Cocktails, Hangover Cures and New Years Resolutions

The end is nigh – no seriously, it’s tonight! Well at least the end of another year and the beginning of a new one.

New Years Eve is the time to get your party on, celebrate everything you’ve been through the last year and ring in the new one. So we’ve brought together our favourite cocktails mixed with some hangover cures we’ll definitely be trying. Plus a few New Year’s resolutions since you know you’ll be seeing ‘New Year New Me’ posts all over social media tomorrow!

So first we start with cocktails because ‘hello’ why not? Whether you rave for rum, are voracious for vodka or tickled with tequila we’ll dish up something for everyone – and so should you!

When deciding what sort of cocktails you’ll be serving at your soiree you have to ask yourself ‘what kind of party am I having?’ This questions is utterly everything when you choose what you’re serving. If you’re doing a frat style party beer and jello shots all the way, but if you’re classing it up then it’s time to bring out those bartender skills and put your cocktails tot he test.

My party this year is a 1920’s style shindig. I’ve decided on martinis and high brow tumbler cocktails. Of course, I’ll have the normal martinis served dirty or dry but I’ll also have a few that deliver quite the kick in the taste buds!

Let us begin with rum!

Pineapple Cinnamon Mojito

The answer to how to make a summery mojito a winter drink lies with Tattooed Martha. She brought the flavours of grilled pineapple, cinnamon and mint to a cocktail – introducing the winter mojito! Instead of serving these in tumblers I’ll be serving them up in large wine glasses with a wedge of grilled pineapple on the rim. Whilst the recipe calls for Sailor Jerry’s spiced rum, Capitan Morgan’s works too. Enjoy!

Spiced Banana Fosters Rum Cocktail

No of course this isn’t the image of what my cocktail looks like, but rather what it tastes like. You won’t find this one on the internet, so enjoy my banana flavoured goodness.

This recipe makes one drink and needs to be served in a high ball glass.

In a cocktail shaker filled with ice combine the following:

Ingredients:

• 2 shots of Bombo Caramel and Banana Rum
• 50ml heavy cream
• 2 tsp brown sugar
• 1/2 tsp vanilla extract

Shake well and strain into your high ball glass. As a garnish I like to slice up fresh banana, roll in brown sugar and vanilla extract and sear in a pan. Stick two slices through with a cocktail skewer and serve on the side of your glass. Voila caramelised bananas on the side of your banana fosters rum cocktail.

This is perfect after a meal, beside a slice of cake or even beside the pool. No matter where you are celebrating make this a must have this NYE!

Image Credit: Saveur

Moving on to the vodka!

Vanilla, Pear and Vodka Cocktail

Delicious pear juice is combined with sweet vanilla and vodka in this winter winner from Two Tarts. If you only have the patience, time or money to make one cocktail for your guests (hoping they all like pear) this one is definitely a winner. Three ingredients, a cocktail shaker and five minutes is all you need to dish up four of these beauties. These would also make the perfect brunch cocktail on New Years Day…..that is, if you can face alcohol after NYE 2015!

Espresso Martini

For all my fellow coffee fans, the espresso martini. I found this recipe from Jamie Oliver but do make mine a bit different. I make my espresso martini more of a white chocolate mocha martini with curls of white chocolate and half a measure of Godiva chocolate liqueur. Think of a boozy frappuccino. Perfect for after dinner or as a dessert cocktail.

My take on tequila:

The Poinsetta

This will warm you up when it’s getting late and it’s bitterly cold. A tequila twist on something like a punch it’s beautiful. The recipe does involve a bit of preparation but believe me, it’s worth it! Whoever said tequila isn’t the perfect cocktail party drink never had one of these.

Mexican Hot Chocolate

Staying home on NYE in your pyjamas never looked so good. Ok well maybe we aren’t in pyjamas, maybe we’re dressed up as flappers and gangsters  carrying around plastic tommy guns but don’t think for one second we aren’t sipping on this beautiful Mexican Hot Chocolate courtesy of Creative Culinary. Seriously! If you love those chocolates that have a hint of chilli you have found a cocktail to please the palate and tickle the tastebuds.  This will be our post countdown, wind down hot toddy for the evening. That may be well into the morning by the time we crawl our way to bed. If you are out watching the ball drop in NY Times Square or around the London Eye why not whip some of this up, put it in your portable coffee mug and keep warm all night long!

After all these cocktails you just may be feeling a little worse for wear tomorrow. Scouring the World Wide Web I’ve found some purported ‘hangover cures’. Dare to try them out?

Our Top Hangover Cures

1. Sleep

There is no better cure for a hangover than getting plenty of sleep after a heavy night of drinking (or a light night of drinking for us lightweights). Getting plenty of rest will help your body replenish itself for the next day (or the day after that).

2. Hydrate

It is well known that for ever alcoholic drink you consume you should drink an equal amount of water. I mean – who does this? Not me. But what I do is before bed have a full pint glass of water with two ibuprofen then off to sleep I go.  It helps me sleep through the night and wake without that pounding, nausea inducing headache that comes from too many glasses of bubbly.

3. Have a Massive Fry Up!

Ok so I don’t recommend having more than your fair share of calories if watching your weight is one of your New Years Resolutions, but then again if you consumed your weight in alcohol last night then you are well past breaking that resolution. Eating a huge breakfast will get you well on your way to feeling better (plus it’s the oldest trick in the book). If you are watching your weight and all those double vodka diet cokes are what is wasting you away have a healthy breakfast of an omelette, oatmeal or toast (with some sort of nut butter for protein).

4. Get Your Buns to the Gym

Start as you mean to carry on – and that includes New Years morning. Going straight to the gym on New Years Day will not only make you feel better after a heavy night of drinking but it also keeps you from breaking some of those New Year Resolutions before the New Year even begins.

5. Have Another Drink

Ok so maybe this one isn’t the best reflection of how to get over a hangover but instead how to prolong it to the next day. I’m unsure, but my friends swear that having another drink first thing in the morning (they swear by Bloody Mary’s) is a way to cure a hangover. I’m not brave enough to try it but if you are, please let us know how you get on!

New Years Resolutions

So it’s that time of the year again. Time to wait in line for cardio machines at the gym, time to schedule fitness classes well in advance for fear of losing the last spot and picking up salad bits and bobs daily since there is never enough for the whole week at once in the shop. People will be doing their dieting and their fitness regimes for at least January – or the first week of January. What are your New Years Resolutions? Do you plan on getting fit? Going to the gym? Dieting? Going back to school? Learning something new? Share your New Years Resolutions with us!