In cranberry juice to taste. Drop in a few rasberries and then top up the glass with something sweet and bubbly. Garnish with star sprinkles

Still, starry and seasonally spiced and they are it, wouldn't be Christmas without Candy Cane, so here's one last treat for you.

Candy cane sparkler
All you need is:
Crème de menthe
White crème de cacao
Prosecco

and to garnish:
crushed candy cane and a candy cane stick

Coat the rim of a champagne flute honey and dip it in crushed candy. Then pour a shot of crème de menthe and white crème de cacao into a champagne flute and top up with Prosecco. Garnish with a fresh sprig of mint.

To give yourself a break after the flow of fancy drinks have begun to trickle, you can always hire a mobile bartender to keep your guests merry so you can join in the merry making. They show up with all they need and will keep you drinking fancy cocktails all night. The good part is, they'll pack up their stuff and leave so you don't have a mess to clean up after the party.

And....speaking of bartending and cocktails, if you're stumped for ideas and still have a few Christmas pressies to buy , a cocktail making kit is a nice pressie for thoese who like their tipple, Christmas or not.

Either way, the festive season is a good excuse to up the fancimeter on the bar and this year you can surprise your guests with some uber fancy Christmas Cocktails they've never heard of, maybe start by quizzing them on reindeer names and get them to guess what's in the glass from the name, for a bit more fun!

Merry Christmas and Happy Mixing, enjoy!

`

Festive Tipple

Skinny Nogg
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- Skimmed milk (350 -400 ml per packet of whip)
- Vanilla dessert whip
- Cinnamon
- Nutmeg
- Brandy
- Bourbon
- Sweetener if needed

Whisk the milk and vanilla whip together with a few a generous pinches of cinnamon and nutmeg. Pour in the brandy and bourbon and whisk until smooth and creamy. Stick it in the fridge to chill and then take out and pour into mugs and sprinkle with nutmeg and cinnamon.


Pombrini flute
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- Pomegranate Juice
- Lambrini Bianco Perry
- Sugar

Dip the rim of a frosted flute in sugar, fill half the flute with pomegranate juice and then top it up with Lambrini. Enjoy!


Sp-iced wine (almost mulled wine, but not quite)
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- Red wine
- Cloves
- Cinnamon
- Vanilla

Simmer the wine with the spices and a vanilla pod and then strain the wine. Pour it into a red wine goblet and whisk it away to enjoy.

Christmas treats

Snowy Cherry Truffles
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- Cherries: black cherries soaked in Kirsch taste the best.
- Marzipan
- Icing sugar
- Ground almonds

Cover each cherry with marzipan and roll it into a small snowball the size of a walnut. Rolls the snowball in icing sugar mixed with a little water/white wine, then in almond powder and then again in icing sugar.


Ginger Stars
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- Butter
- Ground ginger
- Cinnamon
- Demerara sugar
- Honey/Golden syrup
- Self raising flour
- Icing sugar - mixed with a little orange juice (or white wine)

Roll out the dough, cut out the stars and bake. Once slightly browned remove and let them cool on a wire rack. Once cool, spread icing on top and sprinkle with ground ginger and cinnamon.


Red Velvet Christmas Mousse
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- Dark chocolate
- Milk (infused with rose hip tea)
- Vanilla dessert whip
- Vanilla essence
- Clove powder
- Cinnamon
- Glacé cherries

Place the glacé cherries at the bottom of an ice cream bowl. Heat the milk and let a few tea bags of rose hip steep for a while. Melt the dark chocolate on a double boiler and once the milk has been allowed to steep for at least 10 minutes, slowly pour it into the chocolate stirring constantly. Add a few pinches of nutmeg and cinnamon and allow to cool. Once cooled, add the dessert whip and pour over the cherries. Allow to chill and once set garnish with a sprinkle of cinnamon, nutmeg, ground almonds and sprinkles.

