Fresh fish and cocktails at the Hua Hin night market

Our first stop in Thailand was Hua Hin, a coastal town to the south west of Bangkok which has a fantastic night market, complete with all the standard market stalls – clothes, jewellery, DVDs, trinkets, plus lots of fresh fish stalls, where you can choose your fish to be cooked there or take it away with you.

Snapper, crab, mackerel and massive, meaty tiger prawns bigger than a chihuahua are all freshly caught and then laid out on ice at the market stall.

This tiny cocktail bar occupying a stall in the market was complete with a full selection of spirits and a very capable barman who mixed each drink with vigour!

My first Pina Colada of the holiday. Perfectly mixed, and a snip at only 80 baht!

Mr Rice normally goes for manly cocktails but this time as a special treat he went for a cheeky Mai Tai in a cheeky ‘lady’ glass.

Recipe for Mai Tai
1 part dark rum
1 part amaretto
3 parts orange juice
3 parts pineapple juice
1 dash grenadine

© Katheryn Rice 2008

Chloe’s Cosmopolitan

Chloe, our gorgeous friend from the US of A came over for dinner, and instead of bringing wine, she brought the ingredients for the New Yorker’s drink of choice – the Cosmopolitan.

She mixed a whole pitcher-full of the chic and sexy cocktail and as we poured it out into chilled martini glasses we all secretly pretended we were supping our cocktails in a cool Brooklyn apartment rather than a Finchley garden flat.

The combination of flavours is irresistible – slightly tart cranberry juice is set off nicely by the sweetness of the triple sec and the citrussy cointreau and lime juice – all kicked into shape by good old vodka.

Possibly not recommended mid-week, unless for a special occasion, for example if some friends have come over.

Recipe for Cosmopolitan
4 parts vodka
1 part triple sec
1 part cointreau
2 parts cranberry juice
1 part fresh lime juice

Mix everything together and serve in chilled martini glasses and garnish with a lime wedge. Perfect for a Christmas birthday party, or any other time.

©  Katheryn Rice 2007

Cafe Mambo, San Antonio, Ibiza

Beautiful view, beautiful ladies for company and beautiful cocktails.

Recipe for Pina Colada
2 parts white rum
1 teaspoon coconut cream
dash of cream
3 parts pineapple juice

Blend all the ingredients in a blender until smooth. Pour over ice and garnish with a pineapple wedge, a cherry, and a cocktail umbrella and two straws.

Recipe for Strawberry Daiquiri
1 part White rum
1/2 part Crème de fraises
1/2 part Lemon juice
Ice (crushed)
4 Strawberries

Pour the rum, crème de fraises, lemon juice, strawberries and ice into a blender and process at slow speed for 5 seconds, then at high speed for 20 seconds. Pour into a chilled glass and garnish with a strawberry.

© Katheryn Rice 2007

Bambuddha Grove, St Eulalia, Ibiza

Up in the hills, halfway between Ibiza Town and St Eulalia, Bambuddha Grove comes highly recommended by Mr Rice and his pals. Drinks in the bar led us to this charming bartender who prepared the perfect mojitos, known at Bambuddha Grove as Ganesha Green.

He got the amounts of mint, sugar, lime juice and rum absolutely spot on. We could easily have filled ourselves up on these and skipped dinner.

Bambuddha Grove calls itself a Mediterrasian® food village. The minute you walk through the entrance you are enveloped by the decadence. It’s generously furnished with tall, elegant bamboo, chandeliers and buddhist art on the walls, and softly lit to create the most chilled out, sumptuous arena in which to enjoy the Thai, Sushi, Sushimi or Bambuddha Buffet.

What a delightful selection. Clockwise, from right: spare ribs; vegetable curry with tofu and sweet potato; pad thai; chicken with cashew nuts; lamb massaman; seafood curry. Every single dish was delicately and uniquely flavoured. This was one of my best restaurant experiences. The food was divine, the atmosphere elegant and the company superb.

Recipe for Mojito
2 parts white rum
1 part lime juice
top up soda water
10 mint sprigs
1 part ice cubes
1 lime slice
1 teaspoon brown sugar

Mash the mint and sugar together. Add the rum and lime juice and pour over the ice. Top up with soda water. Garnish with a slice of lime.

© Katheryn Rice 2007