RECIPE LIST

Autumn Sangria

Warming Dark Berry Shrub

Cranberry and Hibiscus Allspice

Hot Buttered Spiced Apple

Thai Coconut Tea

Smoke and Ruby Tumbler

Pear and Rosemary on the Rocks

Earl Grey Hot Toddy

 

Autumn Sangria

FOR 2

You will need:

large jug, 2 large goblets

1 apple, thinly sliced (using a mandolin if possible)

½ small pear, thinly sliced (using a mandolin if possible)

1 red plum, sliced into wedges

½ small orange, sliced

a handful of cherries, fresh or frozen

150ml apple juice, chilled

75ml fresh orange juice

1 tsp Ginger and Black Peppercorn Syrup (see here)

ice cubes

tonic water

2 sprigs of mint to garnish

In a jug, combine all the fruit with the apple juice, orange juice and ginger syrup, then refrigerate for a couple of hours.

Once chilled, divide between two large goblets filled with ice, top up with tonic water and garnish with a sprig of mint.

FLAVOUR This recipe is just a guideline. It’s a generous, bountiful drink and I particularly enjoy using a mixture of different apples to make it. If you have an apple tree in your garden, or access to one, use fresh apple juice. You could also juice apples from the supermarket. When the quantities are scaled up, this looks wonderful in a large jug, so throw in the fruits you gather and share it with friends.

Autumn Sangria

Warming Dark Berry Shrub

FOR 1

You will need:

heatproof glass

150ml apple juice

a slice of lemon

2 bay leaves

50ml Berry Shrub made with blackberries (see here)

1 tbsp honey

bay leaf to garnish

Gently warm the apple juice in a pan with the lemon slice and your two bay leaves. Simmer over a low heat for 5 minutes to allow the flavours to infuse. Do not let it boil. Add the blackberry shrub and honey, and stir until dissolved.

Make sure the drink is warm enough, then pour the liquid into a heatproof glass and garnish with a bay leaf.

FLAVOUR For me, the pairing of tart, deep-purple blackberries and sweet, aromatic apple signals autumn. The wonderful colour and scented steam of this drink certainly keep the chilly wind at bay.

Warming Dark Berry Shrub

Cranberry and Hibiscus Allspice

FOR 1

You will need:

heatproof glass, strainer

250ml cranberry juice

3 allspice berries

1 cinnamon stick

a slice of fresh ginger, peeled

1 star anise

½ tsp Sichuan peppercorns (or black peppercorns)

1 bay leaf

a pinch of hibiscus petals or a flower

25ml Hibiscus Syrup (see here)

Add all the ingredients apart from the hibiscus syrup to a pan, then cover and simmer over a low heat for about 10 minutes. Add the hibiscus syrup and taste. You’re looking for a balance between sweet and tart, with just a hint of spice.

Strain the liquid to remove the whole spices and bay leaf but put the hibiscus flower, cinnamon stick and ginger slice back into the strained liquid. Serve straight away in a heatproof glass or pour into a Thermos for later.

FLAVOUR The fragrant steam showcases the very best of autumn and winter spices, while the hibiscus gives an unusual and sharp lemony note.

ADAPT A welcoming warm, ruby, spiced drink to banish the darkening nights, this is particularly delicious when served with spiced biscuits for dunking. Crisp biscotti work especially well.

Cranberry and Hibiscus Allspice

Hot Buttered Spiced Apple

FOR 1

You will need:

heatproof glass or mug

250ml cloudy apple juice

juice of ½ a lemon, plus 1 strip of zest

juice of ½ an orange, plus 1 strip of zest

½ cinnamon stick

1 whole clove

2 allspice berries

¼ tsp fennel seeds

small red chilli (optional)

½ tsp unsalted butter, softened

cinnamon stick for garnish

Add the apple juice, lemon juice, orange juice, zests, spices and fennel seeds to a pan. Simmer over a medium heat for 20 minutes but do not allow to boil. If you’re adding chilli, do so halfway through and keep tasting. Remove if it starts to become too spicy. The idea is to add a little gentle background heat that is barely noticeable.

Ladle the liquid into a heatproof glass or mug, leaving the zest and spices in the pan if you wish. Add about half a teaspoon of butter to your glass. Serve with a cinnamon stick to garnish.

