Carrot, apple & ginger juice
There is something about this blend of fruit and vegetables that feels so extremely virtuous and cleansing. It is very thirst-quenching as well, especially when served really well chilled. Great for a hangover.
4 carrots
2 apples, quartered
3 cm/1½ in. fresh ginger ice, to serve
juicer
SERVES 2
Pass the pears, kiwis and apples through a juicer, one at a time, into a jug. Add enough ice for 2 people and serve.
Pear, kiwi & apple juice
Kiwis are my secret weapon against colds, being rich in vitamin C. They are sharp and sweet, and mixed with the mellower flavours of pears and apples they make a really gorgeous early-morning juice.
3 pears, quartered
3 kiwi fruit, quartered
1 apple, quartered
ice, to serve
juicer
SERVES 2
Pass the carrots, apples and ginger through a juicer, one at a time, into a jug. Add enough ice for 2 people and serve.
Basil limeade
If I'm having a brunch gathering then this basil limeade is what I serve to guests. The amount of lime and sugar is a personal thing, so I suggest you adjust it to taste, adding more of one or the other as necessary. There will be guests who will appreciate a cheeky dash of cachaça rum in theirs for a caipirinha-style cocktail.
225 ml/1 scant cup lime juice (from about 10 limes)
75 g/? cup packed light brown sugar
a handful of fresh basil leaves
2 handfuls of ice
250 ml/1 cup soda water
4-6 cocktail glasses, chilled in the freezer for 1 hour
SERVES 4-6
Put the lime juice, sugar and basil in a blender (one that is able to crush ice) and blend until smooth. Add the ice and blend briefly to break up the ice cubes. Pour into the cocktail glasses and top up with the soda water.
Basil limeade
Pineapple & mint agua fresca
Refreshing agua fresca is found all over Mexico. The name literally means 'cold water' and it can be any fruit (or even another ingredient such as tamarind or rice and milk) blended with ice, sugar and water. The idea is that it is cooling and rehydrating on a hot day. Serve it as a whipped fruit frappé just with ice, or as a sparkling drink mixed with soda water.
100 g/½ cup granulated sugar
a smallish pineapple (about 700 g/1¾ lbs.), peeled and cored
a small handful of fresh mint leaves, plus extra to serve
ice, to serve
600 ml/2? cups chilled soda water (optional)
SERVES 4-8
Put the sugar and 100 ml/½ cup water in a saucepan and heat gently until the sugar has dissolved. Remove from the heat and let cool while you cut the pineapple into rough chunks. Put the pineapple in a blender with the mint and the cooled syrup. Blend until smooth. Divide between 4 tumblers with a scoop of ice in each one, or 8 tall glasses and top up with ice and the soda water.
Pomegranate & orange sunrise
A twist on the usual tequila sunrise, mine is made with the newly fashionable pomegranate juice which adds a twist of bitterness to cut through the natural sweetness of orange juice. I sometimes add a shot of Campari to the pomegranate juice too, but this makes it an entirely different kind of morning!
ice, to serve
500 ml/2 cups freshly squeezed orange juice
200 ml/¾ cup pure pomegranate juice
SERVES 2
Half fill 2 tumblers with ice and top up with orange juice so they are two-thirds full. Pour the pomegranate juice slowly down the side of the glass so it sinks to the bottom. Serve straightaway with a cocktail stirrer.
Banana, honey & wheatgerm lassi
Some mornings I need a smoothie which is a meal in itself, especially if I am awake early and can't face eating. With the added bite of the wheatgerm, this lassi fits the bill. Lassi is a cooling Indian drink which can be sweet or savoury. In the summer I add a handful of ice before blending it for a more chilled drink. If you like ripe bananas, let the skins become speckled for a more intense experience.
2 bananas, peeled
2 teaspoons clear honey
100 g/½ cup plain yogurt
150 ml/? cup whole milk
1 tablespoon wheatgerm or wheat bran
SERVES 2
Put the bananas, honey, yogurt and milk in a blender and blend until smooth. Taste and add a little more honey if you think it needs it. Stir in the wheatgerm and blend briefly just to mix. Divide between 2 tall glasses and serve with straws big enough for the wheatgerm not to cause blockages.
Cashew nut & mango smoothie
It's easy to forget how milky blended cashew nuts are, but they do make brilliant dairy-free smoothies. I like to blend mine with mango as it results in a super-thick smoothie verging on dessert territory. You could also use soft berries or bananas.
