Three cheap ways to create fancy-looking cocktails and impress pals as temperatures rise
WHY not toast this rare sunny weekend with a refreshing summer drink?
It’s easy to create a cocktail that looks super-fancy but has a budget price tag.
So try impressing pals with some of these ideas . . .
GET DUPED: Aldi and Lidl have own-brand versions of premium spirits and many people will struggle to tell the difference.
A bottle of Grey Goose vodka is £42 from Waitrose whereas Aldi’s Saint Germont French vodka comes in at £16.99.
The supermarket’s Aperini Superiore, £6.99, is a more affordable take on Aperol, £17, from Sainsbury’s.
Or try Lidl’s Finton’s Special gin, £11.99, instead of Gordon’s, £19, from Waitrose.
SWEET SAVING: Many classic cocktails, such as mojitos and daiquiris, call for sugar syrup.
A bottle of Monin pure cane syrup is £3.25 at Sainsbury’s, but it’s super-easy to knock up your own, far cheaper, version.
You just need 150g of caster sugar and 75ml water in a pan.
Heat gently until the sugar is dissolved.
Pop in a sterilised jar and place in the fridge — it will keep for a few weeks.
FINESSE FOR LESS: A finishing flourish on a home-made drink adds the wow factor.
Try dehydrating citrus fruits otherwise set for waste.
It’s a great way to preserve fruit for longer and can also help intensify the flavour of cocktails once added.
Just take your chosen fruit and slice thinly before spreading in a single layer on a wire rack in the oven.
Bake for nine hours on a low heat and store in an airtight container.
When ready you can drop the slices into your drink.
Dehydrated oranges work particularly well with an Old fashioned or try a lemon with a margarita.
- All prices on page correct at time of going to press. Deals and offers subject to availability.
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