I'm always trying to think of new ways to use citrus, from baking, to savoury dishes, to a hot toddy, to cocktails. Limes are so abundant and cheap in winter it feels like we should be having Mexican feasts, drinking mojitos and making ceviche now - even though those things
Delaney Mes recipes: Winter cocktails with limes

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Photo / Doug Sherring
45ml golden rum
Juice of 1 lime
Ginger beer
Plenty of ice
A slice of fresh ginger
2 mint leaves and 2 thai basil leaves, roughly chopped, plus a little extra to garnish
Fill your glass with ice. Add the rum, lime juice, and chopped mint and basil. Top with ginger beer. Taste and adjust as necessary.
Cranberry gin and tonic
Cranberry lends itself well to the botanicals in gin and limes are abundant in winter. Making a cranberry sugar syrup means you can utilise for other cocktails too.
For the cranberry sugar syrup
1 cup frozen cranberries
1 cup white sugar
1 cup water
Gently heat all ingredients in a small saucepan until the sugar is dissolved. Mash the cranberries gently with a fork, and then set aside to cool. Strain and keep in a jar or container in the fridge until you're ready to use.. Sugar syrup will keep for a couple of weeks in the fridge and makes enough for about eight cocktails.
For the cranberry gin and tonic
Makes one
30ml gin
30ml cranberry sugar syrup
Juice of half a lime, plus a slice to garnish
Tonic
Plenty of ice
A couple of cranberries, to garnish
Fill your glass with ice. Add the gin, syrup, and lime juice. Stir well, then top with tonic. Garnish with a lime slice and a couple of cranberries.