Popeye's salmon spaghetti

(Pictures appearing soon)

I decided to name this after the famed spinach guzzler, not only because of the spinach in it but also because the the story behind it. This pasta mix trails back up the slopes of Zakopane in Poland to believe it or not, a Pizza hut, hungry kids and a tired dog. While visiting my cousins in Krakow my aunt(who you will meet later when I share my favourite carrot cake recipe with you which happens to be hers)planned a fun trip up to Zakopane,with the the dog in tow.

It had been a morning where energy was well spent, on a trip to the top of the mountain in a cable car, carting down the hill -in some dangerously fast moving moving box with wheels which if you try to slow down, is likely to win you a disapproving look from the person behind...even if he's got a baby in his cart- and a lot of walking around the market square. By lunch time we were all hungry and well my cousins, boys being boys were ravenous of course. We wanted something quick since we had along drive back to krakow. I normally never eat pasta at Pizza Hut, but when I saw salmon on the menu I couldn't resist. I have a weakness for Salmon, so I ordered what turned out to be spaghetti with spinach and salmon flakes. It was interesting, but I knew with a bit of my own spicy herbi-work, brown carbs and a sprinkle of parmesan I'd get it seasoned to my liking...and I did.

This recipe is actually one of my favourites and after I threw it together I was so chuffed, that when I went up to visit some friends in Leeds I shared my invention with them. In fact, we made a party out if with some salad and a few bottles of white Lambrini :)

What you need:(For one)
*1-2 cloves of garlic
*3 blocks of frozen spinach (defrosted)
*1 small salmon fillet/I small salmon steak (fresh/frozen)
*Chilli flakes
*Mixed herbs
*Olive Oil
*Salt
*Pepper
*Grated parmesan
*Whole wheat spaghetti

Tossing it up:
- Chop up the salmon into small flakes and marinate with a few drops of olive oil, a pinch of salt and pepper and lemon juice.(If you want a short cut, use half a box of M&S Salmon flakes instead)
- Heat a non stick pan and then with a few drops of oil stir fry the salmon chunks.
- When cooked, remove and keep aside on a plate.
- Heat 2 tsp of oilve oil in a pan.
- Slice up the garlic clove and toss them into the hot oil and then throw in some herbs (about 1/s tsp) and chillie flakes if you like a kick to your food (I can't resist the temptation of Chilli flakes and I tend to toss them in at every opportunity)
- Once the garlic has nicely browned add the spinach and cook for about 20 minutes stirring every so often. It's best to use a non stick wok for this.
- While this is cooking, put the pasta on to boil. Drop the whole wheat spaghetti into salted (ideally it should taste like sea water) boiling water.
- Once the pasta is cooked 'al dante', (or softer if you fancy)transfer it to a colander to drain.
- Add the pasta into the spinach mix, add the salmon flakes and lightly toss the pasta and put it onto a plate. Sprinkle with parmesan (grating it straight off a block will taste better than ready grated Parmesan), pour yourself a glass of rose and you've got fine dining for one :)


Health benefits: Salmon is high in Omega 3, spinach is rich in B vitamins and iron, garlic lowers cholestrol and pepper has detox properties.

Secrets and substitutes...

(Pictures appearing soon)

Tasty food tricks and healthier substitutes I've discovered along the way ...

Roast your herbs...
Dry roast your herbs and chilli flakes and then toss them into an 'arrabiata' or a 'bolognaise' for a more aromatic pasta. You can even toss them into your regular bowl of home brand tomato soup to give it a kick and if you want to make it a little more special then stir in a swirl of low-cal single cream/sour cream and add a sprinkle of 'parmigiana'.

Fancy a light and fluffy omelette?...
For an aromatic fluffy omelette, roast some herbs in a pan (thyme, tarragon or basil work well but don't use all of them together)and then toss in some onions and cook till lightly brown. Add in some bits of chopped bacon if you like, maybe some olives or capers and then chopped tomatoes. You can even use sliced mushrooms if you like. Once the tomatoes are cooked, pour in the beaten egg. Scramble it slightly and then spread it to form a round pancake in the pan. When lightly brown, grate some cheese over one half, sprinkle some salt and pepper over it (and some chilli flakes if you fancy)and fold the other half over it to form a semi circle in the pan. Once lightly browned,lift out gently on to a plate and garnish with a sprig of fresh herbs or grated cheese.
*This also works with a whites-only omelette.

