Discover the most popular cocktails from around the world, in this post you will travel to Puerto Rico to taste the best Pina colada, to Cuba to sip on a frozen strawberry daiquiri, to London to have an espresso martini, to Italy for seasonal mulled wine and still get back in time to try sex on the beach in Florida. After all, Florida is the home to the most beautiful beaches in the world!
1. Sex on the Beach cocktail recipe
This cocktail packs a punch, and is fantastic for guests, or to have as pre-drinks. The only problem with it, is that it makes alcohol taste so good that you will get that slight more tipsy than if you had something like champagne were the alcohol flavour is prominent. Made with pure orange juice and cranberry juice, this cocktail is a nation favourite.
There are subtle variations of this drink varying towards more cranberry or more orange, but this recipe is delightful featuring peach schnapps and vodka. Because this drink tastes so good, you should be careful not to drink too much as it is easily done. Always drink responsibly and know your limit. If alcohol is not your thing, you could easily make an alcohol free version just by skipping out the alcohol. Please adjust the recipe to your personal preference with more or less juice and for a classic twist, add fresh mint leaves, or glace cherries.
This drink reminds me of the hot summer sitting out on the patio with my partner, soaking up the sun and letting the ice cold drink cool me down! You can not beat a traditional sex on the beach, it is something I have as a go to order at my local wetherspoons, Pub, local club or bar.
Ingredients
- 50ml Vodka
- 50ml Peach Schnapps
- 100ml Fresh Cranberry Juice
- 100ml Fresh Orange Juice
- Handful of Ice
- Orange Slices for Garnish (Optional)
Method
- Start by filling two glasses with ice, then pour the vodka, peach schnapps and juices into a large jug and stir well. Alternatively place the ingredients into a cocktail shaker.
- Pour the cocktail into the glasses and garnish with orange slices. Enjoy!
2. Salted caramel espresso martini
Espresso Martini is a sophisticated and energizing alcoholic cocktail that is loved by many. It originated in England, London, in a small bar; it was made by experiment in the 80s as a 'wake me up' drink and has now become one of the top ten of the most popular cocktails brought in nightclubs, bars and restaurants.
This recipe has a sweeter kick twist to it and is so easy to make. If you do not want to do the salted caramel twist simply remove salt and caramel syrup and you have a traditional espresso martini recipe. If you are watching your carbs this drink is for you, as long as you use sugar free ingredients that contain no carb you can enjoy this drink without sins.
Ingredients
- Ice cubes (8)
- Coffee liqueur (25ml)
- Premium vodka (50ml)
- Fresh espresso (50ml)
- Caramel syrup (10ml)
- Salt (1/2 tsp)
- Coffee beans to serve
Method
- Fill your martini glass up with some ice to make them nice and cold then remove before serving as it will water down the martini. Add some ice to the cocktail shaker to the top.
- Put all the ingredients into the shaker without the coffee beans and shake well to combine them all. Remember to secure the lid before shaking. This is liquid gold.
- Pour into as many glasses as you can, top with the coffee beans for an elegant touch and serve. Always drink responsibly. These are so delicious and indulgent that you only need a few to curb that sweet alcohol craving, so don't overdo it, or you won't sleep due to the high caffeine.
3. Frozen Strawberry Daiquiri Cocktail
Strawberry daiquiri is one of the best cocktails. It is top of my list on my favourites and it is for plenty of other people, it has a holiday beach feel to it. Imagine relaxing on a beach in the Maldives sipping sweet strawberry daiquiri, it is heaven in my mind! You have to give this recipe a try, you will want to recommend to friends and family because it really is so good. Why not get your friends together and have a cocktail making class, you can use this recipe as your own. The recipe and method is so easy to do, and you will not be disappointed! When I made it the first time I was pleasantly surprised.
With this cocktail it’s not all about how much rum is used, it is about the flavour of the fruit and the good feeling you get from it. You can also make them virgin by taking away the rum. You may think adding lime juice may be strange, but go for it! It adds a great tang and takes away the amount of sweetness you get from the strawberries. Strawberries and lime go so well together its a very popular cider combination. To make a simple syrup, boil one part water and one park granulated sugar and boil until the sugar has dissolved.
Ingredients
- Simple Syrup (5oz)
- Frozen Strawberries (4 cups)
- Fresh Strawberries (1 Cup)
- Lime Juice (1)
- Light White Rum (4oz)
Method
- Grab yourself 2 large cocktail glasses.
