Officially a cocktail consists of at least three spirits and a mixer.  Beer-tails – mixed drinks using beer as the main ingredient- often only include beer and mixer or one other spirit. If you are having a gathering and you are not keen on buying a lot of hard liquor and mixes for cocktails, beer-tails could be the perfect choice. Served casual style in glass pitchers, beer tails are full bodied, refreshing and impressive The Red-eye is a mix of beer, tomato juice and Bloody Mary spices. It makes for a light drink and is perfect to serve early in the day or with hearty brunches. The Black Velvet, made with champagne and stout, is another brunch favourite. Try mixing the stout with sparkling apple juice for a lighter and fresher taste. A Dark and Stormy cocktail, usually made with dark rum and ginger beer, is gorgeous when made with dark rum, ginger syrup and I.P.A. The classic Greyhound cocktail, made with vodka, grapefruit juice and lime, can be transformed into a refreshing party pitcher by adding a crisp I.P.A to the mix. To Make a Red Eye 4 parts Beer  (Pilsner or Larger works best; I used Free from Read more

If you are a hosting a Christmas do this year, catering for gluten free guests can be easy with a few simple tricks. Instead of using breadcrumbs in the stuffing, substitute brown rice, dried cranberries and crushed gluten free tortillas. Make the Christmas gravy with corn flour instead of wheat- flour. (Once you have added a lug of sherry or wine nobody will notice the difference!) Stock up on gluten-friendly snacks, olives, vegetable crisps, crudities and dips. When it comes to Christmas baking, Florentines, an Italian biscuit made with flaked almonds’ dried fruit and chocolate are a Christmas classic. Instead of fruit cake, a Clementine and almond cake makes a lovely Christmassy centrepiece. Or make a big blousy Pavlova and garnish it with pistachios and pomegranate seeds - Lighter than Christmas pudding but just as impressive! Festive breakfast and brunch dishes combine well with a hearty Bubble and Squeak. For a show-stopping Christmas breakfast, make gluten free pancakes or drop scones with a mince pie filling. Top them with brandy butter or cream, and garnish with a cranberry apple compote.  To serve as a canapé, these can be cut into blini sizes.   Perfect with mulled wine or a gluten free Read more