Holiday Drinks 2011

The winter holidays have been overdone in many ways on the party themes and drink ideas. But it has also gotten into a rut. Eggnog? Yes, we all drink Eggnog over the holidays but it is never a staple. It is a tradition and you should know how to make it, including the many variations on Eggnog that have been invented, but you should also get out of the box. It is never a good idea to make blender drinks during the winter... BRRR... but hot drinks are always welcome. Coffee drinks, caramel drinks, herbal drinks, toddies... all good stuff when people are cold to the toes. They can be made with and without alcohol and are always merry. Almost everyone likes them. Shooters go over year round, from the frozen tundra to the beach, and you can always design a winter holiday party around peppermint tooters, for instance, or hot coffee drinks with whipped cream. Offer candy canes, chocolate, caramel or cinnamon sticks as stirrers for all the cocktails you serve during the season.

But is Christmas the be all, end all, of the holiday season? Although I personally celebrate Christmas, as a bartender and party girl, I think people overlook Hanukkah, Boxing Day and Kwanzaa when they make up party ideas or invent new drinks! And I think that, as a bartender or party host, you would also want to close that gap. For instance, Boxing Day is also known as St. Stephens Day or Day of the Wren and is honored in many countries, including Canada, Ireland, England, Australia, Finland, Germany, Czech Republic, Austria, Sweden, among others.. Haven't many immigrants come from these countries and couldn't they be wanting a drink? I have ideas for great drinks to serve on this day to celebrate their holiday. I also have ideas drinks that will help celebrate Hanukkah and Kwanzaa, too. And they don't have to be alcoholic to be fun so don't shy from serving sober drinks at your parties, too, where some of the people are religious and do not imbibe but want to celebrate with everyone else.

I offer these drink ideas for the holidays. You can search this blog for the recipes as I list them here or you can use the links in the post. These drinks can give you new inspiration for holiday party themes, as well.

Great Drinks for the Winter: Dutch Coffee, Hot Shots (shooter), Adult Hot Chocolate, Hot Pants, Hot Peppermint Patty, Snuggler, Russian Coffee, Cappuccino Mocha, Anti-Freeze, Meltdown, Charro, Hot Coconut Coffee, Cafe Mocha (NA), Baileys and Coffee, Hot Rum, Hot Rum Toddy, Irish Coffee, Irish Cow, Apres Ski, Hot Buttered Rum, Damn the Weather, Hot Apple Pie, Apple Grog, Tom and Jerry, A Yard of Flannel, Snuggler, Blackberry Demitasse, Gluewein, Grog and just about any hot drink recipe with Coffee... just search this blog for the word "coffee" to get a lot of recipes.

Great Drinks for Christmas: Poinsettia, Sherry Eggnog, Cold Weather Punch, Cranberry Vodka Pineapple Punch, Pineapple-Cranberry Juice Punch (NA), Cape Codder, Thanksgiving Cocktail, Peppermint Stinger, Cranberry Sparkler (NA), Brandy Eggnog, Brandy Cobbler, Snow Shoe, Snow Cap, Dutch Velvet, Virgin Mary (NA), Virgin Madras (NA), Apple Ginger Punch, Eggnog (standard recipe), Egg Cream (NA), Frostbite, Iceball, Sweet Cream, Trophy Room, Cold Weather Punch, Kingdom Come, Chocolate Covered Cherry, Ice Palace and any of the Coffee drinks.

Great Drinks for Boxing Day: Bent Nail, Maple Leaf, Raspberry Smash, Irish Coffee, Wild Irish Rose, Irish Fix, A Yard of Flannel, Boilermaker, Black Velvet, Mockingbird, Rusty Nail, Scotch Stone Sour, Loch Lomond, Highland Fling, Hoot Mon, Irish Coffee, Scottish Coffee and Cafe Zurich.

Great Drinks for Kwanzaa: Apple Ginger Punch, Mary Garden, Kir Royale , Wine Cooler, Mountain Red Punch, Tropical Fruit Punch (NA), Egg Cream (NA), Cola Float (NA), Cafe Mocha (NA), Good and Plenty, Black Lady, Black Magic, Black Velvet, Breakfast Eggnog, Calypso, Festival, Huntress Cocktail, Planters Punch, Sapphire Martini, Swamp Water, Thanksgiving Cocktail, Dark Eyes, Dominican Coco Loco, Tiger's Milk, Victory, Zamboanga Hummer and Zanzibar.