- Measure out your ingredients and put to one side.
- Depending on how large your blender is, add all the ingredients together into the blender or if yours is small add half of each ingredient and pour into your glass.
4. Pina Colada Cocktail
Pina colada, you either love it or you don’t. Some people aren’t best fond of coconut cream, maybe they find it too sickly but I personally adore the creaminess and the real beach feel it gives me. The pineapple gives it a sweetness but together as a match they make an incredibly tasty drink topping some rum for a real treat. Every Pina colada is done differently, some have the same amount of rum, pineapple and coconut cream and chuck it all in together with some ice. Others may add more coconut and less rum. It really is down to preference and of course how you’re feeling.
Ingredients
- Coconut Cream (3oz)
- Light White Rum (4oz)
- Pineapple Juice (3oz)
- Lime Juice (Squeeze)
- Ice cubes
Method
- Grab yourself some cocktail glasses.
- Measure out your ingredients and add to a cocktail shaker.
- Shake well and serve over some fresh ice.
I hope you like this recipe and found it as easy as I did making it. If you find it too rich in coconut, or too sweet or maybe you didn’t like how much rum there was, switch it up to make it your own and impress your dinner guests with it.
5. Mulled wine
Mulled wine is delicious, and is one of those traditions that people look forward to each year. It can contain alcohol or be alcohol free and comes in many flavours. This recipe is very nice but I am not going to be biased and say that it is the best simply because that would be down to your personal taste. The alcohol percentage varies from 7-14%.
This diy guide is easy to follow. The best wine to use to make mulled wine is either shiraz or merlot. The wine should also preferably not be stored in an oak barrels as it can add an undesirable flavour. That being said, you could experiment with various wines to find your favourite. When it comes to adding the orange, you may want to remove the peel first as it may add a bitterness to the mulled wine. When it comes to serving your mulled wine, you can garnish it with a cinnamon stick, a slice of orange, orange peel, or some cherries.
The brandy in mulled wine is optional, in fact many people like to swap it out for another spirit. Other popular choices are whiskey, rum, and port. Serve the mulled wine in your favourite mulled wine glasses and if you have made lots, you can use it to glaze ham, make mulled wine brownies, cakes, chutney, add it to a homemade jam for a seasonal twist or even add some into your christmas jus to complement the flavour of your roast dinner.
You can adjust the recipe below to your taste, you can even add dried fruits to add a natural sweet flavour, popular dried fruits are raisins, currants, apricots, and prunes, and more. Red wine itself has antioxidants that can be good for you, but with the addition of the fruits and spices, it may have additional health benefits. Whilst mulled wine seems like the healthier choice in comparison to regular wine it does in fact have a whopping 400 calories per glass.
Keto friendly mulled wine
If you are following the keto diet, you can make your mulled wine keto friendly simply by reducing the amount of carbs added to the mulled wine and by skipping on the added honey. You can add your favourite sweetener instead. The expiry date of store bought mulled wine may be longer, however, homemade tends to only be good for around 3 days.
Mulled wine around the world
Mulled wine is loved around the world. In Czech Republic, mulled wine is known as "svařené víno" which literally means: boiled wine. In France it is known as 'vin chaud' which means hot wine, and those are just a few examples. Mulled wine is enjoyed throughout the world. In fact, originally the wine is said to be of greek origin. The wine was apparently heated by the Romans to keep them warm during the colder months. If you think about it, traditionally, it's still used the same way, especially if we have a white christmas. Slight variations of mulled wines exist throughout different cultures. In Spain they add bay leaves, and in Italy they add a little almond liqueur (amaretto) to the wine. In bulgaria they sometimes swap out oranges for lemons and add some peppercorn.
Ingredients
- 1 (750-ml.) bottle red wine
- 1 orange, sliced into rounds, plus more for garnish
- 6 whole cloves
- 3 cinnamon sticks, plus more for garnish
- 3 star anise
- 90g honey
- 120ml brandy (optional)
Method
- Combine all of the ingredients in a medium saucepan over a medium heat. Bring to a simmer, then reduce the heat to medium-low. Simmer gently over low heat for 10 minutes.
- Serve warm and garnish with more citrus slices and cinnamon sticks if desired.
