Drinks Make It All The Merrier: Holiday Cocktail Recipes

With all the traveling, deadlines, gift-buying, revelry, eating, game-watching, gift-giving and more eating that will be going on for the holidays, there's one more thing to be thankful for.  Yes, yes, yes of course you're thankful for health, family, warmth, generosity blah blah blah but let's keep it real right now.  With all the aforementioned in addition to the holiday season's frenetic pace, cold weather woes and über-marketing shenanigans aren't we also very thankful for that special partaking.  Not any Secret Santa exchange or singing caroles as a family or even gathering around the hearth.  True gratefulness is the ability to make all the revelry seem not so draining with the partaking of a nice stiff cocktail.

Un-festive?  Hardly!  The holiday season would not be complete without the traditional egg nog, hot toddies or glogg.  However, if those are or aren't your things, then why not create your own personal holiday spirit with the spirit of your choice.  I know I'd like to see my number one drink choices of tequila and whiskey don something more festive after it fills up my glass.  Recently, I had the distinct pleasure of sampling a Four Roses, a full and fragrant single barrel Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey.  Then I imbibed in the crisp, smooth fresh punch of Casa Noble's Triple distilled Reposado Tequila.  The following two recipes offer a great tasting familiar and a shake up to the mundane holiday offerings and will most assuredly make the holidays less "ugh" and more "ahh". 

Four Calling Birds (recipe from Jay Silverman from Agave, NY)1.5 oz Casa Noble Reposado1 oz Manzanilla SherryOld-Fashioned Eggnog6 eggs3/4 cup granulated sugar1 pint cream1 pint milk2 cups Four Roses Small Batch1 oz. aged Jamaica rumBeat the yolks and whites of 6 eggs separately. Add 1/2 cup of sugar they have been beaten very stiff. Combine the egg whites with the3/4 oz Apricot LiqueurLime Zest
Stir together the tequila, sherry and apricot liqueur until chilled and serve straight up in a martini glass or on the rocks.  Using a zester or microplane garnish with lime zest.

Old-Fashioned Egg Nog 6 eggs3/4 cup granulated sugar 1 pint cream1 pint milk2 cups Four Roses Whiskey1 oz aged Jamaican Rum
Beat the yolks and white of 6 eggs separately.  Add 1/2 cup of sugar to the yolks while beating.  Add 1/4 cup os sugar to the whites after they have been beaten very stiff.  Combine the egg whites with the yolks.  Pour in cream and milk, as well as the bourbon and rum.  Stir thoroughly.  Serve very cold with grated nutmeg and/or cinnamon. 

Enjoy your holiday drinks folks and please remember to always drink responsibly!Four  calling  Birds-­‐Jay  Silvermanfrom  Agave,  NYC1.5  oz.  Casa  Noble  reposado1  oz.  Manzanilla  Sherry3/4  oz.  Apricot  liqueurLime  zestStir  together  the  tequila,sherry,  and  apricot  liqueur  until  chilled  and  serve  straight  up  in  a  martini  glass  or  on  the  rocks.Using  a  zester  or  microplane  garnish  with  lime  zestFour  calling  Birds-­‐Jay  Silvermanfrom  Agave,  NYC1.5  oz.  Casa  Noble  reposado1  oz.  Manzanilla  Sherry3/4  oz.  Apricot  liqueurLime  zestStir  together  the  tequila,sherry,  and  apricot  liqueur  until  chilled  and  serve  straight  up  in  a  martini  glass  or  on  the  rocks.Using  a  zester  or  microplane  garnish  with  lime  zest

Four  calling  Birds-­‐Jay  Silvermanfrom  Agave,  NYC1.5  oz.  Casa  Noble  reposado1  oz.  Manzanilla  Sherry3/4  oz.  Apricot  liqueurLime  zestStir  together  the  tequila,sher  and  apricot  liqueur  until  chilled  and  serve  straight  up  in  a  martini  glass  or  on  the  rocks.Using  a  zester  or  microplane  garnish  with  lime  zest