Opening ceremony for the Summer Olympic Games 2024 in Paris attended by 120 heads of state and government, sovereigns, hundreds of thousands of spectators and millions more will tune in from home.

I remember fondly the London 2012 Olympics with Mr Bean playing the piano with the London Symphony Orchestra and our dearly beloved Queen parachuting into the stadium with James Bond. I’m sure there has been something equally exciting going on in Paris so I thought I would make a cocktail to celebrate.

The games will involve 10,500 athletes representing 205 delegations from around the world so I thought I would start with representing 6 countries with a cocktail to wish them all well. Swedish vodka (Russian voddy not available atm), Japanese sake, Spanish liqueur, Vietnamese lime, Chinese ginger and a sprig of English (British) mint from my garden to represent our home team.

This cocktail is called Wandering Poet after the famous Chinese poet Lǐ Bái who lived in the 8th century and was one of the most important poets of the Tang dynasty, known to drink a big bottle of sake and write a hundred poems. It is usually made with Rihaku sake but I have used Ozeki Dry Junmai Sake which has been around since 1711. It’s crisp and fruity and tastes superb chilled matching well with the floral notes of the lychee liqueur. Well that’s my story and I’m sticking to it but truth be known I can’t get Rihaku sake. Equal parts for a level playing field. Let the games begin! #GlobalApron