Fruity way to beat the booze

Jan 11 2008 by Andrew Flynn, Huddersfield Daily Examiner

IF you’re struggling with the hangover to end all hangovers, and promise fervently “never to drink again”, you might welcome Coca-Cola non-alcoholic cocktails.

These are devised by top London bartender Andy Pearson, so they don’t look sad and won’t make your symptoms worse.

Try 62nd Cosmo… Ingredients: 1 orange wedge, 1 lime wedge, 1/2tsp caster sugar, 75ml Minute Maid Red Grape & Raspberry Juice Drink, orange peel spiral. Method: Crush the fruit and the sugar in a cocktail shaker. Add the remaining ingredients and shake well. Strain into a martini glass. Garnish with an orange spiral.

Spice Grove… The spiciness of this cocktail evokes memories of fragrant Christmas foods. Ingredients: 5 apricots, 150ml Minute Maid Orange Juice, 3cm fresh ginger, grated. Method: Take out the apricot stones, crush the apricots in a cocktail shaker. Add the ginger and orange juice. Shake well and strain into a highball glass.

l Whatever your political leanings, there’s no dispute about former Deputy Prime Minister John Prescott’s abilities as a ship’s steward. He’s written the foreword to the entertaining Ship Steward’s Handbook (JJ Trayner and EC Plumb, Anova Books, £6.99).

It’s a nostalgic glimpse into a world of service in the 1950s in the Merchant Navy and has advice on serving and choosing wine, as well as menus, and even how to lay a table in rough weather.

Entertaining, informative and just a little quirky – it could improve the standards of service around your own table (it’s so hard to get the right staff these days!).