Dietary: Dairy-Free

Q: Can you use store bought lemon juice?

You can...However it is preferred to use fresh lemon juice. This is because bottled lemon juice usually contains additives and preservatives like sodium metabisulphite in which gives a much more intense, artificial taste when seasoning your vegetables. As a result, we recommend fresh lemon juice because not only is it completely natural and fresher in taste, in contains significantly more vitamin C.

Celebrate Christmas with this festive fruit vodka cocktail. Using the flavours of grapefruit and blood orange, this drink has a delicious citrus twist which your guests will love and keeping going back for more!

We also add a salt rim to the cocktail using Maldon Sea Salt flakes! The reason we use a salt rim is to help counteract the slightly bitter notes from the grapefruit and blood orange, whilst elevating the natural sweetness of the red currants. The salt rim also gives texture to the cocktail, enhancing your experience as you take a sip. Head over to our Where to Buy page to find your nearest store to grab a pack now and have a go!

Ingredients for the Perfect Christmas Cocktail:

1 or 2 lime wedges
Maldon Sea Salt flakes
3 parts of grapefruit juice
3 parts of blood orange juice
1 part of vodka
Frozen red currants
Sprigs of rosemary for garnish

How to Make Your Christmas Cocktail

Run the lime wedge around your cocktail glasses and dip into the Maldon Salt.
Combine all the parts in a cocktail shaker with ice.
Shake well and strain into your prepared glasses. Garnish with the frozen berries and a sprig of rosemary.

Tips for Garnishing and Serving Your Christmas Cocktail

There is an art in knowing what type of garnishes to use for your cocktails and how to serve them. Doing these two things well will add a wonderful festive touch to your drinks, and impress your dinner guests!

Use Seasonal Ingredients

We recommend incorporating fresh herbs like rosemary or thyme into your cocktail, as these flavours mimic the aromas of Christmas. They also resemble miniature Christmas trees, adding a playful twist to the drink! Include the sweetness of cranberries to add a pop of festive red to your cocktail. You can also add a slice of orange or lemon to bring a gentle, citrusy warmth to the drink.

2. Ice with a Twist

Instead of using classic ice cubes, why not try freezing cranberries, mint leaves or rosemary sprigs in the ice cubes for a decorative and functional garnish? You can also use larger ice moulds shaped like snowflakes, stars or Christmas trees to add that ‘wow’ factor!

3. Festive Glassware

Choose glasses with seasonal designs, or opt for a clear glass to showcase the colourful layers of cocktail and garnishes. You can also tie a small ribbon around the steam of the glass for extra charm. On the topic of tying ribbons around the stem of the glass, why not add a personal touch to your drink, by adding name tags to glasses using gift tags tied with twine? This will give a nice, personal feel to your cocktail, making it extra special to them.

4. Creative Stirrers and Picks

Swap your classic cocktail picks with a festive topper! Use skewer marshmallows, sugared cranberries or citrus peels to give a delightful Christmas look and feel. You could even use candy canes as stirrers and add a delicious peppermint kick to the drink.

These touches will ensure your Christmas cocktails look as amazing as they taste!

Why Maldon Salt is Perfect for Cocktails?

Maldon Salt is an excellent choice for cocktails due to it’s unique characteristics that elevate both flavour and presentation.

Flaky Texture

Maldon Sea Salt has unique pyramid-shaped flakes that offers a saltiness with sweet precision, a fresh intensity and clean taste. It’s easy to handle and perfect for creating a visually appealing salted rim that gently dissolves as you sip. Unlike fine table salt, Maldon Salt offers a mild crunch without overwhelming the drink’s flavour profile.

2. Pure, Clean Taste

Maldon Salt has no additives. It has a clean, natural taste that compliments the ingredients in your cocktail. It’s flavour enhances the drink without the harshness of processed salts, making it ideal for delicate flavours.

3. Flavour Enhancer

4Maldon Salt amplifies the complexity of sweet and sour cocktail, creating a more dynamic flavour profile. It also boosts aromas and adds depth to cocktail, balancing the bitterness and enhancing aromas in sophisticated drinks like margaritas, Palomas, or smoky mezcal cocktails.

Pro Tip:

For best results, lightly wet the rim of your glass with citrus juice or water, before dipping into Maldon Salt for a even and clean application.

Whether you’re crafting a classic margarita or experimenting with a savoury cocktail, Maldon Salt brings an understated luxury that’s perfect for elevating your creations.

Easy Honey Roasted Carrots with Lemon and Salt

Transform your ordinary carrots with a beautiful lemon and honey glaze. When roasted, carrots give a delicious, sweet and earthy taste. When paired with lemon, it gives a sudden brightness, with a generous smothering of honey to enhance the sweetness of the vegetable.

This recipe pairs perfectly well with our Slow Cooked Lamb Shoulder and Rolled Porchetta recipe. Add a generous pinch of Maldon Salt to enhance the flavour and draw out the bitterness.

Preheat the oven to 200C / 220 F / Gas Mark 6.
Peel and chop the tops and tails of the carrots. Make sure to remove any stems.
Place carrots on a baking tray lined with parchment paper. Add the olive oil and a generous pinch of Maldon Salt and pepper.
Cook the carrots for 20 minutes, turning them halfway for an even roast.
While the carrot are roasting, in a small bowl mix the lemon juice and honey.
Once the carrots are roasted, take the carrots out of the oven and drizzle over the honey and lemon glaze.
Add the sprigs of thyme to the carrots. Toss lightly and return to the oven for a further 10 minutes.

Can you use store bought lemon juice?

You can…However it is preferred to use fresh lemon juice. This is because bottled lemon juice usually contains additives and preservatives like sodium metabisulphite in which gives a much more intense, artificial taste when seasoning your vegetables. As a result, we recommend fresh lemon juice because not only is it completely natural and fresher in taste, in contains significantly more vitamin C.

Fresh thyme or dried thyme?

In dried form, thyme actually holds much more flavor than fresh. Therefore, when using dried thyme make sure to use it in less volumes than you would with fresh due to the intensity of taste and aroma.

What carrots are best for roasting?

We recommend using the classic Red Core Chantenay carrots. This is because they are very versatile in the way they are cooked, and become sweeter in storage.

This salt baked celeriac recipe from Adam Byatt makes a fantastic, vegetarian dish for your dinner party. Although it may look complex, it’s actually very easy to make! Serve with a splash of olive oil and a pinch of Maldon Salt and your guests will be wanting seconds!

Preheat oven to 190C/ Gas Mark 5.
Line a baking tray with parchment paper.
Begin making the crust by whisking the egg whites until stiff peaks form. Then, fold in the salt until a firm paste forms that holds it’s shape.
Flatten 1/4 of the paste into a circle on the baking sheet. Set aside.
Wash the celeriac, trimming off any roots and cutting off a small amount from the base so that the celeriac can sit flat on the baking tray.
Put the celeriac on top of the paste, covering with the remaining paste. Make sure it is completely sealed in an even layer.
Bake in the oven for at least 3 hours, 30 minutes. If you want to know whether it is cooked, poke a skewer through the crust into the celeriac. It is ready when there is no resistance to poking.
Once cooked, rest for 1 hour within it’s salt crust.
After the celeriac has rested, cut the top of the crust off with a bread knife. Make sure to keep this to one side!
Now, begin cutting the top off the celeriac. Mash the flesh with a fork gently. Add a splash of olive oil, Maldon Salt, rosemary and cracked black pepper. Mix with a fork again until evenly combined.
Place the whole celeriac onto a board or plate and serve.