Bottled Cosmo

If your friends are anything like mine, a gathering at the house can be a little hard to organise, so removing as many difficulties as possible is a plus. This is a very welcome variation on the Cosmopolitan that seems to suit all palates, and leads to a brisk, dry yet fruity serve that’s easy to put together. Simply take the bottle outside with some ice, glasses and chilled ginger ale and let everyone help themselves.

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Instructions

1.	To make the Bottled Cosmo mix, take 1 strip of lemon zest and 3 strips of lime zest using a peeler, and juice the limes with a hand-squeezer.
2.	Mix the peels, citrus juice, cranberry, booze, bitters and bay leaves in a large jug.
3.	Rest for at least 10 minutes, then strain and pour into a clean bottle. Cap and keep well chilled.
4.	To serve, fill a narrow highball glass with ice and add 2 shots (50ml) Bottled Cosmo mix.
5.	Cut a strip of orange peel using a peeler.
6.	Top with chilled ginger ale, and garnish with the orange twist and a lavender sprig.