Spritz Cocktails
published by Ryland Peters & Small (£8.99)
Photography by Alex Luck
© Ryland Peters & Small
Four Easy Cocktails for The Festive Season
Winter is the time to drink and be merry so why not indulge in a cheeky drink with friends?
What's Christmas without a naughty tipple or two (or three)? Impress your guests with our selection of dangerously delicious cocktails this festive season.
Prima Donna
Simply combine a zesty Italian lemon liqueur with vodka, tangy pomegranate juice and chilled Italian sparkling wine, for an elegant and pretty drink.
25ml vodka
15ml Limoncello (Italian lemon liqueur)
25ml pomegranate juice
chilled Prosecco, to top up
pomegranate seeds (optional)
orange slices, to garnish
SERVES 1
Put the vodka, limoncello and pomegranate juice in a cocktail shaker and add a handful of ice cubes. Shake sharply and strain into an ice-filled rocks glass or tumbler.
Top up with Prosecco, garnish with pomegranate seeds and orange slices and serve.
Bello Marcello
Even the most committed whisky-phobe will love this one. Surely there’s no better use for that dusty bottle at the back of the drinks cabinet.
35ml whisky
15ml Cointreau
well-chilled Prosecco, to top
strip of lemon zest, to garnish
SERVES 1
Pour the whisky and Cointreau into an old-fashioned glass filled with ice.
Stir well, then top up with Prosecco. Squeeze the lemon zest in half lengthways over the drink so that the essential oils in the skin spritz over it, then add the zest to the drink and serve.
Sparkling Manhattan
If you love Manhattans but sometimes find them a bit much, you’ll love this. This is based on a Sweet Manhattan, but feel free to switch the sweet vermouth for dry if you prefer – or use half sweet and half dry vermouth if you’re more of a Perfect Manhattan fan.
15ml bourbon
10ml Italian sweet red vermouth
dash of Angostura bitters
5ml/1 tsp Maraschino, such as Luxardo (optional)
well-chilled Champagne or other dry sparkling wine, to top
maraschino cherries, to garnish
SERVES 1
Pour the first four ingredients into an ice-filled cocktail shaker and stir well. Strain into a chilled old-fashioned glass and top with Champagne. Garnish with maraschino cherries.
Prosecco Mary
Think of the Prosecco Mary as the traditional Bloody Mary’s younger, and slightly more glamorous and spritzy, sister.
25ml vodka
75ml tomato juice
dash of Tabasco or sriracha sauce
pinch of sugar
dash of smoked water (optional;
available in some supermarkets)
about 75ml Prosecco
cucumber slices and/or a celery
stick/rib, to garnish
SERVES 1
Put the vodka, tomato juice, Tabasco, sugar and smoked water (if using) into a cocktail shaker half-filled with ice cubes. Shake vigorously and pour, ice cubes and all, into a chilled collins glass.
Add half the Prosecco and stir gently to combine. Top with the rest of the Prosecco, add some cucumber slices down the side of the glass (or a celery stick/rib if you prefer) and serve with straw and stirrer.
Bar Note: Smoked water is delicious but can overpower, so exercise caution and use no more than 1/4 teaspoon
to begin with.
