Drinks can take us travelling vicariously in the same way food can – a Bellini in Venice, iced Vietnamese coffee in Hanoi, mango lassi in Delhi or hot chocolate in Zurich. Here are some of my favourite drink recipes: cocktails, coffees and more.
Mango Lassi Sometimes made with buttermilk instead of, or as well as, yoghurt, lassi is a refreshing drink that can be served for breakfast or as a snack at any time. It can be flavoured with pureed fruit such as mango or made in more of a savoury style seasoned with spices like saffron or […]
Coffee Granita My favourite dessert at MG Garage – in fact perhaps my favourite dessert of all time – was coffee granita with chocolate mousse. When chef Janni Kyritsis and I wrote Wild Weed Pie, we did a whole section on granitas saying: “‘squeeze, freeze, scratch and serve’ is almost the only recipe you need […]
Vietnamese Iced Coffee When I first visited Vietnam in the mid-90s it was impossible to get any coffee except the traditional dark roast dripped into a cup of sweetened condensed milk from a small aluminium filter called a phin. As I don’t have a sweet tooth it took some getting used to, but once I […]
While cocktails are typically served before dinner, I find some are better suited to the end of the evening. Here’s my version of five classic cocktails that are perfect after, or instead of, dessert. Make your own simple sugar syrup by combining equal quantities of water and sugar or have fun with the exciting range […]
Swiss Kaffee Fertig Discover more Swiss specialties on my small group food & wine tour of Switzerland! Adding alcohol to coffee is popular in many cultures. Caffè corretto (coffee ‘corrected’ with a nip of grappa) is a common way to start the day in Italy, in France it’s pousse-café and in Spain, carajillo. The Swiss […]
Here’s my take on some of the best-known classic cocktails. As I’m really more a wine drinker than a cocktail fan, these are mostly relatively low alcohol – making them perfect for sipping on a hot day or evening. Add more ice or soda to stretch them even further if you like, after all the […]
There’s nothing like bubbles to get everyone in a party mood. While Champagne is the traditional fizz of choice, sparkling wines from other French regions, Italy, Australia and New Zealand can also do the job – often at a fraction of the cost – especially in these five popular cocktails. Keep the snacks French by […]
There’s nothing like a cocktail or two to get everyone in the mood for a party. While purists might argue that mixing Sherry with other ingredients is a waste of good wine, Sherry cocktails have been around since the 17th century. There were simple blends with vermouth and/or bitters (Adonis); or raw egg and sugar […]
Affogato Depending on the ratio of ice cream to coffee, this delicious creation appears on either coffee or dessert menus in cafés and Italian restaurants everywhere. Affogato means ‘drowned’ in Italian, and in it’s simplest form it hardly needs a recipe: just ‘drown’ a scoop of ice cream in a shot of espresso. But I […]
