Make like a southern belle with a Mint Julep
Beat the summer blues with a mint julep!

A squareful of chocolate keeps your blood pressure down
A team of German scientists has concluded that  a little dark chocolate daily offers a neat way for people with borderline high blood pressure to keep it down to manageable levels. This is an attractive option when compared to the more conventional remedy of a low fat diet.  

Cocktail du Jour
The London Fog Cutter

2 ounces of Gin
1 ounce of fresh lime juice
6 ounces of Champagne

Serve over ice
(hat-tip: Dr Tiki of London's Tiki bar)

Shaking Up the Mix
"Cocktail making," says master barman Tony Conigliari at the Sochu Lounge, "isn't just about taste, its's about appearance, aroma, and yes playfulness and having fun".  

The Clover Club is a foam of rasberry infused gin, lemon juice and home made grenadine served with candyfloss made from spun clove sweets.

Willie's Just Peachy
Country music legend Willie Nelson has launched his own Ben & Jerry's flavor. Called "Willie Nelson's Country Peach Cobbler," it's peach ice cream with cinnamon-sugar shortbread pieces.

Make the perfect Mojito cocktail.....
All right it's an ad but it's a beguiling one for a hot day. Follow this link and watch how to make the perfect Bacardi Mojito cocktail.

Snow Queen Heralds a Hot Summer
The latest hot cocktails were served up at the Observer Food Monthly annual awards in London recently. ex-Blur Bassist turned cheesemaker Alex James was on hand to dish out the awards.

Cool cocktails on offer included the Snow Queen and the Mackay sour. Click for recipes in full article

Royal favourite is hot new cocktail on the block
The UK tabloid press has been runnng reports about Prince William and Prince Harry's latest night club escapades.

One claims Prince Harry's favourite tipple is currently the Crack Baby cocktail. Find out more in the full story.

Less Salt, more Malt
Love or hate it but you can't ignore it. Now in an inspired move Marmite, makers of the the yeast extract spread which is a staple of the traditional British diet, has launched a Guinness version, flavoured with the classic Irish stout beer.

Initial reports suggest it tastes less salty and more malty than the original. Look out for it in a supermarket near you. £2.49.

Zinger for a Singer
Fancy a refreshing non alcoholic drink? Try a Zinger, favourite tipple of The Kaiser Chiefs' singer Ricky Wilson.

The ingredients are apple juice, mint and ice.

If you fancy something with a bit more "kick" look up the cocktails in our Food and Drink section.

What's Your Poison?
The Honeysuckle: honey vodka, elderflower, rose and raspberries shaken and strained over Perrier Jouet Champagne -  served at Kitt's on Sloane Street London SW1.

Read more in the main article

Pimp That Snack
Pimp That Snack is a website devoted to food parodies if such a concept is possible. To find out more check out our feature and try some at home.

The Rickstasy
Fav' cocktail of rising London chanteuse Amy Winehouse is the head-reeling Rickstasy: three parts vodka, one part Southern Comfort, one part banana liqueur, and one part Baileys.