Hints of spice and citrus sing throughout this local spicy rum cocktail, making it the ultimate cheer to South Africa’s diversity. Sit back, and enjoy!

MAKES 1 // COOKING TIME 25 min

INGREDIENTS
For the spicy syrup
1 cup water
1 cup sugar
1 tbsp curry powder
For the cocktail
37.5 ml rum
25 ml spicy syrup
50 ml grapefruit juice
20 ml lemon juice
12 ml verjuice
2 dashes Angostura bitters

METHOD
For the spicy syrup
1. Place the water, sugar and curry powder in a pot over medium heat. Stir occasionally until the sugar has dissolved.
2. Allow to boil for  minutes. Then remove from the heat and set aside to cool.
For the cocktail
1. Place all the ingredients in a cocktail shaker. Add cubed ice, close and shake until combined.
2. Single strain into a glass filled with ice cubes. Garnish with a slice of grapefruit and a sprig of mint.

Recipe: Nkuli Khanyile
Styling: Kate Turner
Photography: Samantha Pinto // HMimages.co.za

Loving this flavour combination? Try our rum and citrus cocktails with Campari bitters.

The post Pay tribute to local flavour with this spicy rum cocktail appeared first on MyKitchen.

We’re making rum the new gin with these divine winter rum, spanspek and rooibos spritzers! Enjoy them throughout the year for something sweet.

MAKES 2 // COOKING TIME 10 min

INGREDIENTS
¼ cup cubed spanspek, plus
2 thinly sliced wedges
2 rooibos teabags
5 tbsp boiling water
5 tbsp honey
¼ cup dark rum
1 cup sparkling white wine
1 cup sparkling water

METHOD
1. Heat a griddle pan over high and char the spanspek cubes and wedges. Allow to cool.
2. Steep rooibos in the boiling water until strong. Let cool.
3. Blend together the spanspek cubes, rooibos tea and honey until smooth. Pass through a fine sieve or piece of muslin cloth to make a melon cordial.
4. Divide the spanspek cordial between 2 glasses. Top with ice, rum, sparkling wine and sparkling water.

Recipe & styling: Chiara Turilli
Photography: Samantha Pinto // HMimages.co.za

The post Winter-ready rum, spanspek and rooibos spritzers appeared first on MyKitchen.

Celebrate cocktail hour with something inspired by the tropical summer isles. A batch of our mango-coconut daiquiris will always go down well at the end of a long work week.

MAKES 4 // COOKING TIME 15 min

INGREDIENTS
1 mango, peeled, cored and chopped
½ cup white rum (such as Bacardi)
¼ cup lime juice
2 tbsp castor sugar
Ice cubes
¼ cup coconut cream
2 tbsp thick cream

METHOD
1. Place the mango, rum, lime juice and 1 tbsp castor sugar in a blender. Blend until smooth. Add a few ice cubes and blend a little more.
2. Place the coconut cream, thick cream and 1 tbsp castor sugar in a bowl. Beat until foamy (almost at soft peak stage).
3. Divide the daiquiri mixture between 4 glasses and top with the creamy mixture.

The post Mango-coconut daiquiris appeared first on MyKitchen.

Cocktails are forever. They are even for winter. And these frosty frozen cocktails of ours are worth their weight in gold. Serve them up the next time you have people over. Or, you know, just treat yo’ self!

Berry sorbet floats

MAKES 4 // COOKING TIME 10 min, plus freezing time

INGREDIENTS
3 cups mixed berries
¼ cup condensed milk
Sparkling wine, to top-up

METHOD
1. Blitz the berries and condensed milk. Freeze for about 4 hours, until firm enough to scoop.
2. Place 2 scoops each in 4 glasses.
3. Top-up with sparkling wine and garnish with extra berries.

Pineapple daiquiris

MAKES 4 // COOKING TIME 10 min

INGREDIENTS
1½ cups pineapple chunks, frozen
1½ cups ice
135 ml light rum
100 ml fresh lime juice
65 ml simple syrup
Dark rum, to top-up (optional)

METHOD
1. Place all ingredients, except the dark rum, in a blender and blitz.
2. Divide the mixture between 4 glasses.
3. Top-up with dark rum, if using, and garnish with extra pineapple.

The post Two frozen cocktails you won’t be able to resist appeared first on MyKitchen.

It’s cocktail hour! And what could be more refreshing after a long day than the exquisite taste of watermelon? Not to mention this beautiful fruit is packed with vitamin C, antioxidants and water. So raise a glass to these amazing watermelon mojitos.

SERVES 4 // COOKING TIME 20 min

INGREDIENTS
500g watermelon, seeded
1 cup sparkling water
½ cup rum
¼ cup caster sugar
Juice of 1 lime, plus slices to serve
Handful mint
Crushed ice, to serve

METHOD
1. Blitz the watermelon with a hand-blender until smooth. Strain through a sieve, then add water, rum, sugar and lime juice.
2. Serve with torn mint leaves, crushed ice and lime slices.

The post Watermelon mojitos appeared first on MyKitchen.