A seasonal cocktail

This cocktail’s combination of sherry, sugar and citrus is infinitely adaptable. Swap in a different sweetener. Use lemons or clementines or blood oranges instead of traditional orange slices. Add in seasonal fruit, say berries in summer, plums in autumn or jam any time of the year. Use different varieties of mint or another herb to garnish. Nuttier than fino or manzanilla, lighter and spicier than oloroso, amontillado sherry strikes the ideal middle ground in this drink. But you could also combine amontillado with another sherry — or tap in another variety altogether.

Classic Sherry Cobbler

Ingredients:

• 2 orange wheels, halved

• 1/2 ounce simple syrup

• 3 ounces dry amontillado sherry

• Ice cubes

• Mint sprigs, for garnish

• Crushed ice, for serving (see Tip)

Directions:

In a cocktail shaker, muddle the 3 half-wheels of orange (reserve the remaining half-wheel for garnish) and the simple syrup. Add the sherry and ice cubes. Cover and shake vigorously.

Strain into chilled highball or Collins glass and top with enough crushed ice to mound above the rim. (You can also strain the cocktail a second time, if you like, to make sure there’s no pulp.) Garnish with the mint and the remaining orange half. Serve with a straw.

Makes 1 drink.

Tips:

To crush ice without a blender: Put cubed ice in a clean canvas or plastic bag. Close tightly then, if using a plastic bag, wrap gently in a cloth napkin or tea towel. Place on a stable surface and use a rolling pin to crush the ice into small pieces. Use immediately.