The festive season is here, and we cannot wait to cheer in the new year. Serve these crowd-pleaser welcome drinks at your New Year soiree. 

1.Berry ice lolly cocktails

Serves: 4 

Cooking time: 15 minutes 

Ingredients

1 cup mixed berries 

1 cup lemonade or lemon soft drink 

¼ cup cranberry juice 

750 ml sparkling white wine 

Method

1. Mix the berries, lemonade, and cranberry juice. Pour this into ice-lolly moulds and freeze overnight.
2. To serve, place the ice-lollies in glasses and fill them up with sparkling wine.
3. Stir to infuse the lollies in the wine.

Recipe & styling: Amerae Vercueil 

Photography: Samantha Pinto // HMimages.co.za 

2.Green melon cocktails

Serves: 6 

Cooking time: 15 minutes 

Ingredients 

4 limes 

1 green melon 

1 cucumber, chopped and extra to slice for serving 

½ cup mint, stalks removed 

¼ cup white tequila 

Pinch of salt  

Method 

1. Zest one of the limes and juice all of them. Reserve a few slices for serving.
2. Peel, deseed and chop up the melon.
3. Blend all the ingredients until combined and strain through a fine sieve.
4. Pour into glasses with ice and serve with a slice of lime and cucumber.

Recipe & styling: Chiara Turilli 

Photography: Samantha Pinto // HMimages.co.za 

3.Summer-worthy kiwi and blueberry cocktails

Serves 4  

Cooking time: 20 minutes 

Ingredients 

For the purple layer 

¾ cup frozen blueberries 

3 tbsp white rum 

2 tbsp lemon juice 

1½ tbsp simple syrup 

For the green layer 

4 kiwis, peeled and chopped 

4 tbsp limoncello 

1 tbsp simple syrup 

8 mint leaves 

For the blue layer 

½ cup lemonade 

3 tbsp blue curaçao 

2 tbsp white rum 

To assemble 

4 cups crushed ice 

¼ cup blueberries 

½ lemon, sliced 

Method 

1. For the purple layer, blend all the ingredients. Set it aside.
2. For the green layer, blend all the ingredients together and set aside.
3. For the blue layer, mix all the ingredients.

To assemble 

1. Spoon ⅓ cup crushed ice into the bottom of each glass and divide the purple layer between them. Gently mix in with the ice.
2. Spoon in another ⅓ cup of ice and add over the green layer.
3. Spoon the last of the ice on top and gently pour in the blue layer.
4. Top with the fresh blueberries and a slice of lemon and serve immediately.

4.Watermelon and lime spritzer (for the responsible designated drivers)

Serves 4  

Cooking time: 10 minutes 

Ingredients 

3 cups cubed watermelon, rind and seeds removed 

2 limes (zest of 1, juice of 2) 

2 cups crushed ice 

1 cup soda water 

Method 

1. Place the watermelon, lime zest and juice in a blender and blend until smooth.
2. Divide the crushed ice between 4 glasses.
3. Pour the watermelon mixture over the ice. Top up with soda water and serve.

5.Rosé, basil & cranberry cocktails

 

Serves 2 

Cooking time 10 min  

Ingredients 

15 g fresh micro basil, plus extra to garnish 

1 cup ice 

1 cup cranberry juice 

1 cup rosé  

Method 

1. Divide the basil between two glasses and use a pestle to gently bruise the leaves, allowing the flavours to be released.
2. Divide the ice, cranberry juice and Rosé between the glasses and mix. Garnish with basil.

Also read: Delicious treats to savour summer flavours