Heels.
Bars.
Cocktails.
This is the Sex and the City good night out recipe, tailored especially for sensible, short-term decision-making.
Of course, Leicester isn’t quite New York, so we have to get creative. There are many strongly-recommended ways to find the best of the city’s bars during Freshers’ Week, least of all taking your bank card out to as many crawls as possible – but sadly before you know it, your student loan payment will wear out quicker than your hangover will. Flat parties and pre-drinks are the best plans before a night spent exploring the city, well-loved by students for saving money and getting to know who’s going to carry them home a little better… so why not take the best of Leicester’s cocktails and make them with your flatmates?
One helpful trick is to buy a couple of larger bottles of the basic spirits (vodka, rum, wine, or whatever you like) at the beginning of the year, and keep replenishing mixers. Cheaper than buying pre-mixed drinks each time, and a good way to start talking to people at parties, as long as you aren’t inducing alcohol poisoning. Being a student, you can make it as fancy or simple as you like, by slicing a couple of lemons, using an ice-tray in the freezer beforehand, and chilling the jugs in your fridge.
For best results, the following recipes are possibly better followed before consumption, due to the alcohol-glasses worn that often underestimate measurements…
THE POINT IS TO BE DRUNK: SOAR POINT’S RIVERSIDE PITCHER
The best thing about Soar Point is that it’s situated by the river, and the garden overlooking the water, decked out with fairy-lights, is the nicest spot to revise, get drunk, or be hungover. Its pool tables, retro photographs and laid-back yet sophisticated interior are all reasons the bar is full on society nights. On football days you can find this place by following the sea of Leicester City fans, as it attracts locals and students alike.
The worst thing about Soar Point is likewise that it’s situated by the river, and the fairy lights, pool tables and all of the above make it more expensive than a Spoon’s! To make their Sex on the Beach (which is £4.95 for a small glass!), you most likely have the ingredients already: 9ml of Peach Schnapps, 35 ml of vodka, 35 ml of cranberry juice, and 35 ml of orange juice. Shake well, serve over ice, and you’re sorted for a delicious cosmopolitian drink!
THE CLASSIC: WETHERSPOON’S WOO-WOO
Perfect for vodka-lovers. (This was probably your go-to drink on Result’s Day at eleven in the morning.) Leicester is no different to any other city in that there’s an abundance of Spoons’ in the centre. There’s one positioned by the market, but the High Cross is the most popular, and we like to suppose it’s purpose-built for us students, being close enough to stumble straight over to Mosh.
All you need to make a Woo-Woo is 45ml of vodka, 45ml of peach schnapps, and 90ml of cranberry juice. To mimic the atmosphere of a Spoon’s, you can put the football on in the background, and nobody will know the difference.
THE ROMANTIC: FRANKIE & BENNY’S P.S. I LOVE YOU
Coffee-lovers will adore this drink. The lively atmosphere and low-key lighting of the restaurant in the High Cross is sadly not one to frequent regularly, seeing as this drink costs £5.45. The ingredients are also expensive, so this cocktail would be better for anybody who’d also use the mix for shots or White Russians.
You’ll need a shot glass measurement of Bailey’s (or an alternative Irish cream liqueur), one shot of coffee liqueur, one shot of Amaretto, and 200ml of whipped cream. This can be achieved by blending, using a cocktail shaker or simply mixing, and works well with chocolate flakes on top.
THE TERRY’S CHOCOLATE PIMM’S: ORANGE TREE’S SUMMER DRINK
The Orange Tree is tucked on the High Street in between other cocktail bars, and their live music nights are not one to miss! Their Pimm’s drink is a refreshing, fruity experience that isn’t too strong, and can be best enjoyed in their beer garden, or from the comfort of your own kitchen.
This drink is completely subjective to taste and you can make it using whatever fruit you happen to have; the jug should roughly be one third Pimm’s, two thirds lemonade, with lots of ice. A cheaper alternative to Pimm’s is Jeeves, which is priced at £5.99 for a large bottle. The Orange Tree uses a slice of cucumber on the top, chopped up strawberries and mint, but orange and anything else can be added too! Perfect for while the sun’s still out in September.
XY: SO EVASIVELY COOL THAT THE GREEN DRINK IS A MYSTERY
XY is a club best served cold and if you’re already veryyyyyyyy drunk – as not only is entry a lot of money, but the drinks are sophisticated, strong and expensive. There are three floors, and the décor is certainly one of Leicester’s finest, with palm trees on the ground floor, which plays chart music, a beautiful spiralling staircase leading to the R’n’B floor, and the top floor playing House, usually with a DJ.
However, the yellow-looking one can be easily re-created using the cocktail recipe known as ‘9 Lives’, with 1 shot glass of rum, and then pineapple and orange juice to mix. A wedge of pineapple or whatever you fancy will look perfect sitting on the top.
Unfortunately, the researcher, whoever she is, was too drunk to be held responsible for forgetting the name of the green drink. If anybody knows what it is, do get in touch, as it looks quite nice for a St. Patrick’s Day party.
WHAT YOU WANT IS THE FONT: PINK LEMONADE AND VODKA
The Font is right on campus and is great for a quiet, chilled drink in between classes. This is going to be the most simple, cheap drink you ever make. Sold with their summery but expensive mixer for a fiver, but easily recreated with Pink Lucozade. This drink is my go-to girly drink when a usual vodka lemonade is too bland. It’s pink lemonade, and vodka. Not impressed? Well, that’s that then. There’s not much more to say.
“Who cares? I’m gonna go get a drink. I’m done.”
– Mark Francis Vandelli
