Serves 4


Ingredients:

4 cinnamon sticks
4 tsp light soft brown sugar
½ cup (115ml) dark rum
2½ cup (625ml) cider
6 tsp (25g) butter
1 tsp ground mace
4 lemon slices


Method:

• Divide cinnamon sticks, sugar and rum between 4 warm, heatproof glasses or mugs.
• Place cider in a saucepan and heat until very hot, but not boiling. Fill each glass or mug almost to the top with cider.
• Add a knob of butter, a sprinkling of mace and a lemon slice to each glass or mug. Stir well and serve hot.

Makes 1


Ingredients:

2 msrs. bourbon
5 mint sprigs
4 tsp sugar
ice cubes
1 dash dark rum or brandy
slice lemon


Method:

• Mix bourbon, 4 sprigs of mint and sugar in small glass. Pour into glass filled with ice cubes and stir until outside of glass becomes frosted. Top with dash of dark rum or brandy. Garnish with remaining sprig of mint and slice of lemon. Serve with straws.

Serves 8


Ingredients:

1kg cooking apples
5 cup (1.25litre) ginger ale or ginger beer
6 whole cloves
1 blade mace
1 tsp grated nutmeg
½ tsp ground ginger
3 strips orange peel
red and green apple slices and lemon slices, to decorate


Method:

• Preheat oven to 200°C (400°F). Wash apples and remove stalks. Arrange on a baking sheet and cook in the oven for 30-40 minutes until soft. Place apples in a saucepan and mash them. Add ginger ale or ginger beer, cloves, mace, nutmeg, ginger and orange peel. Bring to boil, remove from heat and leave until cool. Strain apple mixture through a nylon sieve into a bowl, pressing through as much apple as possible.
• Just before serving, return apple and ale mixture to a clean saucepan and heat until hot enough to drink. Float red and green apple slices and lemon slices on top and serve ib heatproof glasses or mugs.

2 servings


Ingredients:

470ml milk
2 tablespoons the best hot chocolate powder
A handful of marshmallows


Method:

• Put a pan of milk on to the heat. Bring to a simmer, not a boil, and while it's heating, put a tablespoon of chocolate powder into each mug. Add a little warmish milk from the pan to each mug, you just need enough to dissolve the chocolate powder.
• At this point, plonk a few marshmallows into each mug. When the milk is at a simmer, carefully pour it into a plastic jug or flask. Use a big enough jug or flask so the milk only half fills it, you need the extra space for shaking and frothing.
• Screw the lid on tightly, place a cloth over the lid for safety, and shake hard for a minute. Remove the lid, minding the steam, and pour into your mugs. Stir a little and serve.