Try something different this Christmas! |23 December 2023
Selwyn in his element
Why not make this Christmas extra special by trying out a new recipe – either a mocktail, cocktail or even a dessert? To give you an idea of how you can spice up your Christmas gathering and impress your invitees, I decided to get renowned mixologist, Selwyn Dick, on board to help you truly make it a merry Christmas day at home.
But this article is not just about a recipe but it also highlights an inspirational journey of a young man who never gave up on what he loves and how he can be an inspiration to those who are having inner battles prior to welcoming a new year.
At times, we tend to panic as we do not know how we will cope with our challenges and if those dreams of ours will finally come into our reality. But I have found great encouragement from my interview with Selwyn and I hope these few lines below give you the boost you need to find your way forward.
First let us get to know the mixologist..
“I started to make cocktails and mocktails back in 2008. I was taking up my second experience behind a bar but this time it was more on a professional level as I was dealing with different types of nationalities everyday from different corners of the world including Seychellois,” he said.
“Across the years, I gave and showcased the love I have for this particular job. But to me that was not enough. I have worked at some famous bars and seen people ordered the same cocktails over and over again.”
“I grew tired of it and I wanted things to change. Yes, there are so many amazing international cocktails but what about local products? Why are we not using them to the maximum and create our own recipes?”
The new journey begins...
“So I started to craft some drinks using only local products and spices everywhere I could find them. At first I was doing it just for the fun to see how far I could take it as I knew that I could never beat the fact that people are mostly used to international and classic cocktails and mocktails.”
“I continued my journey. It was not an easy task as people were still comfortable with the idea of just sticking to international ingredients and mixing cocktails. I on the other hand stood firm in my belief that the best taste is of the Seychelles islands so I continued to push our local products and natural resources,” he added.
“I was so determined by this that I even created a hashtag (#bringingnewtastetoparadise).”
And then came the many competitions and awards. Selwyn managed to wow judges in many bar competitions and clinched top prizes.
“I stood proud whenever I won an award as I felt that I had shown the world that leaves, flowers and other little things that are found in nature can actually be used to make something that will leave a great impression,” he said proudly.
“So in life, it is important to believe in ourselves and to keep our dreams close no matter the circumstances. Never give up on what you truly want to achieve in life,” he said and smiled.
Now for the mocktail ...
“I have given it the name ‘Dan Verdure’ as all the ingredients found in this drink are all green and they often do not grow flowers but mostly stay green. So hence the name ‘Dan Verdure’.”
“This mocktail was made to bring comfort through this weather condition that we are experiencing. I have chosen these specific plants as they are some that were affected around my house and I choose to create something out of them.
Dan Verdure
Ingredients
- curry leaves
- orange leaves (local ones)
- one teaspoon turmeric
- one teaspoon masala
- a teaspoon of salt
- one teaspoon of black pepper
- 8ml of fresh lemon juice
- two tablespoons of sugar
- ice
- water
Method
Put all the ingredients except for the curry leaves and orange leaves in a jug
Mix it all well using a large spoon
Add water and ice and stir well
Now take the curry and orange leaves, press them with your hands to remove all excess oils
Add them to the mixture and stir
Place it in the refrigerator for 30 - 45 minutes
Serve chill while enjoying Christmas afternoon with the family
