Holiday spirits

The holidays are a time of traveling, shopping and gathering with one’s family…oh man, I need a drink already.

Of course, I am in no way promoting excessive consumption of alcohol, but we all know this time of year has its share of cocktails and booze—and hey, I’d be lying if I said I didn’t enjoy visiting with my uncle Daniels during Christmas. Here are a couple ideas to fuel your holiday cheer—keep in mind that the Vanguard always urges responsible legal consumption.

Hot Toddy

A standard in winter drinks, and a superb aid for your sore throat.  While your doctor might not recommend it, a Hot Toddy usually clears my head up when I have a cold. There are a number of recipes for a Hot Toddy, depending upon tastes—some with scotch, rum or brandy. But I prefer a straight shot of whiskey.

• 1 oz honey
• 1 oz lemon juice
• 3 oz whiskey

Take a coffee mug and start by adding the honey, followed by the lemon and then the whiskey. Next, fill the rest of the mug with boiling hot water. You can add a dash of cinnamon and throw in a lemon wedge while you’re at it.

Mulled Wine

Various cultures have their own versions of a mulled wine—Germans call it Glühwein, Nordic cultures call it Glög. It’s a spiced wine served hot. It’s not difficult to prepare, as you basically just empty a couple bottles into a pot and heat it up.

You could stop there and be fine, but if you really want to treat yourself, toss in a couple cinnamon sticks. If you’re feeling fancy you can also peel off and add some orange zest. But the real trick is adding more booze to the wine, as heating will burn off some of the alcohol. There is no exact science to this, but little by little add some spiced rum such as Sailor Jerry. Adjust to taste, which is all part of the fun.

Apple Pie

A good old martini with the twist of apple delight.

• 6 oz vanilla vodka
• 1 oz apple brandy
• 1 oz dry vermouth

Combine all ingredients into a shaker over ice and, well, shake. Strain into a martini glass and enjoy.

Snuggler

On a chilly winter night, a snuggler could be just what you need. Chocolate and peppermint goodness in a mug.

• ¾oz peppermint schnapps
• 5 oz hot cocoa
• 1 teaspoon sugar

Combine ingredients into a mug. That’s your base. But the drink isn’t complete until you float some whipped cream on top.

 

Irish Eggnog

When it comes to eggnog during the holidays, it’s not rocket science—put booze in it. But an Irish eggnog is special treat.

• 1 oz Guinness
• 1 oz gold rum
• eggnog

It’s not too difficult to figure out. Put the first two ingredients into a glass and top it off with eggnog.