Drink and be merry ...

White sangria with ginger and vanilla syrup

A delightful drop which you and your guests will love
Makes 3½ litres
Preparation:  30 minutes plus freezing time
Ingredients

• 250gm strawberries
• 2 limes
• 2 lemons
• 1.25 litre soda water, chilled
• 1.25 litre lemonade, chilled
• 1 bottle white wine, chilled
• ½​​ cup mint leaves
• Ice cubes, to serve 

Ginger and vanilla syrup

• 1 vanilla bean
• 1 cup caster sugar
• 1 cup water
• 4cm piece ginger, peeled and thinly sliced

​Method

1. Chop strawberries in half and place into large ice cube trays.  Cover with water and freeze.
2. Slice lemons and limes into thin slices then quarter.  Put in plastic bag.  Flatten and release air from bag then place in freezer.
3. To make ginger and vanilla syrup, cut vanilla bean in half lengthways. Scrape out seeds.  Place seeds, vanilla bean, caster sugar, water and ginger in a medium saucepan over a low heat.  Stir until sugar is dissolved then bring to boil.  Boil, without stirring for 1 minute.  Remove from heat.  Strain and cool.  Refrigerate until cold.
4. When ready to serve, pour ginger syrup into serving bowl.  Add soda water, lemonade, wine, frozen fruit and mint.  Stir to combine.
5. Add ice cubes and serve.

Tip

• If you are short on time, replace the syrup and soda water with a 1.25 litre bottle of dry ginger ale or ginger beer
• As small ice cubes tend to melt quickly and dilute the punch, try using large ice cubes made in a muffin pan

Japanese slipper

A glamorous cocktail infused with the refreshing taste of melon
Serve with anything you please, however, it is especially nice with fresh oysters
Makes 1 large cocktail or 2 if using short martini glasses
Ingredients

• 30ml Midori
• 30ml Cointreau
• 30ml fresh lemon juice
• Crushed ice
• Maraschino or fresh cherries

Method

1. Place Midori, Cointreau, lemon juice and crushed ice in a cocktail shaker and shake vigorously.
2. Place a cherry in the base of a large cocktail glass, or two small martini glasses.
3. Strain cocktail into glasses.
4. Relax, take a sip and enjoy.

Sangria

Photo coming soon

This is a lovely little drop, perfect to serve with lamb
Serves 12
Preparation:  20 minutes plus several hours refrigeration
Ingredients

• ¼ cup orange juice
• ¼ cup caster sugar
• 1 cinnamon stick
• 4 cloves
• 2 medium oranges, peeled and sliced thinly
• 750ml red wine (Shiraz is nice)
• 3 cups lemonade

Method

1. Place orange juice, caster sugar, cinnamon stick and cloves in a small saucepan over low-medium heat.  Stir until sugar is dissolved.
2. Arrange orange slices in large jug or serving bowl.  Pour the juice mixture over the orange slices.  Cover and refrigerate for several hours or overnight.
3. Remove cinnamon stick and cloves.  Add wine to the orange mixture.
4. Just before serving add lemonade.
5. Serve in wine glasses or tumblers.

Notes
Not suitable to freeze or microwave

Moscato fruit punch

Makes 2 litres
Preparation time:  10 to 15 minutes
Ingredients

• 250gm strawberries, halved
• 1 medium ruby grapefruit or orange, peeled and thinly sliced
• 1 passionfruit
• ¼ cup mint leaves
• 2 tbsp lime juice
• ½​ cup apple or pineapple juice
• ½​ cup orange liqueur (Cointreau)
• 2 x 750ml bottles pink Moscato
• Ice cubes, for serving

​Method

1. Place the strawberries, grapefruit, orange slices, passionfruit pulp and mint in a large jug or serving bowl.  Add the lime juice, apple or pineapple juice, orange liqueur and Moscato.  Stir gently.  Add ice cubes to bowl at the last possible moment before serving.
2. Serve in wine glasses or tumblers.

Tip
As small ice cubes tend to melt quickly and dilute the punch, try using large ice cubes made in a muffin pan

Classic fruit punch (non alcoholic)

Makes 16 to 20 glasses
Ingredients

• 1 litre orange juice, chilled
• 1 litre pineapple juice, chilled
• 1 litre cranberry juice, chilled
• 1 litre ginger ale, chilled
• Juice of 4 large limes
• Selection of sliced fruit, to serve
• Ice cubes, to serve

​Method

1. Combine the chilled juices in a large jug or punch bowl.
2. Just before serving slowly pour in the ginger ale and lime juice to taste.  Stir gently.
3. Add sliced fruit and ice cubes just before serving.

Tip
As small ice cubes tend to melt quickly and dilute the punch, try using large ice cubes made in a muffin pan

Ginger and pineapple punch

Photo coming soon

Beautiful, fruity and refreshing
Serves 8
Preparation:  10 minutes
Ingredients

• 2 cups pineapple juice, chilled
• 6 cups (1.5 litres) ginger beer, chilled
• ½ cup white coconut rum, optional
• ½ cup passionfruit pulp
• Mint sprigs
• Strawberries, thinly sliced
• Pineapple pieces, thinly sliced
• ​Large ice cubes, to serve

Method

1. Combine the pineapple juice, ginger beer, rum (if using) and passionfruit pulp in a large serving jug or punch bowl.
2. Top with mint, strawberry, pineapple and ice cubes.

Tips

• If you have time and, especially if you are serving the punch in summer, freeze the sliced fruit before adding to the punch
• Prepare the punch in advance and allow to refrigerate for a few hours, however, for maximum 'fizz' add the ginger beer just before serving
• As small ice cubes tend to melt quickly and dilute the punch, try using large ice cubes made in a muffin pan

Recipe credit
Coles Magazine

Champagne cocktails

Photo coming soon

A lovely, fizzy, fruity summer cocktail
Serves 8
Ingredients

• ¼ cup lime or lemon juice
• ¼ cup pink grapefruit juice
• 1 tbsp Cointreau
• 750ml bottle champagne

Method
​Combine juices and Cointreau in a small jug.  Divide evenly between 8 champagne flutes.  Fill flutes with champagne and serve immediately.

Ideas and inspiration ...