Party cocktails from around the world

Ukraine: uzvar

Uzvar is traditionally drunk on Christmas Eve, and makes an interesting change from spiced amazon canada goose jacket mulled apple juice. best price best ideas about canada goose outlet online on pinterest canada goose jacket outlet usa online store The dried fruit adds a flavour evocative of mince pies. (The warm, plump left-over fruit is excellent with ice-cream.) Serves eight.

2 litres apple juice (keep it local, if possible)250ml water100g prunes100g best price canada goose jacket outlet usa online store raisins1 cinnamon stick 2 cloves1 orange peel200ml honey

Put all the ingredients in a pan and bring to a gentle simmer. Stir, turn down the heat best place buy canada goose jacket toronto and keep at a steady temperature for 10 minutes. Serve in mugs.

Caribbean: daiquiri

This beautifully balanced drink from Cuba is a classic for a reason, and there is little need to alter the original. To make sugar syrup, combine equal parts water and sugar, simmer until the sugar dissolves, then pour into a sterilised container. It will keep for up to two months; once opened, store in the fridge and use within a month. So here it is. No nonsense. Per serving:

75ml white rum 25ml fresh lime juice 15ml sugar syrupSlice of lime, to garnish

Put everything bar the lime in a shaker with ice, shake hard, then strain into a chilled martini glass and garnish with lime.

India: orange and green cardamom lassi

Orange and cardamom are tremendous companions. I use honey instead of the traditional sugar in my lassi, because I find its sweetness is just that bit smoother. The key with the orange is to pinch the zest over the drink to release the essential oils, just as you would on a cocktail. Serves two.

300ml natural yoghurt (I use Yeo Valley Organic, and not just because I’m a West Country boy, honest)2 tbsp honey1 small pinch ground cardamom100ml cold water 50g crushed ice cubes2 orange twists, to finish

Put everything bar the orange twists in a blender and whizz smooth. Pour into two tumblers, then twist the orange peel over the drinks to spray the lassi with those delectable orange oils.

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South-east Asia: Singapore sling

It is the black canada goose parka 100th anniversary of this legendary cocktail, created in 1915 in the Raffles Hotel, Singapore. If you haven’t tried one before, here’s your excuse. A cocktail umbrella and a garish stirrer are obligatory. Per serving:

30ml gin15ml cherry brandy7.5ml Cointreau7.5ml Bénédictine1 dash Angostura bitters10ml grenadine120ml pineapple juice15ml lime juice

Put everything in a cocktail shaker with ice, shake hard and strain into a tall glass filled with ice.

Italy: negroni sbagliato

I’ve drunk my fair share of these at the bar of Cafe Murano in London. Traditional negroni contains gin, but this spritzy alternative is a splendid Christmas cocktail , and could well be a contender for a morning bucks fizz– sbagliato essentially means “messed up”. I like the blend of vermouths, but if you can’t find, or afford, Antica Formula (it ain’t cheap), use any red vermouth that suits your wallet and tastebuds; the lambrusco brings a little tannin to the party. Per serving:

25ml Campari12.5ml Martini Rosso12.5ml Antica Formula25ml red lambrusco1 orange twist, to garnish

Fill a tumbler with ice, add the Campari and vermouth, then top with lambrusco. Gently stir – the lambrusco, being fizzy, may bubble up if you’re too vigourous –, then twist the orange peel over the glass to release those precious aromatic oils. bu sees a spike in canada goose jacket thefts Another straight away, please.

Scandinavia: snaps

This strong buy canada goose coat online libation varies in name from country to can someone check if this canada goose outlet website is authentic country, but wherever you are, a few shots have largely the same outcome: inebriation. Swedish versions have a strong herbal kick, while Norwegians call the stuff akvavit and flavour it with caraway and fennel. Be sure to learn a snapsvisor to accompany your snaps: these are drinking songs all about, you guessed it, drinking snaps. Makes one 70cl bottle.

1 tsp caraway seeds 1 tsp fennel seeds1 handful fresh dill2 star average cost canada goose jacket anise1 tsp sugar1 unwaxed lemon, peel only700ml vodka (I use Sipsmith’s, but any good one will do)

Heat an empty pan on a medium heat, then add the caraway and fennel, and heat until they give off a toasty aroma. Take off the heat and set aside.

Put the cooled seeds, dill, star anise and lemon peel in a clean 700ml jar. Pour in the vodka homesite, seal and store in a cool, dark cupboard for three days. Fine-strain into a sterilised bottle, mix in the sugar and put in the freezer, ready for a fitting occasion.

• Jack Adair Bevan is co-owner of The Ethicurean in Bristol.