With people increasingly staying at home given prevailing health advisories, here are five cocktails you can make at home with kitchen staples
You've heard of a martini, but what about a "quarantini"? That's the name an American woman has given to a concoction she created with gin and vitamin-C powder, while isolating herself at her home amidst the spread of the coronavirus. While the brand that makes the powder has distanced itself from the idea, mid-day invited city bartenders to suggest cocktails with health benefits you can make from kitchen staples in case you, too, are confined within four walls.
Keeping it light
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This cocktail has an easy-to-make recipe with ingredients readily available at home. The concoction of warm tequila fizz with chilled cucumber juice will brighten your mood instantly.
Bhadru Bhukya, restaurant manager, Novotel Imagicaa, Khopoli
Ingredients
60 ml tequilla
150 ml cucumber juice
Chilli flakes
Jalapeno
Method
1. Make a punch of all the ingredients — tequila, cucumber and jalapenos — in a large pitcher.
2. Garnish the amalgamated punch with chilli flakes as
per taste.
Something spicy
The spiced raisin mojito is a delicious drink that you can make with ingredients that your kitchen most likely has. The raisins and cinnamon also work as great immunity boosters, and the drink is perfect for a quarantine drink with friends.
Dwayne Joe D'mell, bartender, Shibuii, Bandra
Ingredients
60ml rum £ 4 pieces lime wedges £ 1 tbsp sugar
2 pieces cinnamon sticks
10 to 15 pieces raisins
Handful of mint leaves
Soda to top up
Method
1. Add mint and lime to a glass, and pour in sugar.
2. Muddle the ingredients.
3. Half-fill your glass with crushed ice.
4. Pour in rum and soda water.
5. Stir, add more crushed ice and garnish with mint and a cinammon stick.
Honeydew smooth
I call this cocktail Honey I shrunk the kids as a nostalgic ode to the popular movie. The honey and cinnamon are strong antioxidants and have other benefits, such as being anti-fungal. The turmeric acts as an anti-inflammatory substance, while the whiskey is great for your blood circulation and the citric acid of the lime juice helps fight common cold.
Gaurish Rangnekar, owner and head mixologist at Barmobile, a bartending service.
Ingredients
5 gm turmeric powder
15 ml honey £ 5 ml fresh lime juice £ 45 ml any good whiskey or scotch £ 2 gm cinammon powder (optional)
Method
1. In an old-fashioned glass or a whiskey glass, mix the turmeric powder with the honey and lime juice. Stir.
2. Add some cinnamon powder if available. 3. Add the whiskey and top up with 3 to 4 cubes of ice and stir again till chilled. 4. Garnish with an orange wheel or a cinammon stick.
In times of an emergen-C
This orange and cinnamon cooler can be one of the easiest drinks you can make at home. Orange is one of the best sources of vitamin C. It is easily available nowadays and cinnamon, one of the best antioxidants around, is a common ingredient used in Indian kitchens.
Swapnil Pawar, bartender, Candy & Green, Breach Candy
Ingredients
120 ml fresh orange juice
1/4 tsp cinnamon powder
10 ml of lime juice
6 to 8 fresh mint leaves
60 ml whiskey
Method
1. Hand-press mint and shake it with the ingredients and a few cubes of ice.
2. Garnish with a slice of orange with a cinnamon stick.
Mixing and matching
An easy and versatile recipe, the ginger tonic cocktail works with any spirit. The ginger and honey boost immunity and relax the throat. In fact, you can make this drink without any alcohol as well!
Vedant Mehra, bartender, Olive Bar & Kitchen
Ingredients
Honey (sugar if preferred)
Ginger £ Lime
Vodka /gin/white rum/ Tequila (any white spirit will do) £ Tonic or soda (Olive recommends light Indian tonic water)
Mint/basil/thyme (any herb available at hand)
Method
1. Muddle peeled and sliced ginger in a tin or any available tumbler.
2. Add 15 ml of honey, squeeze one full lime and add 50 ml of your favourite white spirit.
3. Add ice.
4. Close the tumbler with a lid and give it a good shake.
5. Pour into a tall glass.
6. Top up with tonic.
7. Garnish with any herb.
An apple a day
The apple ginger cordial is a refreshing spritz with gin, apple and ginger. With ingredients readily available at home, it's a drink that is a perfect blend of just the right ingredients.
Pratik More, mixologist, Sorrentina by Foodhall, Khar
Ingredients
45ml fresh red apple and ginger cordial £ 60 ml gin
Apple and ginger chunks
Soda to top up £ 3 apple slices and 1 ginger slice to garnish
Method
Mix the ingredients together and give them a good stir. Garnish it with apple and ginger slices.
Just chill
This drink is your best indoor remedy to keep your vitamin-C levels loaded while enjoying yourselves responsibly and being cautious. It's a drink that can be whipped up quickly before you enjoy a movie or just have a chilled-out evening.
Dinesh Rana, restaurant manager, Esora, Goregaon
Ingredients
1/4 kaffir lime
5 to 6 mint leaves
60 ml orange juice
15 ml each sweet and sour£ 60 ml vodka £ Tonic water or soda to top up £ Ginger slice for garnish
Method
1. Take a glass and squeeze kaffir lime.
2. Tap chopped mint.
3. Put 15 ml of sugar syrup and lime juice, and stir.
4. Add 60ml of vodka and top up with tonic water.
5. Garnish with ginger slice or orange slice.
6. Serve in a high ball glass and add crushed ice cubes.
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