Twelve Days of Festive Beverages December 23 2014

Twelve Days of Festive Beverages

 

The twelve days of Christmas are a wonderful time of the year. With family and friends and yule log fires, what better way is there to ring in the Christmas season than with the 12 days of holiday drinks!

 

For your enjoyment - cheers!

 

Winter Mojito

  • 8-10 mint leaves
  • 6-8 cranberries
  • 1/4 oz fresh lime juice
  • 1 1/2 oz Cane Syrup
  • 1 3/4 oz Amber Rum

Mix ingredients with ice in a shaker. Make sure you shake hard enough to crack open the cranberries. Strain the mixture into a glass with ice. Pop in some fresh cranberries

and a mint sprig for garnish.

 

Coquito

  • 28 oz coconut milk
  • 2 cups rum
  • 14 oz condensed milk
  • 4 egg yolks
  • Nutmeg to garnish

Blend ingredients together until smooth. Serve chilled with nutmeg sprinkled on top.

 

Rum Butter Cider

  • 1 oz Grand Marnier
  • 1 oz Butterscotch Liqueur
  • 1 1/2 oz Rum
  • 4 oz hot apple cider
  • Star of anise and cinnamon sticks to garnish

Mix Grand Marnier, butterscotch liqueur, and rum in a mug. Mix in hot apple cider. Stir with a cinnamon stick and finish it off with some star of anise.

 

Blender Egg Nog

  • 2 cups heavy cream
  • 1/2 cup sugar
  • 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
  • 4 large eggs
  • 3/4 cup brandy

Combine cream, sugar, and nutmeg in a medium saucepan and bring to a simmer. Blend eggs in a blender on low for 1 minute. Slowly mix in the hot cream mixture and blend until frothy. Mix in the brandy and serve warm.

 

Candy Cane Cocktail

  • 1 crushed candy cane to garnish
  • 2 oz strawberry vodka
  • 4 dashes white creme de menthe
  • 2 1/2 oz cranberry juice
  • Ice cubes

Rim martini glasses with the crushed candy cane. Shake the vodka, creme de menthe, cranberry juice, and ice in a shaker until mixed. Strain into the martini glass and serve right away.

 

Blizzard Cocktail

  • 1 1/2 oz Irish whiskey or rum
  • 1/2 oz hazelnut liqueur
  • 1/2 oz Irish cream liqueur
  • Hot coffee
  • Dollop of Grand Marnier Whipped Cream

Mix together the whiskey, hazelnut liqueur, and Irish cream in a large glass mug. pour coffee on top and garnish with whipped cream.

 

Cranberry Martini

  • 1 lime wedge
  • Red sanding sugar
  • 8 oz vodka
  • 1 oz cranberry juice
  • 1 teaspoon vermouth
  • Fresh cranberries to garnish

Rim martini glasses with a lime wedge and sanding sugar and chill for 10 minutes. Combine vodka, cranberry juice, vermouth, and ice in a shaker until cold (20-ish seconds). Strain into chilled glasses and add fresh cranberries to garnish.

 

Santa’s Sleigh Cocktail

  • White sugar crystals (The coarser the better)
  • 2 cups chilled eggnog
  • 1/2 cup brandy
  • 1/2 cup amaretto liqueur
  • 1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
  • 2 scoops vanilla ice cream
  • 4 cinnamon sticks

Rim martini glasses with sugar crystals. Mix eggnog, brandy, amaretto, nutmeg, and ice cream in a blender and blend until smooth. Transfer into prepared glasses and serve with a cinnamon stick.

 

Spiced Holiday Punch

  • 6 cups apple juice
  • 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
  • 12 cloves
  • 1 2-inch piece peeled fresh ginger
  • 1 cinnamon stick
  • 6 cups cranberry juice
  • ginger ale or sparkling wine

Combine the apple juice, nutmeg, cloves, ginger, and cinnamon sticks in a saucepan and bring to a simmer over medium heat. Simmer for 15 minutes. Strain mixture into a large pitcher and chill. Once chilled, mix in the cranberry juice and fill glasses halfway. Complete the glass with the ginger ale or sparkling wine.

 

Satsuma Cocktail

  • 1 satsuma orange, peeled and sectioned
  • Crushed ice
  • 1/2 cup dry gin
  • 1/2 cup fresh satsuma orange juice (roughly 2 satsumas)
  • 1 tablespoon Grand Marnier

Rinse satsuma sections in cold water and place in the freezer for 30 minutes or until firm. Mix gin, juice, Grand Marnier, and crushed ice into a shaker and shake well. Strain ½ cup mixture into each martini glass and garnish with frozen satsuma sections.

 

Smuggler’s Coffee

  • 1/2 cup strong hot coffee
  • 2 teaspoons sugar
  • 1 oz gold rum
  • 1 oz dark rum
  • 1 stick  cinnamon
  • Orange zest to garnish
  • Can Sweetened whipped cream
  • Grated Mexican chocolate to garnish

Stir sugar and coffee together in a large mug. Once the sugar is dissolved, mix in both rums, cinnamon, and orange zest. Top with whipped cream ad grated chocolate.

 

Fresh Herb Sparkling Wine Cocktail

  • 3 large fresh sage or basil leaves
  • 1 small sprig fresh rosemary
  • 2 teaspoons sugar
  • 1 1/2 oz freshly squeezed orange juice
  • 1 1/2 oz dry gin
  • 1 1/2 oz chilled dry Champagne or sparkling wine
  • Orange peel spiral to garnish

Combine herbs and sugar into a shaker and muddle. Add juice, gin, and 1 cup of ice and shake well until chilled. Strain the mixture into a champagne flute and fill to the top with champagne. Stir gently and garnish with orange peel.



Happy Holidays! Remember to drink responsibly.