Some meals are about more than what’s on the plate. They mark a season, bring people together and give us a reason to make the table feel a little more special. The right drink can become part of that occasion.

The Art of Sip and Savour Pairing Handbook: Seasons and Celebrations is the expanded edition in the Pairing Handbook series, bringing together seasonal food, cocktails and sophisticated zero-proof pairings for gatherings throughout the year.

From relaxed spring lunches and summer garden tables to harvest suppers, Christmas feasts, New Year celebrations, birthdays and intimate dinners for two, this practical guide explores how changing ingredients, traditions and occasions can inspire what goes in the glass.

Think crisp apple and warming spice, bright citrus and berries, fragrant herbs, celebratory bubbles and richer flavours for cooler evenings. Discover how acidity can refresh a festive meal, how fruit and spice can echo seasonal ingredients, and why aroma, texture, temperature and intensity matter just as much as flavour.

Each pairing includes:

• A practical dish guide
• A complementary cocktail recipe
• A sophisticated zero-proof twin
• Clear notes explaining why the pairing works
• A variation for exploring the flavours further
• Batch guidance to make entertaining easier

You’ll also find seasonal menu plans, hosting advice and useful techniques for preparing cordials, shrubs, syrups, tea bases, festive ice and batched punches. Troubleshooting guidance helps rescue drinks that become too sweet, sharp, rich, flat or diluted.

The zero-proof pairings receive the same care as the cocktails, using tea, fruit, verjus, herbs, shrubs, saline, texture and carbonation to create complete drinks with structure and purpose, never consolation pours.

Rather than prescribing the perfect menu, Seasons & Celebrations gives you ideas and principles you can adapt to your own table. Use what is in season, borrow from the traditions you enjoy and give yourself room to experiment.

Whether you’re planning Christmas dinner, welcoming the New Year, firing up the barbecue, or simply turning a weekend meal into something worth lingering over, this handbook will help you decide what belongs in the glass and understand why.

Sip Smarter. Pair Better. Impress Always.