Our Chief Executive and Director of Opera James Clutton is famed for his cocktails, so we asked him to whip up a festive special. The 'Santa, Baby' includes sloe gin, sherry and English sparkling wine.
Recipe by food-writer Angela Clutton from a cocktail created by James Clutton
The chances of Santa leaving a sable under the tree this year – or indeed a ’54 convertible, light blue – might be significantly improved by amping-up the glass of sherry left out with a mince pie on Christmas Eve night, and swapping it for this ‘Santa, Baby’ cocktail.
The sherry used here is dry fino; mixed with fizz, sloe gin and seasonal spices for a thoroughly festive and completely delicious drink.
Ingredients
For two glasses:
100ml Chase Sloe and Mulberry gin (or another sloe gin)
50ml fino sherry
4 dashes of spiced cocktail bitters (or Angostura bitters)
100ml English sparkling wine – eg. Nyetimber, Chapel Down or Gusbourne
whole nutmeg
Method
Put two martini glasses (or any style of glass you choose) into the fridge to chill for 10 mins before you start.
Fill a cocktail tin or jug with ice. Pour over the sloe and mulberry gin, fino sherry and the bitters. Give it all a good stir for a minute, then remove the glasses from the fridge and strain the cocktail base between them.
Top up each glass with 50ml per glass of sparkling wine. Grate a light dusting of nutmeg on top, and serve.