Great Drinks for New Years: Claret Cup, Bellini Punch, Alto Parlarle, Bellini, Chambord Royale Spritzer, Mimosa, Poinsettia, Imperial Fizz, Kir Royale, Diamond Fizz, Mint Cooler, Champagne Maraschino Punch, Golden Fizz, No Gin Fizz (NA), Silver Fizz, White Grape, Tangerine and Sparkling Wine Punch, Out of the Blue, Sober Spritzer (NA), White Wine Spritzer, Diamond Head, Blue Margarita, Cherry Bomb, Kappa Colada, Sex on the Beach in Winter, Manhatten, New World, Maxim, Resolution, Self Starter and Time Bomb.

If you feel adventurous this year, these drink ideas can pump new life into your holiday parties and give your drinkers a new experience they may come to love.

Snuggler

Snuggler

1 1/2 oz Peppermint Schnapps
hot Chocolate

Pour the Peppermint Schapps into a Mug and top off with the hot Chocolate. Add whipped Cream, if you desire, before serving.

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The Tradition of Serving Cocktails Hot

I think it was one of the first things people did with alcohol, heat it up. I know they also mashed it, mixed it with fruit and dipped bread in it. Meglethin is a still famous medievel drink recipe. But heating up alcohol makes a lot of sense. Nothing makes us warmer than a cocktail. It brings the blood to the surface and tightens the blood vessels, causing the blood to move more slowly. Residents of freezing climes and snowy regions are well aware of the warming qualities of Rum or Brandy, which is once brought to frostbite victims to help get them warmer. Remember the stories about Saint Bernards taking a keg of Rum to stranded climbers and others lost in the snow? This was a bit of a stretch, a fable, in fact, because they didn't send little kegs of Rum on the necks of these dogs. That is an urban legend but it did emerge from the general knowledge that a little Rum can help someone through a very cold night. In fact, more alcohol is consumed in those countries known for extreme coldness such as Russia, Poland, Iceland, Sweden and Norway. In fact, these countries make some of the best liquors, beers and wines. Drinking, in these parts of the world, is a long honored tradition.

In the winter there is nothing I love more than a shot of hot Brandy in a snifter. In the old days I used to heat it in a stovetop teapot but today I just pop it in the microwave. Heat the Brandy in a glass and then transfer it to the snifter so you can hold it. The same can be done with Rum. If you heat up Rum instead of Brandy, remember to add a dollop of whipped cream to make it super yummy. Brandy is best drinken neat. It just has a great taste that shouldn't be altered or covered up. This is a very basic hot toddy, one of the most popular and accepted drinks in our culture. People who wouldn't touch a drink the rest of the year can be caught drinking an eggnog on Christmas and downing a hot toddy when the weather is very cold. A hot toddy works even faster than a raging fire but both, of course, is even better. There is a hot drink I will post the recipe for that is called the "Snuggler". And, indeed, a good hot drink on a cold night will make anyone snuggle up.

Most hot drinks are made with coffee and are often drank during the late day or in the evenings. Even with a shot of alcohol, coffee drinks are not recommended for bedtime. Save this for the hot toddy or hot buttered Rum. But nothing is better after a late brunch or an early dinner than a hot coffee cocktail. It is the best after dinner drink they have ever invented. These sort of after dinner winter warmers should be offered at all brunches and earlybirds. I know this is not the practice but a bar that serves food could make a business of older folk and young ladies if they were to offer hot coffee cocktails. Just consider the popularity of caffeine infused liquor drinks they are selling to young people today. And the popularity of places like Starbucks and cybercafes with a coffee bar. The idea is a good one if someone were to make a business of it.

If you are a bartender or just want to operate a versatile home bar, you should learn to make good hot cocktails. This winter, homemade mixes will save lots of money and bring the fun home. Bartenders would be well served, excuse the pun, to offer hot coffee drinks during the winter as a special for the first drink when patrons enter the bar. Offering hot coffee drinks at a special price does several good things for the bartender. It warms up the customers, allowing them to relax and settle in. It also helps to waken them up just a bit so that they drink more as the night goes on. And the great price will bring them back in. As long as it's cold outside, you can pretty much bet that they are not going to wander back outside too soon or, at least, not before buying another drink or two.

Hot Peppermint Patty

Hot Peppermint Patty

1 oz Peppermint Schnapps
1/2 oz dark Creme de Cacao
1 tsp green Creme de Menthe
1 packet instant Hot Chocolate mix
hot Water
whipped Cream

Pour the Peppermint Schnapps and the Creme de Menthe into a Coffee mug. Add the hot Chocolate mix. Stir until dissolved. Fill almost to the top of the mug with hot boiling water. Stir ahdn the top off with the Creme de Menthe and a layer of Whipped Cream.

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Hot Coconut Coffee

Hot Coconut Coffee

1 oz Malibu Liqueur
hot Coffee

Pour the Malibu Liqueur into a Coffee mug. Top of with the hot Coffee. Top off with whipped Cream, if you wish.

