You may have thought that winter months in the northern hemisphere were confined to the likes of cauliflowers, leeks and brussels sprouts, but it's also the season of the blood orange (late December to April). This rich and vibrant variant of the citrus fruit makes an interesting seasonal alternative to cocktails calling for orange juice as well as inspiring its own recipes.

Native to southern Italy and parts of Spain, the blood orange can vary from the dark-fleshed Moro variety to the delicately flavoured Tarocco. Their blood-red hue comes from a pigment called anthocyanin, found in varying degrees depending on the fruit.

The Flavour Thesaurus by Niki Segnit describes the fruit saying, "blood oranges usually add a berry, specifically raspberry, note to the sweetness." The book goes on to suggest some unusual flavour pairings such as asparagus in a sauce maltaise, and with beetroot courtesy of Heston Blumenthal at The Fat Duck.

Dehydrated blood orange slices make attractive garnishes and pretty much any cocktail that normally calls for orange juice is better, or at least interestingly different made with blood orange juice. However, the following cocktails specifically call for blood orange.

Blood Orange Garibaldi
With: Red bitter liqueur, sugar syrup and blood orange juice.
We say: Why settle for a mere Garibaldi when seasonality allows you to make the blood orange version of the same cocktail.

Blood Orange
With: Dry gin, Campari, dry vermouth and blood orange juice.
We say: Full-on tangy fresh blood orange with a subtle gin back bone.

Blood Orange Margarita
With: Tequila, triple sec, Campari, blood orange juice, lime juice and sugar syrup.
We say: A bloody riff on the classic Margarita.

Blood Sage
With: Blood orange juice, sage leaves, dry gin, lime juice, sugar syrup and egg white.
We say: Sage combines wonderfully with gin and orange in this beautifully balanced drink.

Blooded Knees
With: Dry gin, runny honey, blood orange juice and lemon juice.
We say: Tart lemon and citrus notes are balanced by rich and flavoursome honey, with gin adding botanical complexity.

Bloody Blood & Sand
With: Blended scotch whisky, malt scotch whisky, cherry liqueur, sweet vermouth and blood orange juice.
We say: A Blood & Sand with the smoky influence of Islay single malt whisky and the rounding citrus notes of blood orange juice.

Bloody Bronx
With: Dry gin, sweet vermouth, bianco vermouth and blood orange juice.
We say: A Bronx made 'bloody' by the use of blood oranges. Fruity yet dry with botanical notes both from the vermouth and the gin.

Bloody Negroni
With: Dry gin, Campari, sweet vermouth and blood orange juice.
We say: A classic Negroni with equal parts dry gin, Campari and sweet vermouth, and when in season blood orange juice adds a refreshing citrusy tang.

Blood Orange Daiquiri
With: Light rum, blood orange juice, lime juice, sugar syrup, Daiquiri Bitters and saline solution.
We say: Blood orange adds a delightful citrus fruitiness to this Daiquiri.

Damn The Bloody Weather
With: Gin, orange curaçao, sweet vermouth, blood orange juice, and orange bitters.
We say: Basically, a gin and juice, but the orange juice is of the "bloody" variety and amplified by both liqueur and bitters.

Dantes in Fernet
With: Scotch whisky, Fernet Branca, blood orange juice, maple syrup and Xocolatl mole bitters.
We say: A Blood & Sand style cocktail, with Fernet Branca providing an almost smoky herbal influence.

Hot Blooded
With: Rye whiskey, chilli liqueur, blood orange juice, lime juice and sugar syrup.
We say: Chili pepper-led spirituous spice freshened with lime and blood orange citrus, may make you hot rather than merely warm-blooded.

Le Sang Et Sable
With: Brandy, rouge aromatised, cherry brandy, blood orange juice, lemon juice.
We say: Reminiscent of a cognac-based Blood & Sand.

Manky Panky
With: Dry gin, raspberry liqueur, red wine, Fernet Branca and blood orange juice.
We say: Red berries, red wine and blood orange juice are subtly fortified with gin and the underlying herbal notes of Fernet Branca.

Red Dragon
With: Gin, orange curaçao, blood orange juice, lemon juice, and grenadine.
We say: Blood orange juice, orange curaçao and grenadine add colour and flavour to a Gin Sour.

Ruby Diamond
With: Mezcal, dry gin, Americano rosso, lemon juice, and saline solution.
We say: A spirit-forward, bittersweet and sweet 'n' sour, mezcal and gin sour.

Sicilian Negroni
With: Dry gin, Campari and blood orange juice.
We say: Blood orange juice replaces sweet vermouth in this fruity Negroni.

Succulent Blood
With: Mezcal, blood orange juice, sugar syrup and falernum liqueur.
We say: Mezcal and blood orange juice with sweet spice added with cinnamon syrup and clove rich falernum.

There It Is...
With: Scotch whisky, genever, maraschino liqueur and blood orange juice.
We say: Genever combines wonderfully with Scotch whisky, to which maraschino liqueur and blood orange juice add flavour and lengthen.

Winter Solace
With: Blanc rhum Agricole, light white rum, blood orange juice, pomegranate juice, lime juice, sugar syrup, and saline solution.
We say: This tart citrusy cocktail brilliantly harnesses the character of rhum agricole.