Cocktails from Around the World: Easy to Make Travel-Inspired Drink Recipes
As much as we like to eat our way around the world, many of us enjoy drinking our way around the world as well. After all, local dishes are just one part of cultures. Many countries and even some cities have their own beers, liquors, and cocktails as well which are equally fun to try. Personally, I love trying different drinks and cocktails from around the world and, when possible, I like to try to recreate them at home. Sometimes it’s a bit tricky, especially if local spirits are used, but some are quite easy to make at home.
So, for anyone looking to do a bit of easy armchair travel with a delicious beverage in hand, then this article is for you. Here are 5 easy to make travel-inspired drink recipes that I have come across on my travels.
Easy to Re-Create Drinks and Cocktails From Around the World
Ireland: Irish Coffee Recipe
Ireland is known for drinking and while they have delicious whiskeys and beers, there’s one recipe that everyone seems to love and want to know how to make: Irish Coffee.
Now, I don’t drink coffee (I’m crazy enough without the caffeine) but I did learn how to make it from a bartender in Killarney. Here’s an authentic Irish coffee recipe that you can recreate in your kitchen.
Ingredients
- Boiling water
- Coffee (already prepared, stronger is best)
- 1 teaspoon of brown sugar
- 5 ounces of Irish whiskey
- lightly whipped cream (see method for more on this)
Method
Heat your Irish coffee glass mug by filling it with the boiling water, swirling it around, and dumping it. Add the brown sugar to the glass and fill halfway with coffee. Stir to melt the sugar.
Add in the whiskey and top up to just below the brim with more coffee.
The last step is to add the cream. To be a true Irish coffee, the cream has to be the proper consistency. Thick, but not quite whipped- you want it to sit on top, but be able to drink the coffee through it. It might take a bit of practice to get it to this consistency. Pour the cream slowly over the back of a spoon to get it to sit on top.
Canada: Canadian Caesar Recipe
Ok, I will admit that I am NOT a fan of Caesars. I think tomato juice is nasty and tomato juice mixed with, gulp, clams? GROSS. That being said, I know how to make them because apparently I am the minority. Many Canadians, and visitors to Canada, LOVE Caesars which are similar to Bloody Marys.
So, if you want to give it a try. here’s how to make a classic Canadian Caesar at home.
Ingredients
- 5 ounces of vodka
- 5 ounces of cold Clamato juice (yup. That’s the clam + tomato juice I’m talking about)
- salt + pepper to taste
- Worcestershire sauce (about 4 ‘shakes’)
- Tabasco sauce (about 2 shakes, but go to taste)
- Celery stalk
- Celery salt (or Clamato rimmer)
- lime wedge
- Ice
Method
Rim your glass by running the lime wedge around the rim then dipping the edge of the glass into either celery salt or Clamato rimmer.
Add ice, vodka, hot sauce, Worcestershire sauce, salt and pepper, and tabasco to the bottom of the glass. Pour Clamato juice on top and give it a stir with your celery stick- leave celery in as a garnish.
Tip: If you are feeling creative, you can put your own spin on this classic Caesar recipe. Love heat? Add some horseradish. Don’t like celery? Add a piece of crispy bacon. You can add (and many restaurants do) all kinds of things to this Canadian Caesar recipe to make it your own.
For more on Canadian drinks, take a peek on this post about Canadian craft spirits.
Italy: Aperol Spritz Recipe
I had my first ever Aperol Spritz overlooking the Grand Canal in Venice as the sunset. It was perfect and Aperol Spritz has since become one of my all-time favourite drinks. It’s crisp and refreshing with a little bit of sweetness and fruitiness that I love. I will always think that they taste better when drank in Italy, but this Italian cocktail is pretty easy to make from home.
Here’s the recipe for my favourite pick on my list of cocktails from around the world: Italian Aperol Spritz.
Ingredients
- 3 ounces of Aperol
- 3 ounces of Prosecco
- 1 ounce of club soda
- Orange slice
- Ice cubes
Method
Fill a wine glass with several ice cubes. Pour in equal amounts of Aperol and Prosecco over ice. Add in the club soda and top with a slice of orange.
France: Kir Recipe
One of the easiest cocktails from around the world to create at home is the Kir which originates from France. My mom made them for special occasions sometimes, like Christmas, but I had my first ‘real’ one in Paris when I went out to a traditional French restaurant with two friends living in Paris that I had met while scuba diving in Indonesia. The husband said we HAD to have them as a pre-dinner drink. I didn’t say no and, unsurprisingly, they were delicious.
Traditionally, Kir is made with crème de cassis (a black currant liquor) and white wine. You can also do Kir Royale which uses champagne instead of the wine. Also, when I make these at home, I switch out the crème de cassis for Chambord which is a French liquor made from raspberries and blackberries. It’s delicious!
Here’s how to make French Kir from home:
Ingredients
- ½ ounce of crème de cassis or Chambord
- 5 ounces of (dry) white wine or champagne
- optional: blackberry or raspberry for garnish
Method
Add the crème de cassis or Chambord to a champagne glass then slowly pour the champagne or white wine on top. Garnish with berries (if you want) and serve immediately.
Caribbean: Rum Punch Recipe
Rum punch is a classic drink found throughout the Caribbean islands. However, each island and, to be honest, maybe even each person has their own spin on this cocktail. I’ve had my fair share of different Rum Punches on my own travels and friends of the family have spent years in Barbados drinking them as well which has led to creating our version of this island drink.
Let me be clear, this is very much ‘our’ version that we have adapted over the years. The typical rum punch cocktails often have grenadine and pineapple juice in them which makes them super sweet. We’ve nixed those ingredients and instead gone for something a little tarter, but still fruity and refreshing.
Here’s our take on a Caribbean rum punch.
Ingredients
- Good Caribbean Rum (We use Mount Gay Rum)
- Cranberry juice
- White Grapefruit Juice (if you like things a little sweeter, you can use ruby red or pink)
- Ice
Method
Fill your glass with ice and add the rum- about 1.5 ounces. Then add about 70% cranberry juice and 30% grapefruit juice on top. Give it a quick stir to mix and enjoy.
Final Word
Making these cocktails from around the world is a fun way for me to relive some of my favourite travel memories while at home. I hope you enjoy these recipes too.
