Mixologists spread cheer with recipes for spunky red, green, and white drinks to keep the vibes high at your house parties
Representation pic
We hear you. You’ve been contracted the tender for being behind the bar at an upcoming house party, and all eyes are on you. Why not surprise your guests by pouring red, white and green drinks to ensure they record the festive cheer in Instagrammable pictures? Here are a few ground rules: Invest in quality alcohol, ready the bartender kit you’ve always wanted to use, procure good quality ice, and use the peg measurer. Approximation ruins a cocktail.
White Christmas affair
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Mumbai will never see a white Christmas (even with climate change), but we can always take inspiration from snowy images across the world and pour that into a glass. That calls for smooth, creamy drinks which have a mellow kick.
Xmas Winterbuzz
Ricky Rana with Winterbuzz Cocktail at All Saints, Khar. Pics/Sameer Markande
Christmas always excites Ricky Rana, bar manager at All Saints. “This time of the year reminds me of my family,” says Rana, “of setting up the crib and hearing stories of Jesus’ birth. We’d put up stockings and wait for the magic of Santa.” Rana recommends Xmas Winterbuzz for your party menu because it’s versatile and can be a mocktail too. He lays down just one condition—simply follow the recipe.
Ingredients
30 ml rum (skip for mocktail)
15 ml Malibu (skip for mocktail)
60 ml fresh cream
15 ml white syrup
10 ml hazelnut syrup
30 ml fresh pineapple juice
10 ml rose syrup
7.5 ml blue curaçao
8-10 ice cubes
Method
Mix all ingredients in a shaker, add ice cubes, and give it a thorough shake. Double strain and serve.
Dr. Locos Horchata by Poco Loco
Horchata
This drink originated in North Africa, and later became popular in Spain and Portugal. From Spain, the concept of horchata was taken to the world. There, drinks called agua de horchata or simply horchata, came to be made with white rice and cinnamon. Sometimes, the drink has added vanilla or fruit.
Ingredients
40 ml dark rum
20 ml coffee liqueur
60 ml rice milk
3 cardamom pods
A pinch of cinnamon powder
1 scoop vanilla ice cream
Method
Mix the rice and warm water in a bowl, and let it stand for half-an-hour. Strain the rice into a blender (retain the water), add cinnamon, and blend well until it turns into a paste. Return the mixture to the water and let rest for some time. Stir occasionally until the water turns milky white. Add rum, coffee liqueur, rice milk, cardamom, and vanilla ice cream into a blender, blend well, and pour it over the ice. Garnish with a cinnamon stick.
Dirty Snowman
Dirty Snowman. Pic/Sayed Sameer Abedi
Head mixologist at Maujja, Pankaj Kumavat, got the inspiration for this drink from his hometown in Kashmir. He grew up in parts of Pahalgam and Gulmarg. “Mumbai and Thane do not experience snow,” he says, “but this time of the year reminds me of the season. We would sip on kahwa and toddy to keep warm.”
Ingredients
60 ml Baileys Irish Cream
30 ml white chocolate, melted
3 scoops of vanilla ice cream
Whipped cream and star sprinkles for garnish
Method
In a cocktail grinder, add Baileys, white chocolate, vanilla ice cream and blend. Strain and pour into a glass. Garnish with whipped cream and star sprinkles.
Paint the town red
Red drinks call for fruity concoctions that reflect one of the dominant colours of Christmas. Think of plum, red wine, punch, and rosé .
Berry Merry
Bisho Sunar with Berry Merry Cocktail at Demy, Lower Parel. Pic/Sameer Markande
Bisho Sunar, senior mixologist at Demy, recommends a sweet and tangy drink with a hint of fizz. “Showy finishing touches can elevate even the most basic cocktail ingredients, and amplify flavours, too,” he says, adding, “When the heart is happy, Christmas can never be dull. It’s not just about feasting and fun. It’s also a time for a happy reunion with family and friends. As a mixologist, this is the busiest time of the year. I love working with fresh fruit and herbs because they are versatile. For example, I once made a drink that was simply vodka, lemon juice and honey. To give it a fruity lift, I added a few strawberry slices and basil leaves. At home, you can get creative with the ingredients you have at hand.”
Ingredients
1 tbsp blueberry compote
30 ml cranberry juice
Sparkling wine (chilled at 5-6 degrees Celcius)
Method
Mix the blueberry compote with cranberry juice and five ice cubes, and shake it in a shaker. Top the glass with sparkling wine.
Christmas Punch
For Megha Datwani, mixologist and founder at Poco Loco, Christmas is about lights, décor, happiness, and good food with family. “My personal pick is the classic pisco drink, chilcano, with a lot of fresh fruit-based cocktails and anything with coconut and pineapple,” she says. “Use fresh fruits to add natural flavours to your drink.” Some accounts suggest that the drink punch can be traced to India where the East India Company sailors were provided with a daily ration of 10 pints. The beer would spoil in the tropical heat, and so they turned to local ingredients, including arrack (a palm-based spirit familiar to South Asia), and to rum when in the West Indies. The addition of local fruit and spices, including nutmeg and mace, was the next step toward establishing the flavour profile.
Megha Datwani
Ingredients
20 ml whisky
20 ml dark rum
20 ml brandy
1 pint apple cider mead
70 ml cranberry juice
20 ml lime juice
A selection of fresh fruit (pineapple, green apple, Malta orange)
Method
Add whisky, dark rum, brandy, cranberry juice, grape juice and lime juice in a fish bowl. Stir well. Add apple cider mead and garnish with fresh fruit.
Drinks to green light
Green is an odd colour for a drink, but it can add a fun profile to your cocktail menu. Kiwi, khus, and even a vegetable base can make it a creative exercise.
Pine LIIT
Pine Liit
At Maujja in Thane, Pankaj Kumavat relies on kiwi crush for all things green. He has a few tips for those who don the bartender apron at home: Use ingredients that can be stored and reused. Keep an attractive variety of glassware to present your creations. Try to use naturally-coloured ingredients, such as fruits and vegetables for garnish.
Ingredients
Vodka, rum, tequila, gin, triple sec and kiwi crush 15 ml each
Red Bull
Slice of lime for garnish
Method
In a stirring glass, add ice. Now add the white spirits with kiwi crush and stir it well.
Top it up with Red Bull and mix well. Garnish with a lemon slice and serve.
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