Great British Food Christmas 2024

What are the all-time classics every home bar should stock? Olly: For glassware, a white wine glass covers a lot of bases, and for tools, a shaker is the big one. Rum, whisky, tequila, vodka and gin are the ‘flavoursome five’, and for liqueurs, triple sec and elderflower liqueur are both handy. Sugar syrup can be homemade (gently warm equal parts sugar and water, and flavour with all sorts of herbs). As long as you have ice, some fruit juice, and a few quality mixers, the world is your oyster. Merlin: Focus initially on two or three classic drinks you know you enjoy. That way you don’t have to stock too many spirits and liqueurs at once. As well as these, it’s useful to have fresh citrus (lemon or lime, for instance), and sugar syrup to hand. Learn a TomCollins, then experiment with flavouring it using fresh fruits, herbs, homemade syrups and so on. Creativity knows no bounds. Lastly, but most important of all, have a good quantity of ice in your freezer. You can never have too much ice! Are there any modern cocktail ingredients we should be trying at home? Olly: Intriguing bitter flavours, from Aperol and Campari to Chartreuse and Vermouth, are all making huge strides. The sweet drinks of yesteryear are being left in the wake of intriguingly dynamic blends. A brilliant, brand new bottle is Botivo, which is non-alcoholic and delicious in its own right, but also fab for blending into a world of wowzer cocktails. Merlin: Spirits cupboards have expanded to include ingredients like mezcal, Chartreuse, Aperol and spiced rums. Alternative sweeteners, including agave nectar and honey, are also popular. Bitters (not just your regular Angostura) too, are often a very cost-effective way of adding interesting flavour accents to your drinks, and there are now hundreds to choose from. I’m loving making syrups from various foraged fruits such as elderberries, blackberries and rosehips. AMargarita made with rosehip and mezcal is delicious. What are the hottest flavours in the cocktail world right now? Olly: The enduring popularity of the Spicy Margarita shows we all love a hot kick in our drinks, and the next big wave is sour drinks all the way. Pisco Sour is a champion drink growing in popularity every day. Merlin: If we look at the leading cocktail bars in the UK and globally, it’s all about unique flavour combinations and techniques, such as milk punches that use acids and dairy to clarify a drink. There’s a huge swell in pre-batching cocktails as well, made from complex, house-made concoctions. The hottest flavour is probably something you’ve never heard of. Head to Tayer & Elementary in London and see Monica Berg and Alex Kratena for a great example of what I mean. What’s the secret to mixing a great cocktail? Olly: Balance. As long as you carefully measure your ingredients you can’t go wrong. Merlin: Honestly, it’s often simplicity. Less is more. High quality ingredients or homemade preparations used with restraint. Keep an eye open for those random twists of luck – the times you’re whipping something up, substitute an ingredient, and the drink is even better. Write those recipes down! And don’t be afraid to experiment. COCKTAI L CULTURE Olly Smith and MerlinGriffiths share their tips for shaking up your drinks cabinet this Christmas F romsmooth classics, simply garnished with a twist of aromatic peel or a briny olive, to tiki mugs, festoonedwithweird andwonderful garnishes – nothing beats the sense of occasion awell-made cocktail can bring to the table. If you’re ready to stock up for Christmas, read on to discover themixing essentials experts Olly Smith andMerlinGriffiths think you should have to hand this year... © ALUN CALLENDER © CHRIS WINTER 27 greatbr i t i shfoodawards.com EXPERT T I PS | DRINKS