Festive Drinks for Drivers

It has become our tradition to attach some festive recipes to our electronic Christmas card. Last year we sent out some non alcoholic cocktails for drivers who are fed up with drinking orange juice for a fortnight. For new readers or those who may have mislaid them I am reproducing them below. We had some great feed back on them including the suggestion that once you were safely home most of them seemed to also work quite well with a shot of vodka or apple brandy!

Rosy Pippin

Half fill an tumbler full of ice with apple juice, add a squeeze of lemon and a dessert spoonful of grenadine. Top up with ginger ale

Hot Cider

Heat 1litre of apple juice with two tablespoons of maple syrup, half a teaspoon of cloves and a cinnamon stick. Serve in punch cups

Champagne Alternatives

Add rosewater to a glass of soda water or 7-Up and garnish with rose petals or make up elderflower cordial with soda water. Serve very cold but without ice

Rosehip Cordial

This can be made up with hot water or served over ice with soda water. In both cases it is enhanced by the addtiion of a small amount of mixed spice.


Hampton Afternoon

Half fill a tumbler full of ice with cranberry juice, add adash of lime cordial and top it off with ginger ale

The Alligator

To fresh lime add 2 teaspoons of Angostura bitters for every 3 squeezed limes. Serve over ice and top up with soda water or 7-Up

Canadian Woods

Combine equal measures of apple and orange juice with two tablespoons of maple srup and 1 cup of fresh lime juice for every 1 litre of juice. Chill well before serving

Autumn Harvest

Make up elderflower cordial with equal quantities of apple and cranberry juice. Add a squeeze of fresh lime and serve over ice garnished with fresh mint leaves.

The Martian

With an electric blender, blend the flesh of half a water melon with two scoops of lime sorbet and serve icy cold in martini glasses

Merry Christmas!!

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