I am stunned beyond belief that ole Kris Kringle is, once again, getting set to make his ’round the world flight. Christmas and the holidays are fast approaching, and we here at Mr. Booze once again have you covered. We’ve gone back to the 70’s for a few of this year’s picks, so maybe a fern-bar kind of party may be in order. We’re also going a bit further back in time with a punch that might call for a Christmas stockade or one of those two-wheel bikes with the enormous front tire. Most likely, you’ll just be entertaining at home hosting either a few close friends or a classic Christmas cocktail party. Home bartending and the holidays walk hand-in-hand so please take a look at our holiday music and gift picks to up the ante on your get-together. First and foremost, be silly, sneak out mid-party to slip on that Santa-suit, batch drinks ahead of time when you can, take care of the non-drinkers, and have fun.
Fish House Punch
Let’s knock this year’s punch out first thing. I made this one last year for my Christmas party, and it was a huge success. Created in Philadelphia in either 1732 by members of the Schuylkill Fishing Company fishing club as a thirst quencher for members, or by the same club in 1848 to deliciously welcome for the first-time women to their annual Christmas party, this punch is a winner. It has a palatable yet old-world flavor that will truly remind the drinker of a bygone era. I use a punchbowl, but one could also use a festive pitcher instead. Sweet & sour, boozy yet drinkable, the Fish House Punch could easily anchor your cocktail table or bar during your shing-ding.
Here we go –
- 1 cup super-fine sugar
- 3 1/2 cups cold water
- 1 1/2 cups fresh lemon juice
- 1 bottle Jamaican rum (Appleton’s is what I use)
- 12 oz cognac (don’t break the bank)
- 1/4-1/3 cup peach brandy
Mix everything together in a large bowl. In your punchbowl or pitcher add sliced lemons and a frozen Tupperware or butter tub of ice (without the tub, of course). Fill with punch and store extra in fridge. You’ll need it.
Maui Christmas
Hawaiian singer Don Ho would have knocked these back while munchin’ a fist-full of macadamia nuts waiting for Lee Majors, Cheryl Teigs & Dom Deluise to join him for Christmas brunch on the big island. This is a 70’s Christmas cocktail if ever the
re was one. Tall, kitschy Christmas glass absolutely required.
Here we go –
- 1 1/2 oz triple sec
- 1 oz white crème de cacao
- 3 1/2 oz pineapple juice
- 1 tablespoon coconut flakes
Blend everything in a blender with crushed ice. Plop a big maraschino cherry on top and dust with a little more coconut. Be careful that your Burt Reynolds’ mustache doesn’t get all wet..
Bob Cratchit’s Cup
A variation of the Irish Coffee, this hot drink is perfect after a day of shopping and malls when you ha
ve no intention what-so-ever of making dinner. Put on a pot of Joe, hide the presents purchased, tell the kids to go play ping-pong, and make yourself one or two of these. This one is made for music, so be sure to pop one of our Christmas album suggestions on the hi-fi and kick your boots up.
Here we go –
- 1 oz coffee liqueur
- 3/4 oz white crème de menthe
- hot black coffee
- whipped cream
- shaved chocolate (optional)
Pour booze into coffee cup add coffee up to 1 inch from the rim. Stir and add whipped cream and shaved chocolate.
Golden Rye Flip
Delightful cocktail with one bear of an ingredient to find. The drink calls for a Netherland export liqueur called Advocaat. It’s an eggnog- like liqueur (hint, hint) that’s very creamy and is made from eggs, sugar and brandy. Bols brand carries a bottle. Anyhoo, once you add this creamy ingredient, this holiday drink becomes holiday magic. This is another one of those “gather ’round the fire” cocktails that would taste great after a night of caroling or cookie baking. All that being said, this is a rye cocktail, and the rye manages to hold its own. Hooray for that!
Here we go –
- 1 1/2 oz rye whiskey
- 1/2 oz Advocaat (a very eggnog-like liqueur)
- 1/2 oz half & half
- 1/2 oz simple syrup
- 4 dashes orange bitters
- 2 oz clementine or orange/tangerine juice
Shake ingredients with ice till cold and frothy, pour up in a cocktail glass or over ice in a double old fashioned glass. Garnish with an orange twist.
North Atlantic
Just found this one in the Nov/Dec issue of Imbibe magazine. Created by NYC bartender Dan Greenbaum, this cocktail tasted and smelled so much like Christmas that I thought I would sneak it in. There’s a lot of apple and spice going on in this drink, yet it still stands tall as a potent tipper that a serious drinker should be pleased with. Perfect for a sophisticated holiday cocktail party, you might consider just making a martini pitcher full.
Here we go –
- 1 1/2 oz Calvados (French Apple Brandy)
- 3/4 oz Madeira
- 1/2 oz Benedictine
- 1/4 oz Angostura bitters
Combine ingredients in a mixing glass or tall cocktail pitcher with ice and stir till cold. Pour/strain into pretty cocktail glass and garnish with fresh grated nutmeg and a thin twist of apple peel.
Gin Bramble
Named after the bush its finish comes from, this festive cocktail is one of those special drinks that just goes with that little black dress and that sport-jacket and tie. She’s a cocktail party drink and one that won’t keep you behind the bar much longer than it’ll take Nat Cole to sing The Christmas Song. A little bit sweet, a little bit sour, a little bit potent. This will be a December hit.
Here we go –
- 1 oz gin
- 1/2 oz lemon juice
- 1/4 oz simple syrup
- drizzle of Crème de Cassis or blackberry brandy or liqueur
Pour ingredients, except blackberry, over ice in a rocks glass. Drizzle with a bit of the blackberry booze and float a couple berries in the drink as garnish.
If you need more ideas, here’s a link to some of the holiday drinks we’ve suggested before – Click Here for last year’s holiday drink recipes
