Food & Drink

The silly season is upon us; time to rock out the bubbles! Champagne cocktails are delicious as a festive party starter. The recipe also works well with sparkling wine or prosecco. If possible, use fresh lime juice in this drink; it makes all the difference!
Citrussy and slightly sweet, the French 75 Cocktail dates back to World War I, and is a great alternative to the mimosa on Christmas morning.
A hybrid of my two favourite things: French toast and crumpets. To turn it into something more substantial, you could pop a fried egg or some fried tomatoes – or both – on top and call it dinner.
Nothing says spring quite as eloquently as a fresh asparagus salad. This delicious vegetable is in season now (see page 88), and tossing it through a salad like this is easily a meal in itself. For a more substantial meal, serve with grilled white fish or chicken.
The secret to this is to allow the chilli to marinate in the sugar syrup for at least a couple of hours before serving. The longer you leave it, the spicier it’ll be!

B52

This eye-catching shot is believed to have originated in the 1970s by a bartender and fan of the band the B52s. There’s no ice, so you might want to refrigerate the spirits before serving.
Not nearly as terrifying as its name would suggest, this blend of vodka, tomato juice and blood orange juice makes for a very pretty cocktail.
From the gentle pink tinge of New Zealand-grown fresh garlic, to the juicy red wine crush of boysenberries, this season’s produce comes in some gorgeous hues.