50 g/? cup shelled cashew nuts, soaked overnight in cold water
1 ripe mango, peeled, pitted and roughly chopped
1 teaspoon linseed
SERVES 2
Drain the cashew nuts and put in a blender with 150 ml/? cup water. Blend until you have a smooth, nutty milk. Add the chopped mango. Blend again, then stir in the linseed. Divide between 2 tumblers and serve.
Raspberry, strawberry & orange juice
I like to keep raspberries in my freezer for a rainy day as they add body to smoothies as well as a sharp burst of fruity flavour. There's no need to add ice, as the raspberries will make the drink lovely and icy for you.
125 g/1 cup frozen raspberries
125 g/1 cup strawberries, hulled
400 ml/1? cups freshly squeezed orange juice
SERVES 2-4
Put the raspberries, strawberries and orange juice in a blender and blend until smooth. Divide between 2-4 tumblers and serve.
Raspberry, strawberry & orange juice; Banana, honey & wheatgerm lassi; and Cashew nut & mango smoothie (left to right)
Bloody mary
There's nothing like a good Bloody Mary after a late night: it seems to get the blood pumping and cure any feelings of drowsiness. If you want a Virgin Mary leave out the vodka but squeeze in some more lime so you get more of a tang in it.
150 ml/? cup vodka
450 ml/1? cups pure tomato juice
½teaspoon hot horseradish sauce
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
4 dashes Tabasco sauce
¼ teaspoon celery salt
½ teaspoon cracked black pepper
2 limes, cut into small wedges
ice, to serve
SERVES 4
Mix all the ingredients together in a jug. Taste and adjust the seasonings if necessary, adding more heat, pepper or lime as you wish. Add a couple of handfuls of ice and serve with a stack of tumblers.
Sea breeze
This is a great morning drink for summer. Simple to make and really refreshing but a few glasses will make you feel pleasantly sleepy, so watch you don't end up crawling back into bed.
a handful of ice
150 ml/? cup pure pink grapefruit juice
300 ml/1? cups pure cranberry juice
100 ml/½ cup vodka
1 lime, cut into wedges
cocktail shaker
SERVES 2
Put the ice in the cocktail shaker along with the juices and vodka. Squeeze over a couple of lime wedges. Put the top on the shaker and shake a few times. Strain into 2 tall glasses and add a lime wedge to each before serving.
Blood orange & campari mimosa
Mimosa or Buck's Fizz is a standard offering at brunch gatherings, but this one is different. The Campari and blood orange make it a little bitter, and this really whets the appetite. If anyone needs his or hers sweetened - not everyone gets the bitter thing - add a dash of agave syrup or honey and serve with a cocktail stirrer.
500 ml/2 cups pure blood orange juice
2 tablespoons Campari
750-ml bottle sparkling white wine, chilled
SERVES 4
Divide the blood orange juice between 4 champagne flutes. Add a dash of Campari to each one, then top up with the wine.
Blood orange & campari mimosa
Lemon & sage tisane
A tisane is a herbal tea, made strictly without real tea. Instead it is made by infusing herbs, spices or any aromatics in hot water. My lemony tisane infused with sage is a great drink for the morning - it will brighten your eyes and leave your face with a warm glow, if nothing else.
a small handful of fresh sage leaves
1 lemon
600 ml/2½ cups boiling water
1-2 teaspoons honey, to taste
SERVES 2
Put the sage leaves in a teapot. Using a potato peeler, pare off the lemon zest leaving behind the white pith underneath. Add this to the teapot. Halve the slightly naked-looking lemon and squeeze out all its juice, then set aside. Pour the boiling water over the leaves and zest and let steep for 3-5 minutes, depending on how strong you like it. Pour into 2 mugs and add lemon juice and honey to taste.
Real hot chocolate
Once you have had proper hot chocolate there is no going back I'm afraid. Pick a really good cooking chocolate with at least 70% cocoa solids to make this, so that you get a really chocolatey flavour.
500 ml/2 cups whole milk
1 vanilla pod/bean, split lengthways
75 g/3½ oz. dark chocolate (at least 70% cocoa solids), coarsely grated, plus extra to dust
1 tablespoon light brown sugar
SERVES 2
Pour the milk into a saucepan and add the cinnamon and nutmeg. Slowly bring to a gentle...
