Three autumn-friendly recipes to whip up this World Cocktail Day

Celebrated on May 13 each year, World Cocktail Day marks the publication date of the first definition of a cocktail. Published by Harry Croswell, editor of New York tabloid The Balance and Columbian Repository in 1806, Croswell defined a cocktail as “a stimulating liquor composed of spirits of any kind, sugar, water and bitters”.  

It is perhaps not the best day to celebrate cocktails in the southern hemisphere, especially when the weather is uncharacteristically rainy.

But with some clever use of winter-friendly ingredients and a splash or two of the good stuff — all locally produced, of course — there is hope.

Here we share three of our favourite recipes that will warm you up this World Cocktail Day. Cheers!

TANGERINE TEA WITH FIERY GINGER

Ingredients:

60ml Woodstock Tangerine Gin

20ml yuzu syrup

30ml pineapple juice

15ml lime juice

To garnish:

Orange peel

Method:

Shake ingredients together and strain into a rocks glass over ice. Garnish with orange peel.

ROMANCING THE ROOT CITRUS WARMER

Ingredients:

40ml Musgrave Original Gin

15ml tawny port

15ml Aperol

40ml naartjie juice

1 egg white

1 ginger slice

Pinch of salt

5ml maple syrup (optional)

To garnish:

Naartjie wheel

Cinnamon dust

Method:

Dry shake the ingredients and strain into a coup glass. Garnish with a dried naartjie wheel and cinnamon dust.

DIRTY LADY

Ingredients:

50ml Cape Town The Pink Lady Gin

5ml rosé vermouth

20ml strawberry syrup

Ice

To garnish:

1 maraschino cherry (or edible flower)

Method:

Shake the ingredients vigorously for 15 seconds. Leave the shaker for 30 seconds to a minute, then strain into a chilled martini glass. Garnish with a maraschino cherry.

Tip: The rosé vermouth can be replaced with rosé and the strawberry syrup can be replaced with any berry syrup.