Scrambled eggs with a sprinkle...
Don't add salt to your scrambled eggs during cooking because it will release water if you do. For delicious fluffy scrambled eggs add bit of sour cream into the mix at the end and sprinkle with fresh finely chopped parsley, salt, pepper and parmigiana if you like.

Toffee yoghurt, a creamy low-cal custard substitute..
Toffee yoghurt is a great low-cal substitute for ice cream and custard. It tastes just as good in a fruit trifle or with fruit crumble, fruit salad, cakes, tarts and pies. I even used it as a substitute for brandy butter and brandy sauce at Christmas with Christmas pudding, plum cake and mince pies!

Sweetening with honey or jaggery (organic raw cane sugar)...
Honey or ground jaggery is a much healthier and far more flavoursome sweetener than sugar so if you like your cuppa or your coffee sweet, you might want to swap it with your sugar basin. You can even use jaggery in steamed puddings and cookies, but I don't use it in cakes because it tends to make the cake stodgy. That's because it's denser than sugar, so you have to use more baking powder if you do and that's not the best thing for your gut.

A healthier tray of cakes and cookies...
My low guilt baking secret is to use healthy ingredients as far as possible when you're making not so healthy cake-y cookie-ish treats. I always use whole wheat flour for cookies and puddings and for cookies I usually use half oatmeal and half bread flour (varieties which have crushed nuts in them like pine nuts). The body burns calories to digest fibre so if there is roughage/fibre in the cookies, my view is that the body will at least use up some of the sugar in it to digest the fibre and break down the cellulose.

Staying fit and young with pasta...
With pasta dishes I only use the brown stuff and I prefer tomato based variations because tomatoes are high in anti oxidants and have anti ageing properties. This way you can make pasta a feel young meal. I always use garlic too not only because of the flavour but also because of the anti-cholesterol properties which adds one more brownie point to the dish.

Desserts can be healthy too...
Indulging in fruit based desserts is a great way to satiate the sweet cravings (particularly if you've got an overly demanding sweet tooth like mine!). Citrus fruits are great because they're high in anti oxidants which helps prevent cellulite, which is the biggest problem with eating sugary, cakey, creamy things. Dark chocolate has antioxidant properties too, so I always prefer to use 70% or more for desserts. I also like to throw in nuts with a lower glycaemic index like Brazil buts, almonds and hazel nuts.

Cinnamon and Cardammom...
Cinnamon helped me to start enjoying coffee without sugar and cardamom did the trick with tea. Growing up in India, I developed a a liking for sweet tea and coffee; often when you're offered a cup of tea or coffee it'll have a lot of milk and it will be very sweet. Whether you're visiting someone in their office,at home or even ordering a cuppa in a small street café, sweet is the keyword.

So, when I wanted to switch to a healthier lower-cal diet I needed a bit of help to train my palate and that's when cinnamon and cardamom came to my rescue. The funny thing is, now I can no longer enjoy my tea or coffee with sugar in it. I do sometimes like honey though in my tea or in my coffee if I'm making myself a frappé or iced coffee.

Soya Milk is great for shakes...
Soya milk is a great way to shake off the guilt of a chocolate milkshake or any other actually. Whether it's iced coffee, chocolate milkshake or a fresh fruit shake, I always use soya milk and honey. For chocolate shakes I use cocoa powder dissolved in hot water as opposed to the ready made stuff like drinking chocolate or nesquik, which is full of sugar.

Mousse...fruity, light and rather guilt free
I do like fruit soufflés and mousses but thanks to my mum I've got a low-cal solution to that and no it's not got a Sainsbury's 'be good to yourself tag on it'. Yoghurt, with fresh fruit purée and gelatine is a great way to satisfy that guilty temptation and it's healthy too, because yoghurt is great for digestion and gelatine is a great way to boost bone health.