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Melon Colada

Melon Colada

1 1/2 oz light Rum
1/2 oz Midori
1 oz Pineapple juice
splash of Cream
1/2 oz dark Rum

Fill a blender with 3 oz of crushed ice. Add the ingredients and blend at medium speed for 15 seconds or until smooth. Pour into a goblet or large wineglass. Garnish with a spear of Pineapple.

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Making The Perfect Punch

There is no better way to serve a big crowd of people for less money than with punch. Most people love it and it makes a party really swing, especially if you are generous with the ingredients. And with the money it saves you over mixing individual drinks, you can afford to be generous. It is one mix where you can actually use cheaper versions of some alcohol products without ruining the taste. The secret to making a perfect punch has to do with ingredients that both complement and set each other off.

Punch has a history dating back to the 18th and 19th centuries, when Rum was all the rage. However, since then the methods of making punch have evolved to include almost any liquor that your guests will like. Punches are often made and served during the holidays when large crowds congregate or at events like weddings or reunions. Rum is still a popular choice for most punches because it mixes so well with various juices and soda pops. Many die hard punch fans won't even serve a punch that doesn't include Rum and Rum Punch is the most famous of all. However, in recent years it also become popular to load a punch with something like 100 proof Vodkas in order to get the guests drunk quickly. It is up to you what kind of punch you serve to your guests just be sure to remember the flavors you use as you go along or you will end up with a mess.

If you wish to make a traditional punch, stay with Rum. In choosing the Rum it is safe to cut corners and buy a cheaper brand because if the punch is well made no one will know the difference. A well thought out mix of juices, sugars, fruits and sodas will mask the nuances of cheaper liquor and the punch will be fine. Still, there is no substitute for finer quality and if your guests are well heeled or drinkers of finer liquor, you may not be able to please them otherwise. Again, this will depend upon your wallet. Another consideration when making punches is not only the event but the time of year or season. A punch that would go over big at a winter gathering may be a flop at the poolside this summer. So consider seasonal ingredients and whether a punch will be hot or cold in relation to the weather or season before making.

In cold weather, both in fall and winter, substantial punches are a hit. Milk based punches and punches that are served hot will go over well. The traditional Cold Weather Punch, Fish House Punch, Hot Rum and Cider Punch and, of course, Eggnog are beloved favorites in the cold season. If the event is a wedding or a New Years Eve celebration, consider making Champagne Punches instead of Rum. Something like the Bellini Punch, which is a Peach and Champagne blend, is great for black tie events. And, then, during the summer around the pool, a summer mix like Florida Punch, Tropical Fruit Punch or Rainbow Sherbet Punch will go over with a bang. They are the ultimate hot weather treats.

On the whole, punches are not appropriate for cocktail parties, small gatherings or birthday parties. However, they make great beverage solutions for office parties, business promotions, vendor presentations, anniversary parties and private performances. The greatest advantage of making punch is that once it is served, you can just relax and enjoy our party or business meeting while your guests help themselves. The one disadvantage to serving punch is that it encourages constant service in contrast to one having to wait to be served the next drink and this, in turn, encourages drunkenness. I have been to many a celebration where people are staggering and swaying around the punch bowl, spilling it and still drinking. Because people tend to overimbibe when you allow them to serve themselves punch, be sure to have reserve stashed in a cold place somewhere to refill the bowl when it drains, as it most often does, before the party ends. But do not be surprised to find people sleeping on couches or sitting in the front seat of their cars, dazed and not able to leave. The clever business person would arrange for their transportation to the hotel or to home after such an event while the family member might want to make up spare beds for friends to sleep it off.

While alcoholic punches make for ribald partying and are great for most events where people expect to raise hell, such as at weddings and office parties, non alcoholic punches are a good idea for smaller family gatherings where there are non drinkers and children. For the kids, the Rainbow Sherbet Punch can be lots of fun. But on any occasion where alcohol is not called for but the idea of serving large numbers is, then make up any punch on the list but just leave out the alcohol. It will taste fine and serve the same purpose as the alcoholic punch on the same sort of occasion.

In warmer weather, Sangrias and wine based punches, as well as punches loaded with fruit and exotic juices, are popular coolers for the spring and summer party. A Strawberry Bowl or a Polynesian Punch Bowl can turn your summer pool party into a ribald swimsuit contest. Traditional drinks, on the other hand, like Mint Juleps and Wine Coolers can be made up into larger and larger quantities and served as a punch. Consider this during traditional events such as sports parties where people watch horse races or ball games. And milk based punches, as long as they are served cold, can also be hits in the summer, especially with younger adults.

