Tis the Season for Boozy Holiday Cocktails
It's the most wonderful time of the year in the cocktail world. Why? Because all cocktails get a little frostier, a little more festive, and a whole lot boozier. It's the holidays, and as we get older a lot of times the magic of the season seems to disappear. With holiday cocktails, that magical feeling is reignited within us. The flavors of the season may be a little more naughty than usual, but the tippling spirits will make you feel soHo-Ho-Ho nice.
Here are my favorite recipes to get you into the Christmas spirit.
Candy Cane Cava-Tail
Fill 1/3 of a flute with White Crème de Cocoa and the rest with chilled Sweet Cuvée Cava. Garnish with a whole candy cane.
Salt & Char Yule Nog
Created by Emily McKenna of Salt & Char in Saratoga Springs, NY
Salt & Char Yule Nog
Yields 12 glasses
Ingredients:
6 eggs, separated
1 cup milk
1 cup cream
1/2 cup brown sugar
2 teaspoons white sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
Pinch cinnamon
Pinch kosher salt
6 oz cognac
1 oz jagertee
Orange and nutmeg to garnish
Directions:
Mix egg yolks and brown sugar. Slowly add in milk and cream. Add vanilla, salt, white sugar, cinnamon, cognac and jagertee. Whip egg whites then fold into liquid mixture. Serve in chilled glass. Top with orange zest and nutmeg.
Fireside Delight
Created by Enzo Cangemi
Ingredients:
1 oz Campari
1 oz Frangelico
1 oz Espolon Tequila Reposado
2 dashes Chocolate Bitters
Directions:
Stir all ingredients in a mixing glass with ice. Strain into a coupe glass and garnish with a lemon twist.
Belvedere Toddy
Ingredients:
1 oz. Belvedere Vodka
1.5 oz. Hot Water
1 oz. Lillet Blanc
.5 oz Lemon
.5 oz Honey Stick
1 Cinnamon Stick
Fresh Grated Nutmeg
Orange Wedge
Cloves
Directions:
Add hot water to heat glass mug, then honey to melt. Add remaining liquid to ingredients. Garnish with a cinnamon stick and orange wedge and top with freshly grated nutmeg. Option to pierce orange wedges with 3 cloves.
Cava Wonderland
Prepare rims by combining 1/4 c coconut flakes, 2 tbsp granulated sugar, and one scraped vanilla bean. Coat the rim of a glass with lemon juice to make the sugar mixture stick. Pour 2 oz coconut juice blend or coconut puréed nectar into bottom of glass. Fill with Extra Dry Cava and stir to mix.
La Navidad
Created by Karl Bernholtz, Bluebird (NYC)
Ingredients:
1.5 oz. Santera Reposado
0.25 oz. Dark Rum
1/3 oz. Walnut Liqueur
1 oz. Blood Orange/Star Anise/Vanilla Cordial
0.5 oz. Fresh Lemon Juice
1 barspoon Allspice
Directions:
Combine ingredients in a shaker with ice and shake until cold. Strain into a coupe and garnish with grated nutmeg
(Optional) Garnish with fresh stick of pine or blood orange wheel
Cordial Recipe:
16 oz. White Sugar
2 oz. Brown Sugar
16 oz. Orange Juice
1 Blood Orange, peeled and diced
1 Lemon, peeled and chopped
0.5 or 0.75 oz. Star Anise, toasted
Half cap of Vanilla Extract
Tommy Bahama Eggnog Coconut Martini
Ingredients:
1 part Jim Beam®
1 part Cruzan® Coconut Rum
2 ½ parts coconut eggnog (recipe below)
Shake all ingredients well with ice, strain into a martini glass and sprinkle with nutmeg.
Ingredients:
Coconut eggnog:
5 egg yolks
¾ cup sugar
1 cup heavy cream
2 cups coconut milk
Pinch of salt
1 tsp vanilla
½ tsp nutmeg
Directions:
Whisk egg yolks with sugar until creamy and the sugar begins to dissolve. Add cream and coconut milk. Stir in vanilla, salt and nutmeg. Chill well.
A Rosso December
Created by Fabio Raffaello
Ingredients:
2 oz Campari
1/2 oz Mezcal
1/2 oz Fresh Lemon Juice
1/4 oz Simple Syrup
4 oz San Pellegrino Aranciata Amara
Float of Cynar
Directions:
Shake all the ingredients except the San Pellegrino, and strain over fresh ice into a collins glass. Add the San Pellegrino and a float of Cynar. Garnish with a sprig of mint and an orange slice.