Going 'nutty' in the kitchen...
I think it's alright to go a bit nutty when you're cooking, especially with almonds and pistachios because they go well with savoury items. I like to toss a few roasted pistachios into a simple rice 'pulao' with cumin and maybe some peas and I think pistachios also work quite nicely in lamb kebabs because they really soften as the meat cooks, giving that slightly nutty hint to the succulent bites of spice laced meat.

Kebabs? This is how I do them
When making kebabs, I like to roast whole spices in hot oil, then toss in finely chopped ginger and garlic and then some finely chopped onions and pistachio nuts and cook till the onions are brown. I usually sprinkle a bit of brown sugar to caramelise the onions, a trick I picked up from my dad (who's cooking, especially when it comes to Indian meat preparations for me is second to none). I then add in some turmeric, ground red chilli powder, a pinch of 'garam masala', a pinch or cumin powder and a pinch of coriander powder.

I let it cool, then empty the whole lot into a blender so there are no whole spices. You need to let it cool again before mixing in the mince, then add a few teaspoons of plain yoghurt and a bit of whole wheat flour and chopped green chillies for the kebabs mix. If you add in the meat while the spice mixture is hot the meat will start to cook in the heat and that's not going to be great for the kebabs;they will be lumpy and not so pleasing on the palate.

Lemon marinate your meats...
Lemon juice and olive oil is a great way to marinate your meat and fish and it also gives it a fresh zing which always works, whether you're making a curry, grilling, roasting, barbecuing or tossing it into a pasta sauce or even making kebabs.

Cinammon grilled grapfruit

(Pictures appearing soon)

This is a quick and healthy way to end a meal on a sweet note and something I first attempted in a microwave, when I was at University in Student accommodation.

*1 grapfruit (pink or yellow , whatever you fancy)
*1 tsp mixed dry fruits
*1 tsp honey
*A few pinches of cinnammon

- Cut the grapefruit in half and sprinkle the mixed dry fruits over the tops.
- Drizzle honey over it and then sprinkle a a pinch or two of cinnammon.
- Place on an over tray under the grill at 200C for 7-10 minutes.
- Take out and put onto a plate and then you can either spoon out the pulp and eat warm or chill and eat cold. I usually eat half warm and put the other half in the fridge to chill for the next meal or next morning for break fast.Top with a few teaspoons of toffee yoghurt for a creamy add on.

**Always use foil to line the tray because as the grapfruit cooks, the juice may drip on to the tray and burn. This will add a not-so-pleasent aroma to the fruit and leave you with one hell of cleaning job with the tray after.

This recipe was actually the result of a 'what can I do to make to make this yummier' moment, which found me standing staring at the microwave, grapfruit in hand and wondering how to fulfill my desire to add 1 grapfruit a week to my diet.

The first time I made it, I just sprinkled cinnamon on it and microwaved it for 2 minutes. The dry fruits and honey were add ons that gave me courage to actually tell you about it.

Cooking for one

How I cook is not very different from the way I live my life...I often try to economise by using what's already in my cupboard and creating the best I can with it by matching flavours, making it look pretty and cooking it well.

I don't use recipes because I find it takes away the creative thrill I get out of cooking. Cooking for me is often a way of expressing myself...so if I'm feeling upbeat and my usual ambitious driven self I'll use a lot of chilli,herbs and spices but on a day when I'm feeling a bit low I'll probably be tipping towards sinful and sweet with chocolate on the menu or maybe just plain and simple comfort food like spaghetti and cheese...I absolutely love the Greek 'Anari'...but you can also use low fat home brand supermarket cheddar(lots of it!).

When I'm in the mood to relax and stay in I like to splash some wine into the pan (and my glass too!)which is most likely to have pasta sauce of some creative sort cooking in it. The biggest challenge for me, was learning to cook for one and not having to eat leftovers the next day...but now I think I'm an ace at it :)