INSPIRATION I’ve had many versions of hot apple or cider over the years, but this is one of my favourites. It’s incredibly warming at the end of a long walk or on arriving home after a cold, busy day.

FLAVOUR It might sound odd to use butter in a drink, but it adds a lovely savoury depth. You can also play with the flavours a little – add citrus zest or a pinch of ground cinnamon to your softened butter, or add a dash of maple syrup if your apples are a little tart.

Hot Buttered Spiced Apple

Thai Coconut Tea

FOR 2

You will need:

2 tall heatproof glasses

500ml water

2 black tea bags

45g granulated sugar

2 star anise

1 green cardamom pod, smashed

2 whole cloves

½ vanilla pod, split in half, or ¼ tsp vanilla extract

3 tbsp coconut milk

2 lemongrass stalks to stir

Bring a pan containing 500ml of water to the boil and add the tea bags, sugar, star anise, cardamom pod and whole cloves. Stir the ingredients together until all of the sugar has dissolved.

Boil for a further 3 minutes, then remove from the heat and add the vanilla pod or extract. Allow the tea to steep for at least 30 minutes, preferably an hour.

Remove the tea bags and spices and discard. Reheat the liquid gently, then divide between two heatproof glasses. Spoon the coconut milk on top – if the milk is very thick, whisk in a little normal milk or coconut water until it’s easy to pour. Add a stalk of lemongrass to each glass to stir.

ADAPT This will keep happily in the fridge for a few days without the milk, so it might be worth making a larger volume and saving some for later. It also tastes fantastic chilled. Just fill your glasses with ice, pour in the cold tea and float the coconut milk on top.

Thai Coconut Tea

Smoke and Ruby Tumbler

FOR 1

You will need:

tumbler

120ml freshly squeezed ruby grapefruit juice

ice cubes

20ml Smoky Lapsang Syrup (see here)

a good squeeze of lemon juice

a strip of grapefruit peel to garnish

Pour the grapefruit juice over ice in a small tumbler and then add the syrup to taste. You’re aiming for a sweet, smoky background to the brighter, citrusy grapefruit. Add a good squeeze of lemon juice and stir. Garnish with a strip of grapefruit peel.

FLAVOUR Lapsang syrup provides a hint of the smoky, caramel taste of a Highland single malt whisky. When partnered with tart grapefruit, it’s delicious to drink by a bonfire when your cheeks are hot and your feet are cold.

Smoke and Ruby Tumbler

Pear and Rosemary on the Rocks

FOR 1

You will need:

tumbler, shaker, strainer

60ml pear juice from 2 small pears, or good-quality shop-bought pear juice (not from concentrate)

30ml freshly squeezed lemon juice

25ml Simple Herb Syrup made with rosemary (see here)

ice cubes

sparkling water

a sprig of rosemary and a slice of pear to garnish

Combine the pear juice, lemon juice and rosemary syrup in a cocktail shaker with ice, and shake well. Strain into a rocks glass and top with a splash of sparkling water.

Garnish with a sprig of rosemary and a slice of pear. For a longer drink, add more water and a dash of lemonade.

FLAVOUR This is an elegant drink for an autumn evening, as the shadows begin to lengthen and a chill appears in the air. For me, a ripe pear is a luscious and fragrant treat, particularly when paired with a hint of warm, woody rosemary.

Pear and Rosemary on the Rocks

Earl Grey Hot Toddy

FOR 1

You will need:

heatproof glass or mug

1 Earl Grey tea bag

a sprig of lemon thyme

235ml boiling water

2 tbsp freshly squeezed lemon juice

honey

a thin slice of lemon to garnish

Place the tea bag and lemon thyme in a heatproof glass or mug. Cover them with boiling water and steep for 4 minutes.

Remove the tea bag without pressing on it, then add the lemon juice. Stir gently and add honey to taste. Garnish with a thin slice of lemon.

FLAVOUR A hot toddy is a must for chilly days. Earl Grey brings with it a hint of bergamot, which, when paired with aromatic lemon thyme, makes everything feel fresh and bright. This is perfect for thawing frozen fingers.

Earl Grey Hot Toddy