Cocktails and Mocktails

(all taken from https://www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/collection/cocktail)

Mojito • of 1 lime • 1 tsp granulated sugar • small handful mint • leaves, plus extra sprig to serve • 60ml white rum • soda water, to taste

Method 1. Muddle the lime juice, sugar and mint leaves in a small jug, crushing the mint as you go – you can use the end of a rolling pin for this. Pour into a tall glass and add a handful of ice. 2. Pour over the rum, stirring with a long-handled spoon. Top up with soda water, garnish with mint and serve.

Sangria • 2 oranges, chopped • 2 pears, chopped • 2 lemons, 1 chopped, 1 juiced • 200g red berries, chopped (we used strawberries and cherries) • 3 tbsp caster sugar • 1 tsp cinnamon • ice • 750ml bottle light red • 100ml Spanish brandy • 300ml sparkling water

Method 1. Put the chopped fruit in a bowl and sprinkle over the sugar and cinnamon, then stir to coat. Cover and leave to macerate in the fridge for at least 1 hr, or ideally overnight. 2. Fill a large jug with ice. Stir the macerated fruit mixture to ensure the sugar is dissolved, then tip into the jug with the wine and brandy. Stir, then top up with the sparkling water and serve.

Vodka Martini • 60ml vodka • 1 tbsp dry vermouth • olive or lemon peel, to garnish

Method 1. Stir the vodka, dry vermouth and a little ice together or put them in a shaker to combine. 2. Strain into a chilled martini glass. Serve with an olive on a cocktail stick or a of lemon peel.

Cuba Libre • ½ lime • 50ml rum (white or dark) • 100ml cola • Ice

Method 1. Cut ½ a lime into four small wedges. Squeeze the juice from two of the wedges into a tall glass. Drop the remaining wedges into the glass and fill with ice. Pour in the rum then fill up with cola and stir gently.

Bellini • 500ml peach purée or peach nectar • 1 bottle prosecco

Method 1. Put the peach puree in a Champagne flute up to about 1/3 full and slowly top up with Prosecco.

Gin & Tonic • 10 cm piece of cucumber • 100ml elderflower cordial • 100ml gin (we suggest Plymouth gin) • 1l bottle tonic water, to serve

Method 1. Peel 2 long strips from the piece of cucumber. Grate the remaining cucumber into a sieve set over a bowl and press down on it with the back of a spoon to extract as much juice as possible. Add the elderflower cordial and gin to the cucumber juice. Wind the strips of cucumber around inside 2 glasses, pour in a quarter of the cucumber gin mixture, and top up with a quarter of the bottle of tonic water to serve.

Mojito Mocktail • 1 tbsp sugar • small bunch mint • 3 limes, juiced • soda water

Method 1. Muddle the sugar with leaves from the mint using a pestle and mortar (or use a small bowl and the end of a rolling pin). 2. Put a handful of crushed ice into 2 tall glasses. Divide the lime juice between the glasses with the mint mix. Add a paper straw and top up with soda water.

Lemonade 3 unwaxed lemons, roughly chopped 140g caster sugar 1l cold water

Method Tip the lemons, sugar and half the water into a food processor and blend until the lemon is finely chopped. Pour the mixture into a sieve over a bowl, then press through as much juice as you can. Top up with the remaining water and serve with plain ice or frozen with slices of lemon and lime.

Ginger • 100g ginger, scrubbed and roughly chopped • 1 lemon, chopped • 100g light muscovado sugar • 1-litre bottle chilled lemonade or sparkling water, to serve

Method 1. Put the ginger and lemon in a bowl, pour over 300ml water and blitz with a hand until very smooth. Strain through a sieve into a bowl, then press the pulp to remove as much liquid as you can. Add the sugar to the bowl and blitz again. 2. Decant into a bottle. Chill until ready to use. Add the lemonade or sparkling water to dilute before serving.