Festive fizz!
DRINKS
Simon Hatfield from cocktail bar The Nuthatch creates
a tasty festive Bellini ideal for your Christmas parties...
MULLED WINE BELLINI –
NUTHATCH RECIPE
Nothing tastes better on a crisp
winter’s night than a warming glass
of mulled wine.
And nothing says Christmas more
than a good bottle of Champagne!
So why not combine the two?
That’s exactly what we’ve done at
The Nuthatch, with a recipe you can
easily try at home.
Our festive Bellini creates a mulled
wine syrup which can be beautifully
topped with your favourite
Champagne – ideal for your own
festive gatherings.
Don’t forget to tag us with your
pictures on social media – you’ll find
us on Instagram and Facebook!
Preparation time –
30 mins
One bottle of good red
wine. We recommend a
Chianti from Italy.
Peel of one lime
Peel of one lemon
Peel and juice of one
orange
Four star anise
One cinnamon stick
300g sugar
1. Peel your lime, lemon and orange. Be
careful to try and get as little of the pith
as possible, the bitter white under skin.
We don’t need the lemon or lime juice.
With the orange, squeeze its juice into a
large non-stick saucepan.
2. Add the peels cut into small chunks, the
star anise, cinnamon stick and sugar.
The orange juice should cover the sugar.
Heat over a medium heat until the sugar
begins to dissolve.
3. Add half of the wine and stir the
ingredients, bring to the boil and add the
remaining wine.
4. Once boiling reduce to a medium heat
and leave to simmer for 10-15 minutes
or until the liquid has reduced by 2/3 in
volume.
5. The liquid should now be nice and
thick, and once strained and left to cool
provides a great base for your festive
bellini.
6. Once cooled, place about 1.5 fl oz (about
a two-finger measure) into a champagne
flute and slowly pour your favourite
Champagne (We recommend Perrier
Jouet) along one side of the flute so that
it sits beautifully on top of the mulled
wine.
7. Garnish with red currants and let your
guests stir and enjoy.
THE NUTHATCH
You can find The Nuthatch in both Middlesbrough and Stockton – quaint cocktail bars nestled in the town centres and
ideal for small gatherings and date nights.
Both venues stock over 120 spirits, including over 50 gins apiece. Both are open to just pop in, although it’s always
advisable to book, over the phone or online. Call 01642 688505 or go to www.the-nuthatch.co.uk
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