Last Saturday was the rarest of occasions, not only was it sunny and warm-ish but we we’re actually at our house with no plans to be anywhere else. I’d been wanting to mow the lawn for weeks (it was like a forest out there, the cats we’re getting lost in it!) but every time I had spare time it would rain (classic England). So this was the perfect time to get out and spruce up the garden. After all that gardening I was in need of a drink, and what better way to celebrate a newly mowed lawn that a couple of gin cocktails in the sun.

I’ve made my gin cocktails with Foxhole Gin which is made by some friends of ours over in Sussex.  Foxhole gin is distilled from wine made from unused grape material from the Bolney Wine Estate in Sussex.  After the first pressing, wine grapes are normally thrown away. But instead of just binning it, they send the grape pulp back for a second pressing. This juice is  collected, fermented, distilled and turned into the deliciously sustainable Foxhole Gin.

Negroni    

Prep time: 10 minutes
Cooking time: 0 minutes

Makes: 1

Ingredients:

• 25ml gin
• 25ml sweet vermouth
• 25ml Campari
• 1 orange
  
  

Method

Pour the gin, sweet vermouth and Campari into a short glass over ice. Stir to combine the spirits. Zest the orange over the glass to express the oils, add a slice of the orange into the glass and enjoy.

Elderflower collins    

Prep time: 10 minutes
Cooking time: 0 minutes

Makes: 1

Ingredients:

50ml gin
20ml lemon
25ml elderflower cordial
Soda to finish

2 sprigs rosemary, to decorate

Method
Add the gin, lemon, sugar and a dash of elderflower cordial to a cocktail shaker and shake to combine. Pour over ice in a long glass and top with sparkling water. Decorate with a sprig of your favourite herb.