It’s about that time of year when we start heating our wine, and cocktails suddenly feel less sinful, more warm and comforting. Well, this tea and wine concoction still packs plenty of punch, amping up your mulled wine with vodka and port. Plus, you get to light things on fire.
As you surely already know, it’s National Carmel Month!
We’ll drink to that.
½ oz. Sobieski Karamel Vodka
½ oz. dark rum
1 oz. Marie Brizard Banana Liqueur
½ oz. half & half
Dash of ground cinnamon
Dash of ground nutmeg
Combine all the ingredients in and shake vigorously. Strain into chilled cocktail glass, garnish with an additional dash of ground cinnamon.
Crafted by Kim Haasarud.
It’s baaaaack!! On July 15th, the iconic crème-filed sponge cake of my youth returned just in time to get a new generation hooked on its neon yellow yummy-ness. Yeah, this ain’t yer grandpa’s version— this is Twinkie 2.0 baby! It has double the shelf life of the original (which was rumored to last longer than the pyramids!) I don’t know how they’re making this new model, but I’ll never forget the ingredients of the first…(insert harp music here);
‘Enriched wheat flour, sugar, corn syrup, niacin, water, high fructose corn syrup, vegetable shortening – containing one or more of the following: partially hydrogenated soybean oil, cottonseed oil, canola oil and beef fat, dextrose, whole eggs, modified corn starch, cellulose gum, whey, leavenings (sodium acid pyrophosphate, baking soda, monocalcium phosphate), salt, cornstarch, corn flour, corn syrup solids, mono and diglycerides, soy lecithin, polysorbate 60, dextrin, calcium caseinate, sodium stearoyl lactylate, wheat gluten, calcium sulphate, natural and artificial flavors, caramel color, yellow # 5, red # 40’.
Ahhhh,….”caramel color, yellow # 5 and red # 40”. Have you ever heard three more beautiful color additives in your life? I’m tearing up just thinking about it…(sniff).
Anyway, now that I’m older it’s time to celebrate the comeback like an adult—by adding booze of course! Kids get excited because they’re innocent and hopeful but their parents require alcohol and dammit, I’m not gonna let them down!
I know that traditional crème brulee has a torched sugar top but hey – this ain’t traditional! And I don’t want to hear from you purists about not using a real vanilla bean in this process. Did you read the list of garbage that goes into a Twinkie? Fuhgeddaboudit!
Something funny is happening with vodka. In recent years, more and more small producers have made vodkas that are actually drinkable. Since the clear stuff no longer needs to be dulled over with cranberry juice or Kool-Aid, it’s time to start mixing some vodka cocktails that actually let the booze shine through. Enter: the old fashioned, with vodka subbed in to replace whiskey.
3 oz Broken Shed vodka
3 dash bitters
1 sugar cube
Zest of lemon/orange/grapefruit
In glass, add sugar cube with bitters and few slices of zest, add 3 oz. vodka and 4 cubes ice. Stir for 10-15 seconds.
I received an email yesterday from one of my best friends, asking me for my opinion on holiday drink recipes. I was appalled—each recipe contained things like schnapps (multiple kinds per recipe), chocolate liqueur and sugar. No offense to Emily and those of you who like these cocktails, but for me, liqueurs are for my morning coffee and all lead to bad hangovers and a lot of vomiting if I consume them in large quantities in the evening.
My drinking plan for the 2012 holiday party season has been as follows: dirty martini, sipped slowly, accompanied by as many olives as humanly possible so I wouldn’t be wasted on an empty stomach (I know—bah humbug). But then Platinum 7x Vodka sent me the best holiday present ever: vodka and a recipe for this no-fuss, no-bullshit martini. It might be hangover-free too; this stuff is distilled 7 times for maximum smoothness. So if you’re hosting a party and want something festive without all the bullshit–throw a candy cane in your vodka. I know I will!
Whether you celebrate Christmas, Hanukkah or Kwanzaa, you know what ES has up our virtual sleeves for you…a holiday cocktail! Or seven!
OK, fine, we don’t actually have a Kwanzaa cocktail (Sandra Lee…where aaaaare you on this one?) but from peppermint to gingerbread, there’s something on this holiday cocktail list everyone can get behind.
3/4 oz. Godiva® Liqueur
3/4 oz. Coconut rum
1/2 oz. Butterscotch Schnapps
1/2 oz. Partida Anejo Tequila
1/4 oz. Frangelico
1/2 oz. Bailey’s Irish Cream®
1/2 oz. Amaretto
Garnish rim of a martini glass with crushed cookie crumbs. Shake all ingredients in a shaker with ice and strain into martini glass.
From: W Retreat & Spa, Vieques Island
1 750ml bottle red table wine
2 cinnamon sticks
1 teaspoon whole cloves
¾ teaspoon whole pink peppercorns
2oz honey
2oz vodka
1oz triple sec
.5oz soy lecithin
Cinnamon powder
Warm all ingredients except soy lecithin in a saucepan at a low heat for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally. Do not allow the temperature to exceed 140°F / 60°C (If mixture starts to boil, lower the heat.) Seal and chill. Take ¼ of your mixture and use an electric hand blender to mix in soy lecithin to create an airy topping. Pour in liquid mixture to fill half of a glass mug or teacup, top with mulled wine, air, and lightly dust the top with cinnamon.
3/4 oz. Partida Blanco Tequila
1 oz. Peppermint Schnapps
3/4 oz. Godiva® Liqueur
1-1/2 oz. Cream
Rim martini glass with chocolate syrup and crushed candy canes. Shake ingredients in a shaker with ice and strain into martini glass.
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When the temperature drops there are a lot of people who enjoy preparing and eating soups, stews and chilis. Me, I go straight for the Italian dishes! Pasta in a good meat sauce topped with cheese is my cold weather comfort food. So when the weekend arrives I like to prepare meals that will provide me with multiple nights’ worth of dinner options, like my stuffed shells in a vodka cream sauce.
This will make enough extra sauce that you can either freeze it or use it later in the week over rigatoni or spaghetti. And these shells are so filling that you’d better invite some friends over to help you eat this; otherwise you’re going to have it as leftovers for a good week!