A glass of wine versus a cocktail. It’s a bit like having a wardrobe full of clothes but still wearing your jeans every day. A familiar favourite to fall back on and in all honesty a bit easier than bunging various things together and hoping you like the look/taste. You get what I mean.
Cocktails invite mixed opinions, for some they are the American Bar at the Savoy, the height of sophistication. For others they are Stringfellows… The thing is though, I rather like the occasional cocktail and have been known to press a glassful into friends’ hands as they walk in the door. The Negroni had mixed reviews, the Passion Fruit Fizz had us practically scrapping over the last drop and the Sloe Vespa has always gone down a treat.
This then is a homemade slush puppie really. Fabulously bright pink, heady with raspberries and with a sharpness from the lime. Oh and did I mention there is a drop of rum in there too. These are so delicious that their frozen state is almost essential in order to stop you gulping them down too fast. Could there be a better start to dinner?
Parental disclaimer – I realise my recipes are meant to be family friendly and for every day but I think it might have been a mother/child moment that got me thinking about a cocktail in the first place…
Frozen Raspberry Daiquiri
This recipe is a guideline and you may like yours with a little more or less of lime or sugar syrup. Really the best way is to make one for yourself, customise it and enjoy. Then make some more. Sugar syrup is simply equal quantities of caster sugar and water simmered until the sugar is fully dissolved.
100g frozen raspberries (about 1 cup if you use cup measures)
2 tablespoons (30ml) white rum
1 tablespoon (15ml) sugar syrup
60ml lime juice (about 1 lime)
Put all the ingredients into a jug and whizz with a hand held blender or for greater quantities you could use a liquidiser. Makes 1 glorious pink cocktail.