I'd intended to make this back in December as a Christmas drink - it's a Waitrose recipe for Spiced Clementine Gin.
But I didn't get round to it in time and then thought perhaps I would make it in January instead - using oranges though, January being that time for Seville oranges and when marmalade is made.
But these aren't even Seville oranges, and this certainly isn't marmalade!
I used lovely sweet juicy Naval oranges as thought that Seville would be too bitter.
So for this beautiful jar of sunshine, I just mixed:
70cl bottle of London Dry Gin
2 Naval oranges, unpeeled and sliced
200g caster sugar
5 cloves
2 star anise
... and then poured it into a Kilner jar - but use any wide-necked jar or bottle - and left it to infuse for two weeks.
Strain and decant into bottles.
Serve on it's own, as a liqueur, with slices of fresh orange.
Or try a little orange spiced gin topped up with fizz.
Or in a tall glass over ice with soda water.
Yes, it would have been perfect for Christmas - but it's also perfect for dark, cold January.
There's something just so cheeringly sunny about this that even looking at the jar makes me smile.
