FOOD & DRINK

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Aloha!

TV producer and food and drink writer Andy Clarke shares two summer cocktail creations

One thing I love to do is to put smiles on faces, whether by posting naked selfies in the garden (!) or encouraging people to look on the bright side. If I can encourage happiness, this, in turn, makes me feel positive too, so I’ve engaged my enthusiastic palate to give you some drink suggestions for sipping from home during this unusual time.

Clementine Kiss Cosmo A twist on one of my favourite cocktails, which reminds me of trips to New York. I think there’s a Sex & The City character in all of us and by making this, we can celebrate our frustrated traveller. The added magic of clementine juice takes it to the next level; the pepperiness of Chapel Down Vodka from Kent, made by the famous winemakers, is the kick you need to go with all that fruit. Don’t worry about juicing clementines; M&S sell divine freshly squeezed clementine juice (lovely in a Bucks Fizz). Do track it down, it’s oodles better than orange juice.

Ingredients for two cocktails (in one shaker)

60ml Cointreau 120ml vodka 40ml cranberry juice drink 40ml clementine juice Juice of two limes A handful of ice 2 slices of clementine

Put the ice into the shaker. Add all liquid and shake for 20 seconds until shaker is cold to touch. Strain into martini glasses and garnish with a thin disc of clementine (gently oven dried if you’ve time). The ‘Surf’s Up’ Mary The Bloody Mary has long been associated with getting up with a hangover but I love one at any time of day. With all that tomato juice it’s just like having a gazpacho... This take is made with Aloha 65 Hot Sauce –a delicious blend of white wine vinegar, lemon juice, coriander, scotch bonnet chili and Aloha 65, a spirit made by an ex-pat British barman with the intention of luring surfers to his beach bar. If anything’s going to encourage you to get into bracing water, this is (drink responsibly before exercise).

Ingredients for two cocktails (in one shaker)

120ml vodka (Broken Clock or a zesty, fruity one preferably) 240ml tomato juice 5 shakes of Aloha 65 Hot Sauce 2 shakes of Worcestershire sauce Juice of half a lemon A handful of ice 2 twists of freshly ground black pepper A slice of cucumber to garnish

Juice the lemon and add to the shaker with ice. Add all other ingredients (other than the pepper) and shake for 20 seconds until the shaker is cold. Pour into a tall glass and grind the pepper on top. Garnish with a disc of cucumber and optional salted rim. ■