Magical mixes

The Pujas have kick-started the season for fun. With Diwali just around the corner and mellow evenings that descend all too sudden, this is the perfect time to throw a party.

Make sure you’re setting tipple trends with new and innovative cocktails — and the best part of it is that you don’t need any fancy liquor to charm your guests. With good whisky, beer and rum — the bare staples for most bars — you can actually concoct some stylish sips.

So get set to play the genial host, mixing magic with fresh fruits, everyday ingredients and a little bit of effort.

Basil 'n' apple crush

Glass: Whisky or Old Fashioned

Ingredients: 60ml premium whisky, 2 tbs freshly chopped apples, 2 tbs freshly chopped sweet basil leaves, 1 lemon, cut into chunks, 1tsp honey, 1tsp peach syrup, 60ml orange juice, 7 cubes of ice, 1 teacup of finely crushed ice

Method: Gently muddle the lemon chunks along with chopped sweet basil, peach syrup, chopped apple chunks and honey, allowing the ingredients to mix well. In a cocktail shaker transfer the muddled mix and add the whisky and orange juice along with cubes of ice and shake vigorously for 8-9 seconds resulting in a balanced union of texture and flavour. Quickly pour the mix into a good Old Fashioned or whisky glass over the finely crushed ice. Garnish with fresh apple chunks and sweet basil along with some fresh lemon wedges and serve.

Mango hop caramel

Glass: Pilsner or any other beer glass

Ingredients: 2tbs fresh mango pulp, 60ml mango juice, 10ml fresh lemon juice, A dash of egg white, 200ml chilled lager beer, 5 cubes of ice Sugar

Method: Caramelise the rim of a beer glass and refrigerate. In a blender add the fresh mango pulp, mango juice and fresh lime along with a dash of egg white, five cubes of ice and blend for 8 seconds. Pour the blended ingredients into the chilled beer glass. Gently stir in the beer avoiding too much of foam formation. Decorate the glass with caramel candy sticks and serve immediately.
To make the caramel candy stick: Place a non-stick pan over low heat and add 4-5 teaspoons of regular sugar till it starts to caramelise. Gently pour out the caramelised sugar over butter paper, forming long lines. One could also pour out the caramelised sugar in any desired shapes — curved, zig-zag, circular etc.

Ramoz pink foam

Glass: Champagne flute

Ingredients: 45ml white rum, 10ml clear lemon juice, 120ml fresh tender coconut water, 5ml grenadine syrup, 2 dashes of egg white, 12 cubes of ice Soda water

Method: In a pre-chilled cocktail shaker add the above ingredients together without the soda water and shake vigorously until absolutely chilled and frothy. Strain the mix into the champagne flute. Add two to three splashes of soda water into the remaining ice and froth in the shaker. Transfer the froth onto the surface of the earlier poured mix gently with the help of a teaspoon.


The Personal Telegraph