In between putting up your festive holiday decorations, shopping for gifts, and frantically wrapping presents from Santa, it’s nice to cozy up by the fire with your favorite holiday cocktail. Whether you’re hosting an elegant holiday party or relaxing at home with your family, a holiday-forward cocktail is definitely in the spirit of giving.
NORTH COUNTY SAN DIEGO HOLIDAY FESTIVITIES 2017
Christmosas
By Delish.com
2 Granny Smith apples, chopped
1 c. whole fresh cranberries
1 c. green grapes, halved
1 c. pomegranate seeds
1 c. sparkling grape juice
1 bottle champagne, prosecco, or cava
In a large pitcher or punch bowl, add apples, cranberries, grapes, and pomegranate seeds. Pour over sparkling grape juice and champagne just before serving.
Spiced Apple Cider Pomegranate Moscow Mule
By Pioneer Woman
Pomegranate Seeds and Fresh Apple Slices, For Garnish
4 ounces, fluid Vodka, Chilled
2 pinches Cinnamon
1/4 cup Apple Cider, Chilled
1/2 cup Sparkling Pomegranate Juice, Chilled
12 ounces, fluid Ginger Beer, Or As Needed To Top Off Glasses, Chilled
Fill large glasses with ice cubes. Add pomegranate seeds and fresh apple slices. Pour 2 ounces of vodka in each glass and add a pinch of cinnamon. Add apple cider and sparkling pomegranate juice to each glass. Fill each glass the rest of the way with cold ginger beer. Stir gently to combine and serve immediately.
Candy Cane Cocktail
By Sandra Lee
Ingredients
1 shot vanilla rum
1 shot white chocolate liqueur (recommended: Godiva)
1 shot peppermint schnapps
Candy cane, garnish
Add all liquid ingredients to cocktail shaker filled with ice. Shake well and strain into martini glass. Garnish with candy cane.
Layered Christmas Shooter
By Food Network Kitchen
1/2 ounce sour apple schnapps
1/2 teaspoon grenadine
3/4 ounce cinnamon schnapps with gold flakes (preferably Gold Strike brand)
Pour the sour apple schnapps into a 1 1/2-ounce shot glass. Gently pour in the grenadine. (It will sink to the bottom to make the red layer.) Shake the bottle of cinnamon schnapps, then turn the bottle upside down to bring the gold flakes to the top. Measure out 3/4 ounce. Hold a small spoon upside down inside the glass, directly over the apple schnapps layer. Gently pour the cinnamon schnapps over the back of the spoon to make the third layer.
Chris’ Old Fashioned
By Chris Woolsey
My husband is pretty famous around the West Coast (or just with our family and friends) for his artisan Old Fashioned cocktail. Every holiday season he whips out his bar tools and spreads his liquor and accoutrements across the counter where he handcrafts each drink for our guests.
1 sugar cube
5 dashes of Angostura bitters
½ a slice of orange
3 ounces of Angel’s Envy bourbon
2 Luxardo cherries
Ice cubes
Soak one sugar cube with bitters in your old-fashioned glass. Add a Luxardo cherry with a generous amount of the cherry juice. Muddle together the sugar, bitters, and cherry in the glass. Add a half a slice of orange and muddle the fruit of the orange (but not the rind) with the other ingredients in the glass. Add 1.5 ounces of bourbon and stir. Fill the glass halfway with cubed ice and stir, giving the ice a chance to melt a little. Add another 1.5 ounces of bourbon and fill the glass the rest of the way with cubed ice and stir, being careful not to stir up the goodies at the bottom of the glass. Add another Luxardo cherry to the top and a wee bit of cherry juice and enjoy!