Blur star Alex James reveals the best drink for Christmas food

FORGET an average white or red with your festive meal this year – how about cocktails with your Christmas pud or cherry brandy with chocolates?

Here, Alex James – Blur bassist, food and drink enthusiast, founder of the annual Big Feastival, cheesemaker and curator of Britpop Wines – chooses his favorite drink to match some of Crimbo’s culinary favourites.

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Mince pie: Dry sherry

DRY sherry all the way with a mince pie. It has gone a bit out of fashion because everyone always associates it with old ladies. But give it a try, because it’s a real bargain.

At Christmas you can go on a real drinks safari and get an excellent sherry in the supermarket for the same price as an average chardonnay.

It tastes wonderful with a warm mince pie and goes perfectly with the fruit and pastries. I’d like to say I make my own cakes, but it’s so easy to buy them.

But what I do is take the top off and squeeze some blue cheese on top for a delicious, crazy car crash in your mouth.

• Sun suggests: Tio Pepe Fino Sherry, 75cl £13.25 (£11 with Nectar Card), sainsburys.co.uk.

Cheese board: ice cold cider

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CHEESE with a glass of cider is a total marriage made in heaven.

It’s the perfect food and drink combination because no matter what cheese it is, cider is almost guaranteed to work with it.

It’s like they’re having a bite to eat at shows when they’re judging cheeses apple between bites.

But it is essential that the cider is served very cold. Why not use the full Withnail And I and put some ice cubes in it?

All you really need is a big piece of cheese and a pint of ice cold cider and you’re all set – see you in the new year!

• Sun suggests: Specially selected vintage cider from H. Westons & Sons, 750ml, £2.39 Aldi (in stores).

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Smoked salmon: shot of vodka

THIS is stylish Boxing Breakfast of the day if you survived the day before.

Smoked salmon with James Bond’s favorite drink, a pure, frozen added vodka. Absolutely wonderful.

You could even sprinkle one Nice ground black pepper on top, like he does in Moonraker. That will break up the oiliness of the fish pieces nicely.

Small squares of buttered brown bread on the side are totally chic.

Or just roll up the salmon, hit back your shot, and then keep going. . .

• Sun suggests: M&S Distilled 5 Times British Vodka, 700ml, £19, ocado.com or M&S stores.

Sprouts: beer

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NOW it’s time for an ice-cold beer. My family eats Brussels sprouts as a festive snack and last year we had a whole bag of them.

They taste incredible deep-fried at a low temperature, served with a little soy sauce for dipping.

If you don’t think you like them, try them this way, in coleslaw, or add bacon and chestnuts. Or cheese of course.

The slight bitterness in beer matches well with types of cabbage. But it must be ice cold when you drink it.

Place your glass in the freezer for 30 minutes before pouring so it gets a nice matte mist on the outside.

Celebrate microbreweries and go for a local classic beer if you can.

• – Sun suggests: Loose Cannon Lager 676, 330ml, £2.49, laithwaites.co.uk.

Chocolate Yule Log: Cherry liqueur

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CHERRIES and chocolate are great together. Cherry liqueur, cherry brandy or any other cherry drink is what you want with chocolatey things at Christmas.

Like a delicious, drunken Black Forest cake in your mouth and the perfect digestif.

We make our own liqueur on the farm, distilled with cherries, honey and water. But you can buy cherry brandy in supermarkets.

Serve it at room temperature, or you can try reheating it if you like.

It has a kick to it, so stay calm if you have to do a puzzle later.

• Sun suggests: De Kuyper cherry brandy liqueur, 50cl, £12.75 (£10.50 Clubcard price), tesco.com.

Turkey: Sparkling wine

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THIS needs a festive touch. Even if it’s just one turkey sandwich and a glass of bubbly, that’s a party for one.

Sparkling wine is light and therefore perfect. And bubbles work well to clean your tongue.

Make sure you have enough at home, because everyone always wants more than one glass. I would go for two bottles per person.

A Bucks Fizz made with half sparkling wine and half orange juice is delicious turkeyat. English sparkling wines are among the best in the world.

I’m going to open about six bottles of my Britpop English sparkling wine.

• Sun suggests: Britpop Brut by Alex James, 75cl, £25, laithwaites.co.uk.

Christmas pudding: eggnog

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Go all out for the 70s classic and serve an eggnog with your Christmas pudding.

It’s like a sexy little custard drink. I don’t know exactly what’s in it, other than eggs, and I’m not sure I want to know – but it’s really festive.

You can also add lemonade to make a snowball cocktail. This will work well to cool the inside of your mouth if you light the top of your pud with brandy before serving it to the table. A bit like an alcoholic fire extinguisher.

I’m usually too full for Christmas pudding after turkey, but the little ones you put in the microwave are nice in the run-up.

Mini pudding, brandy butter, retro eggnog cocktail. . . and then a nap.

• Sun suggests: Warninks Original Advocaat Liqueur, 70cl, £15.50, asda.com.

Pigs in blankets: mulled wine apple juice

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PORK and apple go great together, so a mug of warm mulled wine apple juice is ideal.

You can use whatever juice you have, put a pot on the stove and search your cupboards for any spices hanging around.

You definitely want some cinnamon sticks in the mix, and maybe star anise, cloves, apple slices, orange, and even frozen fruit. Literally throw everything you have into it.

Bring it to a boil. The house immediately smells like Christmas and everyone comes running.

Fun for the children and optionally, to make it complete for the adults, you can also add calvados at the last minute. Then get out Aunt Mabel’s best glassware to serve it in.

• Sun suggests: Apple juice, 1 litre, £1.45, morrisons.com.