The summer holidays are almost upon us (although the weather might have you questioning it…) and we are all dreaming of escaping to a far-away (VERY far-away) tropical island, am I right?! However, if, like us, your 'cocktails in paradise’ are being replaced by ‘cocktails in the garden and fingers crossed it won’t rain’ this year, then this sunny, tropical banana cocktail is guaranteed to brighten up your weekend!

Yes, inspired by the beautiful Brazilian beach vibes of our July 2020 Gin of the Month box, we asked our resident mixologist, Maria, to come up with some delicious drinks that will bring some of that exotic sunshine straight into our living rooms this summer! As Maria herself hails from Rio de Janeiro, just like our fabulous Gin of the Month, who better to provide us with these fabulous cocktail recipes?

Maria reveals her inspiration for the cocktail: “This drink is called a batida, a very popular drink in Brazil. They can be made with any flavour, as long as they contain cream or milk, and they’re usually blended.

“This Banana Colada I’ve invented makes me think of Carmen Miranda and her banana dress, the banana trees I saw on my trips through Brazil and, finally, of the dessert that my grandma makes: bananas sliced in half, baked with honey and dusted with cinnamon!”

Banana Colada

45ml gin
15ml crème de banane liqueur
½ ripe bannana, sliced
2 tbsp coconut cream*
125ml pineapple juice
5 ice cubes
Fresh strawberries OR a sprinkle of cinnamon, to garnish

Pop all your ingredients into a blender and blitz well until smooth. Once combined, pour directly into your chilled cocktail glass. (You might want to use a strainer to avoid any lumps!) Garnish with a fresh slice of strawberry and serve. An alternative garnish is a light sprinkling of cinnamon.

*It’s important to use coconut cream or, at a push, full-fat coconut milk (including the thick cream from the top of the can), for both consistency and flavour; if you try this with reduced-fat coconut milk the end result will be disappointingly watery!