3 recipes for party cocktails with a twist

End 2023 on a high note by recreating these recipes for spectacular party cocktails. They tick off a triad of checkboxes: taste yummy, look good and can be customised to one’s liking. There’s one that recreates the feeling of Christmas-in-a-glass, another is an indulgent espresso Martini with Bailey’s Icream liqueur, and the third is the most excellent Negroni Sbagliato. All three are viral recipes on Instagram and TikTok. Stir up some fun with these.

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Snow Globe Cocktail

This one is a treat for the eyes and palate. Pick a tumbler glass to mimic the shape of a snow globe. Pour in about 30 ml water, place a rosemary sprig in the centre and tie a thread to hold it in place, throw in three-four cranberries (or any red berry) and freeze for a few hours. When you take the glass out of the ice compartment, the water should have turned into ice and the rosemary sprig must stand tall like a Christmas tree: this is your base. Now, pour in any sparkling drink of your choice; be it gin and tonic, vodka tonic, seltzer or sparkling wine. You can make a buzz-free version with just tonic, and raise a toast to festivities.

Negroni Spagliato

This is perhaps the most popular cocktail recipe post the pandemic. The negroni has three basic ingredients in equal measure: Campari vermouth and gin. In the Spagliato version, the gin is swapped with a Prosecco and a sweet vermouth is mixed in. To add your own spin, instead of the Prosecco, use champagne or any sparkling wine, including a delightful rosé.

Bailey’s Espresso Martini

The classic espresso martini has taken bars by storm. The four essential ingredients in it are vodka, freshly brewed espresso, coffee liqueur and simple sugar syrup. This dessert-like version, replaces coffee liqueur with Bailey’s Irish cream and doesn’t require sugar syrup. All you need to do is add the espresso, vodka and Irish cream in a mixer with ice, give it a quick shake and strain into a martini glass. It’s simple, elegant and delicious.

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