From mulled wine to eggnog, here are some festive drinks to spice up your Christmas parties

Hyderabad: Christmas is the time to bring out the best recipes in alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks that will bring cheer to both adults and children. With the high-quality spirits and ingredients now available everywhere, making exotic drinks has never been easier.

Saying cheers in other countries

Every country has its own special drink associated with Christmas; it is wassail, eggnog, hot toddy, punch or mulled wine in England, it is glogg in Denmark and hot chocolate in Mexico.

In Brazil, Christmas occurs during peak summer and cooling drinks like the sweet Brahma maltz beer, caipirinha and a variety of cold fruit punches are served with food.

Similarly, the British have whisky, the French have cognac, the Japanese have sake, the Russians have vodka, the Germans have kirsch and Brazilians have cachaca.

What is Cachaca?

Caipirinha’s alcohol content comes from cachaca, which is produced from the distillation of sugar cane. Sugarcane was introduced in Brazil by the Portuguese in the 1500s to produce white sugar.

In the production process, after the canes were crushed, the leftover called bagaca in Portuguese (from which the word cachaca took its name) was used to feed the cattle; the natural fermentation of the bagaca produced a very basic type of cachaca, which was happily drunk by the slaves. The Portuguese noticed the alcoholic properties of the drink, refined its production methods and came up with a new drink and called it cachaca which is a favourite of Brazilians.

Ingredients and steps to prepare caipirinha

4 limes quartered

1/2 cup of brown sugar

4 peg measures of cachaça (good quality vodka or rum can be used instead)

Ice cubes (crushed)

A large jug

Method:

Combine cut limes and sugar in the jug and mash with a wooden spoon (it is very important to use a wooden spoon in this recipe) until the sugar starts to dissolve in the lime juice. Pour cachaca, rum or vodka to taste. Mix well and add crushed ice.

Ingredients and steps to prepare mulled wine

1 bottle of red wine

1 lime, quartered

8 cloves

2 sticks of cinnamon

A small pinch of ginger powder

2 tablespoons of brandy

200 ml orange juice

Sugar to taste

Method:

Place all the ingredients in a saucepan and bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer for a couple of minutes. Remove heat and let it cool slightly before serving.

Remove the lime, cloves and cinnamon sticks. Taste the mulled wine and sweeten it according to taste. Serve in red wine glasses. This drink must be served warm, but not too hot or the wine glasses will crack!

Ingredients and steps to prepare Glogg

3 cups of water

1 cinnamon stick

5 cloves

½ teaspoon all-spice powder

5 cardamom pods

A pinch of dry ginger

Grated orange peel (1 fresh orange)

Grated lemon peel (1 fresh lemon)

100 g of raisins

1 bottle of red wine

Almond slivers

Method:

Mix water, cinnamon, cloves, all-spice powder, cardamom and ginger for one hour. Add grated orange peel, grated lemon peel and raisins. Let the mixture sit overnight. Pour the bottle of red wine into the mixture and slowly let it come to a simmer. Put a few slivered almonds at the bottom of each serving glass or mug and pour the glogg on top. This drink is also served warm.

Ingredients and steps to prepare eggnog

4 eggs

3 cups milk

8 tablespoons sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla essence

1/2 teaspoon of nutmeg, grated or ground

Method:

In a large bowl, beat the eggs using a beater. Add milk and sugar.

Continue beating until the mixture thickens slightly. Add the vanilla essence and ground nutmeg. Cover with a plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least four hours.

This is a non-alcoholic recipe. A cup of whiskey is added to make the alcoholic version but this must be added at the last stage along with the vanilla and nutmeg.

Ingredients and steps to prepare fruit punch

2 cups of vodka (optional)

5 cups mixed juice: pineapple, lime, orange and apple mixed in a proportion you prefer

2 cups of water

3 tablespoons of sugar

Method:

Combine ingredients in a large and festive punch bowl. Serve with fruity ice cubes. Do not add the vodka if children are also being served.

How to prepare fruity ice cubes

Mixed fruit, (tinned or fresh); you can choose oranges, pineapple slices, strawberries and cherries.

Fruit juice of any flavour.

Method:

Slice the fruit into small pieces. Place fruit at the bottom of individual ice cube trays. Pour the juice over the pieces of fruit. Freeze until solid. Drop in individual glasses, fruits or punch bowls.

Ingredients and steps to prepare non-alcoholic watermelon lime soda

4 cups of cubed seedless watermelon

3/4 cup of lime juice concentrate

2-1/2 cups of plain soda

Lime slices

Method:

Place watermelon in a blender. Cover and process until blended. Strain and discard pulp; transfer juice to a pitcher. Stir in limeade (lime soda) concentrate. Refrigerate for six hours or overnight. Just before serving, stir in soda. Garnish glasses with lime slices.