Recipe

• 1 part Campari

• 3 parts pale cream sherry

• 6 parts tonic water

Mix together in a large wine glass with ice and a thin slice of lemon. Alternatively, mix a batch in a jug with plenty of ice and lemon, and serve in small glasses (175ml:500ml:1L worked for us).

Yesterday was my sister's 50th birthday, and we celebrated with a family get-together, a trip to the pub, fun and games, and a curry in the evening. Of course, we had to invent a cocktail for the occasion.

Snodi loves cream sherry, and since I've tried vermouth-and-tonic in the past I thought tonic would make a good mixer. All it needed then was a bit of depth, and the crisp bitterness of Campari did this nicely – this small dash of it stops it getting overpowering, and makes for a nice colour.

It went down very nicely when we were home in the evening. And at about 8% ABV, it was easy going (just like the birthday girl herself).