Holiday Hoopla:

GIN PUNCH

6 navel oranges, cut into quarter-wheels

6 lemons, cut into quarter-wheels

3 limes, cut into wheels

1 pint fresh raspberries

1 pineapple, cut into 1-inch cubes

750 ml gin

1 ¾ cups fresh lemon juice

1 ¼ cup simple syrup (1:1)

½ cup orgeat (almond) syrup

1 cup crème de framboise

3 cups water

750 ml brut sparkling wine

Ice block

Combine all the fruit in a large punch bowl. Add the gin, juice, syrups, crème de framboise and water. Refrigerate for at least 4-5 hours. Just before serving, add the sparkling wine and decorative ice block.

-          Speakeasy: Classic Cocktails Reimagined from New York’s Employees Bar, by Jason Kosmas and Dushan Zaric

the GRAND CRAN

2 oz. Cranberry Gin

1 oz. Grand Marnier

Tonic water to taste

Serve on the rocks.

HORCHATA

4 cups whole milk

1 cinnamon stick

1 can (14 oz.) sweetened condensed milk

½ cup rice or almond flour

2 tsp pure vanilla extract

½ cup rum (optional)

Ice cubes

Additional cinnamon sticks and ground cinnamon for garnish

1.       Bring whole milk and cinnamon stick to a simmer in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Remove from heat and transfer to a bowl. Whisk in condensed milk, flour and vanilla. Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.

2.       Strain mixture through a fine sieve and stir in rum. Divide among 4 glasses filled with ice. Garnish with cinnamon sticks and ground cinnamon.

-          Martha Stewart Living, May 2011

HOT BRANDY FLIP

1 raw egg

1 tbsp powdered sugar

6 oz. warm milk

1 ½ oz. brandy

1.       Add the egg, powdered sugar and brandy together in a bowl and whisk. The mixture should begin to turn yellow.

2.       Warm the milk.

3.       Pour the mixture into a mug and top with the warm milk. Stir and top with freshly grated nutmeg.

-          Foodies of New England

HOT GINGERBREAD PUNCH

3 cups water

2 12-oz. bottles of stout

¾ cup sugar

½ cup finely chopped peeled fresh ginger

12 whole cloves

3 cinnamon sticks, broken in half

3 whole cardamom pods, cracked

1 orange

1 ½ cups (dark) rum

Lightly sweetened whipped cream

Ground cinnamon

Combine first 7 ingredients in large saucepan. Using vegetable peeler, remove peel from orange in strips (avoiding the pith) and add to stout mixture. Bring to a simmer over medium heat, stirring until sugar dissolves. Simmer over medium-low heat 15 minutes. Remove from heat and let stand 15 minutes. Strain liquid into bowl; discard remaining solids. Cover and refrigerate overnight (at least 8 hours).

Combine chilled punch and rum in large saucepan and bring to a simmer over medium-low heat. Pour hot punch into small teacups or large demitasse cups. Top with whipped cream and cinnamon.

-          Bon Appetit

the LEVITATING MONK

2 oz. rum

1 oz. tawny port

2 dashes angostura bitters

Red verjus*, poured into a spray bottle

Orange peel, for garnish

3 golden raisins, for garnish

*Verjus is the pressed juice of unripe grapes

In a mixing glass, combine the rum, Port and bitters with ice. Stir for 20 seconds.

Spray 4 spritzes of verjus into a martini glass. Strain the rum mixture into the glass. Twist the orange peel over the drink to release its oils.

Drop the twist, along with the golden raisins, into the drink and serve.

-          Kara Newman, the Crush, Wine Enthusiast, December 2014