cocktail advent

Cocktail Advent 31: Holiday Sparkler

Sips

We made it! It’s the end of 2014 and, frankly, it couldn’t come soon enough.

Now, don’t get me wrong, there were a lot of good things that happened in 2014 and I don’t want to dismiss them but there were also a lot of sucky things that happened, friends we lost, and the struggles that went into making the good things happen. It’s been a rough year not just for me but for many of my friends and, well, we’re all hoping for a better time of things in 2015!

So with that in mind, I present to you the final cocktail in our Advent series…

Image via Ruffino Prosecco

Image via Ruffino Prosecco

Ruffino Holiday Sparkler

Gather together to celebrate tradition and the holiday season with the Ruffino Holiday Sparker. This cocktail includes autumn flavors of apple cider, cranberry, citrus and maple syrup, making it an easy-to-make, but still complex cocktail for your festive fete.

  • 3 oz. Ruffino Prosecco DOC
  • 3/4 oz. apple cider
  • 3/4 oz. cranberry juice
  • 1 tsp. maple syrup
  • Squeeze of 1 lemon wedge

Add ingredients directly to a mixing glass with ice and stir briefly.  Strain into a chilled champagne flute that has been rimmed w/ cinnamon sugar. Garnish with a mint leaf floating on top.

As we raise our glasses tonight and watch the ball drop, or otherwise count down the seconds until the new year begins, I wish you all well. I thank you for being a part of my 2014 (even the sucky parts) as it all combines to make us stronger and better for the future. May you have a brilliant 2015 and seize every moment of promise for the gift it is!

Cheers!

***This recipe was submitted by a representative of Ruffino Prosecco, I am not affiliated with the brand nor was I compensated for this post. As always, we encourage responsible refreshment and the use of the Designated Driver. No drunken monkeys, please!***

Cocktail Advent 30: Rum is the New Champagne Daiquiri

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Well, maybe that’s overstating things a touch, but I am awfully fond of rum, so we’ll let that go!

Image via Caliche Rum

Image via Caliche Rum

Rum is the New Champagne Daiquiri

  • 1 ½ oz Caliche Rum
  • ½ oz Simple Syrup
  • ½  oz fresh squeezed lemon juice
  • Top with Brut Champagne (or Dry Sparkling Wine)

Shake first three ingredients in a cocktail shaker with ice. Strain into a flute glass, top with brut Champagne and garnish with a lemon twist.

***This recipe was submitted by a representative of Caliche Rum. I am not affiliated with the brand nor have I received any compensation for this post, not even review samples. As always, we encourage responsible refreshment and the use of a Designated Driver. No drunken monkeys, please!***

Cocktail Advent 29: Electric Blanket

Sips

‘Fun’ fact about me: I’m scared of electric blankets. Well, not so much scared of the blankets themselves, but of the possibility, especially overnight, of them catching fire. I realize that oodles of people use them every day with no issues, but I’ve never been able to let the soothing warmth cancel out my fire hazard fears. After all, I’m the girl who turned around and drove home after arriving at work more than once because I couldn’t remember if I turned my makeup mirror off.

Those light get hot!

What I’m not scared of is today’s drink. Cranberry hot cocoa? Totally down for that!

The Electric Blanket
Source: Manny Hinojosa

  • • 1 oz. Cognac or Brandy
  • • 1 1/2 oz. The Perfect Purée Cranberry Puree, thawed
  • • 5 oz. hot cocoa
  • • 1/8 oz. vanilla extract
  • • Whipped cream
  • • Dash of cinnamon sugar
  • • Orange peel (for garnish)

In a coffee mug combine hot cocoa, cranberry puree, Cognac and vanilla extract. Stir and top with whipped cream and cinnamon sugar. Garnish with orange twist.

Sounds good, right? Remember, just because we’ve gotten past Christmas doesn’t mean things are getting warmer anytime soon. Keep this recipe handy.

***This recipe was submitted by a representative of The Perfect Puree. I am not affiliated with the company nor was I compensated for this post, not even with review samples. As always, we encourage responsible refreshment and the use of the Designated Driver. No drunken monkeys, please!***

Cocktail Advent 28: Winter Warmth

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Image via Whiskey Blue at W Los Angeles

Image via Whiskey Blue at W Los Angeles

Recipe:

  • 2 oz Old Forester Bourbon
  • .25 oz Pomegranate Molasses
  • .5 oz Simple Syrup
  • .5 oz Fresh Lime Juice
  • 1 dash of Angostura Bitters

Pour a splash of Absinthe in a rocks glass and then pour out (in and out repeatedly) and add ice. Pour all other ingredients into a shaker into the rocks glasses over ice with the interior of the glasses lined with the Absinthe. Garnish with a twist.

No, it’s not just the alcohol making that sentence seem wrong–I think something got lost in translation when it was sent to me. Try this, instead:

Rinse a rocks glass with Absinthe just to coat and discard the rest. Fill the rocks glass with ice. Combine the bourbon, molasses, syrup, lime juice, and bitters in a cocktail shaker over ice and shake vigorously. Strain the cocktail into the waiting rocks glass and garnish with a twist.

Why strain out the ice in the shaker when you’re just pouring the cocktail over ice anyway? Unless you’ve got an ice shortage going on, you always want to use fresh ice for your drinks. The ice that’s in the shaker has been agitated and is already starting to melt. That’s good for a prescribed amount of water mixing into the cocktail, but you don’t want to over-dilute the completed drink, either. The ice cubes in the glass will hold up longer since you’re pouring an already-chilled mix over them.

***This recipe was submitted by a representative of Whiskey Blue at W Los Angeles. I am not affiliate with the establishment, nor was I compensated for this post. As always, we encourage responsible refreshment and the use of the Designated Driver. No drunken monkeys, please!***

Cocktail Advent 27: Holiday Spice

Sips

Continuing our calendar of libations through to the end of the month, here’s one good for sipping along with friends in front of the fire or pairing with all those yummy leftovers.

Image via Basil Hayden

Image via Basil Hayden

Basil Hayden’s® Holiday Spice
(by Joaquín Simó)

INGREDIENTS:

  • 2 parts Basil Hayden’s® Bourbon
  • 3/4 parts Fresh Lemon Juice
  • 1/2 part Maple Syrup
  • 1/4 part Amaretto
  • 3 dashes Angostura® bitters

PREPARATION

  1. Combine Basil Hayden¹s®, lemon juice, maple syrup, Amaretto and bitters in a mixing tin with ice and shake vigorously.
  2. Strain into a rocks glass over fresh ice.
  3. Grate a cinnamon stick over the top as garnish

 

 ***This recipe was submitted by a representative of Basil Hayden®. I am not affiliated with this brand nor was I compensated for this post, not even with review samples. As always, we support responsible refreshment and the use of the Designated Driver. No drunken monkeys, please!***