Saturday, December 24, 2011

Holiday Cocktails You Want to Try


Whether you are gathering around a Christmas Tree, Menorah or Kinara, holidays are a time for celebrating. Dress up the festivities with some holiday cheer.

Happy Holidays Everyone!

Mistletoe Delight*
1 ½  oz Grand Marnier
1 ½ oz Cranberry juice
½ oz fresh Lemon juice
½ oz Simple Syrup
Fresh Rosemary needles

In a shaker with filled with ice, shake the first four ingredients together.
Garnish with rosemary needles.

Poinsettia*
½ oz Cointreau or Triple Sec
Champagne
3 oz Cranberry Juice

Chill all of the ingredients beforehand.
Pour the Cointreau and cranberry juice into a chilled champagne flute.
Stir well and top with champagne. (cocktail pictured right)

*If you don’t feel like making these cocktails yourself, stop by Texas de Brazil and let the bartender make one for you!

Herradura Pomegranate Swizzle
1 ½ oz Herradura Reposado Tequila
2 oz Pomegranate Juice (unsweetened)
½ oz Vanilla Syrup
1 oz Heavy Cream
Candy Cane & Pomegranate Seeds for garnish

Fill a highball with crushed ice and pour in tequila, juice and vanilla syrup.
Stir ingredients and insert candy cane and a clear straw.
Place cream into an ice filled shaker, shake.
Layer cream in glass and sprinkle pomegranate seeds over top. (cocktail pictured below)

Farmer’s Shortcake
2 parts Crop Organic Cucumber Vodka
1 part Lemon Juice
3 parts muddled Strawberries
Fresh Mint leaf

Suggested Pair:  A triple-crème cheese, such as Nettle Meadow’s Kunik or Cowgirl Creamery’s Mt. Tam.

Red Planet
1 part Crop Organic Tomato Vodka
2 parts Cranberry juice
1 part Club Soda
Squeeze of fresh Lemon

Suggested Pair:  A blue cheese, such as Jasper Hill’s Bayley Hazen Blue or Point Reyes’ Original Blue.

Nutcracker Bellini with homemade Tea- Infused Vodka
1 ½ oz Russian Standard, Tea Infused (recipe below)
¼ oz. Limoncello
Sparkling Wine (such as Cava or Prosecco)
Three candied cherries pierced on a skewer or drink stirrer for garnish

Tea Infused Vodka:
1 Tbsp loose Silver Needle Chinese Tea
1 (750-milliliter) bottle of Russian Standard Vodka
Add tea to vodka and shake to combine.
Set aside for 3 hours to infuse.
Strain out tea and store vodka in a cool, dark place until ready to use.

In a shaker, combine the Russian Standard, Tea Infused Vodka and Limoncello.
Shake well and pour with into a champagne flute.
Fill up with sparkling wine and garnish with cherries.

Sugar Plum Cocktail
1 ½ oz Russian Standard Vodka
1 oz Sugar Plum Infused Reduction (see recipe below)
¼ oz Lemon Juice
Fresh ground Cinnamon & 1 whole Cinnamon Stick for garnish

Sugar Plum Reduction:
2 Tbsp Plum preserves or plum reserves
¾  cup Lemon Juice
½ cup water
1 cup Demerara Sugar
Place all ingredients in a pot over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until it’s reduced by half.
Strain through a fine metal strainer and discard solids

Combine all ingredients in a Martini shaker filled with ice and shake vigorously.
Strain into a medium sniffer.
Garnish with ground cinnamon & cinnamon stick. (cocktail pictured right)


Nielsen-Massey Peppermint Pattitini
2 oz. Vodka
2 oz. Half & half or cream
1 heaping Tablespoon hot cocoa mix
¼ teaspoon Nielsen-Massey Pure Peppermint Extract
½ teaspoon Nielsen-Massey Pure Chocolate Extract
½ teaspoon Nielsen-Massey Pure Tahitian Extract (Madagascar or Mexican if preferred)
Ice
Chocolate syrup
Mini candy cane

Add all ingredients except the syrup in a shaker and shake vigorously.
Pour into chilled martini glasses.
Garnish with a swirl of chocolate syrup and candy cane.

If you are looking to save a few calories, try these simple cocktails. Sparkling ICE has no calories so these cocktails are all under 100 calories…




Black Raspberry Ice
1 oz. Makers Mark Bourbon
½ oz. Dry Vermouth
2 Bourbon Cherries
1 Splenda

Top off with Black Raspberry Sparkling ICE

Pink Grapefruit Ice
1 oz. Beefeater Gin
4 Cucumbers muddled
2 Drops of lime juice
1 oz. Blueberries muddled

Finish with Pink Grapefruit Sparkling ICE

Lemon Lime Ice
1 oz. Bacardi Light Rum
1 Splenda
6 Basil leaves lightly muddled
Splash of lime

Finish with Lemon Lime Sparkling ICE

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