The Twelve Days of Christmas - Kevin's Selections

‘Four calling birds, Five gold rings, Six geese a-laying’ – trust me it is a good thing you can’t hear me singing this as I write up my Christmas drink recipes! Chris started us off with some classics last week but it’s my turn now and I am ready to wow you with my three festive favourites.

Simple, yet satisfying. That is how I describe the Modern Day Negroni. The Prosecco certainly makes it a holiday drink – I recommend the Spumante Botter as it is a delicate Prosecco in contrast to the Gin and Campari.

Chris gave you his alternative for Mulled wine- Hot Mulled Sloe Gin, but Warm Winter Rum Cider is my preferred Christmas hot drink. The Chairman’s spiced rum and cinnamon gives it that Christmas kick.

You will be glad to know that there is nothing to do with geese in this drink. It is really about putting a twist on a gin drink, a Gin Twist if you will…

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Four Calling Birds - The Modern Day Negroni

 Equal parts gin, Campari and sweet vermouth served on the rocks – isn't everyone's cup of tea. But it does seem to be this season's smart drink. A sparkling version was created in the 50s in a Milan bar when a bartender allegedly mistook a bottle of prosecco for gin. Voilà, the Negroni Sbagliato (spah-LEE-otto).

Last winter, Nick Strangeway of Hix restaurants went to mix a round of Sbagliatos and made a mistake of his own, adding both gin and prosecco. This most festive and balanced of all Negronis, the Sbagliato Due ("second mistake"), contains:

Ingredients:

30ml of Martini Rosso gin sweet vermouth

 30ml of Campari

 30ml of Prosecco Spumante Botter

 Ice-filled glass

 Garnish with an orange slice

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Five gold rings - Warm Winter Rum Cider

It’s getting cold outside! Winter is officially upon us and we’re in need of the perfect warm beverage to warm the cockles of our chilly hearts. It’s time to say so long to those summertime mojitos and rustle up something far more festive instead. We’re thinking something hot and gold. How about rustling up a cider hot toddy at home?

 Ingredients

25ml of Chairman’s spiced rum

220ml hot winter cider such as Val De Rance

1 tablespoon of honey

15ml of lemon juice

1 cinnamon stick

Method

Simply mix the rum, honey and lemon together in BIG glass. Add your hot cider. Stir. Serve with a cinnamon stick and an orange wheel or slice of apple, or both.

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 Six Geese a-laying - Gin Twist

Skimming newspapers from 1823, it seems London's most popular holiday drink was Gin Twist. This simple concoction inspired poetry, but disappeared when Wellington's Sale of Beer Act (1830) made ale cheaper than gin and converted Britain to a nation of beer drinkers.

Ingredients

 London dry gin such as Jensen’s old tom

 30ml of lemon juice

 30ml of hot water

 30ml of sugar to taste

Method

 Combine the gin, lemon juice, and hot water in a cup. Add sugar to taste and garnish with a lemon twist to prove the juice was fresh not bottled (or barreled as it often was back then).

I hope you enjoyed my recipes and are already thinking about making them this weekend. I promise you you will not be disappointed. If you have any questions send us a message or pop down to Love Wine and ask me in person.

Seasons Greetings! - Kevin