Cocktail o'clock!

If you're having friends over and are stuck for ideas for something entertaining to do, then perhaps consider holding a cocktail-making party.
 

Recently, a couple of the girls and I got together for exactly this and I could wax lyrical all day about how much fun we had!


How to go about it:


You'll need the following basics:

• A good cocktail book (we used '1000 Classic Cocktail Recipes' by Robert Cross)
• A cocktail shaker, preferably with a strainer
• A blender (for making 'frozen' cocktails, which I'd definitely recommend)
• Various spirits and mixers, depending on which cocktails take your fancy. If you're on a budget then I suggest picking recipes that use the same spirit/s to keep the cost down
• Some nice glasses & decorations for the drinks, such as fresh fruit, drinking straws and mini umbrellas
• Lots of crushed ice
• A couple of willing guinea pigs participants to join in the cocktail shaking and drinking

 

And voila! you have all the ingredients for a perfect party.

We experimented with several cocktails during the evening, including good ol' classics such as mojitos, and classics with a twist - saocos (a Caribbean recipe similar to a pina colada but made with coconut milk instead of creamed coconut) and my personal favourite - frozen raspberry daiquiris. I couldn't find an exact recipe for the berry daiquiris so we improvised a little with superb results! The secret is to taste your creations whilst preparing them (any excuse!) until you get the perfect balance.



Happy cocktail making!