Ice cubes are not recommended for use in most punches. You cool the punch by dropping in a big bock of ice into the punch bowl because this melts very slowly and doesn't water everything down so fast. You can reduce the need for even this if you cool every ingredient thoroughly before mixing; putting the liquors into the freezer overnight often helps. Generally speaking, however, for cold punches, a 2 qt block of ice is recommended for every gallon of punch. And here's another tip for making a great punch: do not add club soda, cola or other carbonated beverages until just before serving. This helps preserve their sparkle and gives the punch a fresh pop when served.

If you are new to making punch or nervous about it at all, then take your time experimenting by making up some of the single serving punches I have posted on the blog. Once you get these prepared and enjoy the results, you will be ready to jump into the deep end. Serving a crowd can be harrowing on every level, from the food to the music to the punch so try making up some smaller punches for testing so that you will feel more secure when you get ready to make up punch for family and friends.

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Sherry Eggnog

Sherry Eggnog (single serving)

3 oz Sherry
1 Egg
1 tsp powdered sugar
1 cup Milk

In a blender, combine 3oz crushed ice with the Sherry, Egg, sugar and milk. Blend. Pour into a chilled goblet and garnish with a pinch of Nutmeg.

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Fish House Punch

Fish House Punch

A note about this recipe: This punch has been around since 1732, when it originated at the Fish House, a private men's club in Pennsylvania. It packs a mean punch, so warn your guests not to overimbibe.

2 cups Lemon juice
6 oz superfine granulated sugar
2 750ml bottles of Jamaican Rum
1 750ml bottle of Cognac or Brandy
1 cup Peach Brandy or 1/2 cup Peach Liqueur
8 oz club soda, chilled

A day before the party, combine the sugar and Lemon juice in a bowl and stir until the sugar is dissolved. In a container with a cover, combine this mix with the Rum, Brandy and Peach Brandy or Liqueur. Stir, cover and refrigerate over night.

When ready to serve, place a block of ice in a large punch bowl and add the mix. Pour over with the club soda and stir gently.

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Eggnog Punch

Eggnog Punch

1 dozen Eggs
2 cups superfine granulated sugar
1 pt Jamaican Rum
1 pt Cognac
3 pts Milk
1 pt Cream
Grated Nutmeg and or Cinnamon

Separate Eggs and then beat the yolks with the sugar until thickened. Add them together with the Rum, Cognac, milk and cream. Stir the mixture and set aside to chill in the refrigerator. When ready to serve, put the mix into a large punch bowl. DO NOT ADD ICE CUBES OR CRUSHED ICE. Beat the separated Egg whites until fluffy and fold into the mix in the punch bowl. DO NOT BEAT OR STIR. Let it float. Sprinkle to top with grated nutmeg or cinnamon and serve.

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Cranberry Pineapple Vodka Punch

Cranberry Pineapple Vodka Punch

2 qts chilled Cranberry juice cocktail
1 qt 14 oz chilled unsweetened Pineapple juice
8 oz Vodka
16 oz chilled Ginger Ale
16 oz chilled club soda
several fresh Pineapple spears

In a punch bowl, combine all the ingredients and add a block of ice. Stir to blend and then top off with the Pineapple spears. Serve immediately.

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Cold Weather Punch

Cold Weather Punch

2 Lemons
1/2 cup sugar
1 tsp ground Ginger
1 750 ml bottle dark Rum
1 750 ml bottle Brandy
8 oz Sherry
3 pints boiling water

Peel the Lemons and put their rinds into a small bowl with the sugar. Soften the rinds by pressing on them with the back of spoon. Juice the remaining Lemons and add the juice and the ground Ginger to the bowl. Mix it together well. Move the mix to a larger punch bowl. Add, first, the Rum, then the Brandy, then the Sherry and top off with the boiling water. Mix and let it sit for 30 minutes, stewing. Garnish with grated Nutmeg and serve immediately.

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Breakfast Eggnog (single serving)

Breakfast Eggnog (single serving)

1 egg
1 oz Brandy
1/2 oz Curacao
4 oz cold Milk

This is another punch that is fun to practice with. It is better made up one glass at a time, because you want the egg to be really foamy when you serve it. In this fashion, it is better made up for a small party or gathering and would not work well in a big bowl.

Fill a mixing glass with ice and add the ingredients. Shake and strain into a chilled highball glass.

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Snow Shoe

Snow Shoe

1 1/2 oz 101-proof Wild Turkey Bourbon
1/2 oz Peppermint Schnapps

Fill a rocks glass with ice and add the ingredients. Stir and serve.

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Brandy Eggnog

Brandy Eggnog

1 1/2 oz Brandy
1 cup Milk
2 tbsp powdered Sugar
1 Egg

Combine all ingredients in a mixing glass with ice. Shake well and strain into a Mug. Garnish with a sprinkle of Nutmeg or Cinnamon.

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