On Friday, Kate, A., Uke, Adam and I gathered at our house to once again sample and rate arcane holiday cocktails. Buried with work as of late, I panicked in the planning, got a little lazy with my research, then simply punted – relying almost exclusively on that boozer’s buddy of a website – www.thespir.it.

The neon green Grinch

As a result, this year’s selections were still odd, but less classic, and mostly better than last year’s – spiking our consumption and decibel levels.

I officially apologize to my neighbors.

Uke again challenged herself to pair each drink with an aged treat, and the results were spectacular. Cheese makes everything better, no?

First up – The Grinch:
The name seduced, but alas, this neon martini proved a disappointment. Most of us didn’t hate it outright (although Kate emitted a loud “blech” and left hers practically untouched). For me, it improved (slightly) upon subsequent sips. Adam hit the nail on the head, dubbing it “the Gatorade of cocktails” – green, tart, chemically, and – just like any sports drink – unnecessary.

Fixin’s:
3 oz Vodka
1 oz Midori Melon Liqueur
1 oz Cointreau Orange Liqueur
1 oz Sour Mix

Preparation: Combine all ingredients in a cocktail shaker with ice cubes. Shake well, strain into a martini glass, and serve.

Pairing: Leonora, a creamy Spanish goat cheese, balanced the tartness and made it drinkable.

Bottom line: Unless you like bright, puckery “girlie” drinks – don’t bother.

Next – The Ultimate Holiday:
Citrusy and smoky with a bitter bite, The Ultimate Holiday was a massive improvement over The Grinch. An alcoholic twin to grapefruit juice, the cloudy, pinkish concoction was flat-out marvelous. While concurring with me on it’s obvious merits, Adam questioned the “Christmasyness” of the bourbon-based tipple – asserting that it was more appropriate for a Jamaican beach. He had a point. Perhaps the word “holiday” in the title was intended as the broader British definition, meaning “vacation.” Ah, well. . .

Fixin’s:
2 oz Orange Juice
1 ½ oz Bourbon
½ oz Lime Juice
1 splash Grenadine Syrup
1 splash Ginger Ale

Preparation: Pour over rocks. Stir.

Pairing: Upland’s Pleasant Ridge Reserve, a raw aged cow’s milk from Wisconsin. A “best in show” winner at this year’s American Cheese Society conference (it also won in 2001 and 2005), the carmelly saltiness of the hard cheese called the bourbon to the forefront.

Bottom Line: I could have slurped glass after glass into the wee hours.

A. stirs honey into red wine to make Mulsum.

Then – Mulsum:
As his contribution to the evening, A. stuck to the “old and traditional” aspect of things and shared Mulsum, a wine and honey blend imbibed in Roman times. He poured glasses of Casillero del Diablo Carmenere alone first, urging us to taste. Then, we stirred in locally harvested honey – slowly adding spoonfuls. The glistening golden goo tamed the tannins and transformed the wine into a celebration.

Fixin’s:
Bottle of any bold red wine
Kick-ass local honey

Pairing: A nutty Dutch Farmstead cheese proved the perfect foil for the honeyed wine — and also the honey alone. We poured honey on chunks and devoured the whole hunk. Uke knocked this one out of the park!

Bottom line: Adding honey to the wine felt like a holiday ritual. Lovely – and very tasty.

Finally – Spanish Reindeer:
Using Kate’s homemade eggnog as a base, this creamy delight was my second favorite of the night. One shot each of Crème de Cacao and Frangelico morphed the toddie into pure dessert. Uke aptly called it “Nutella in a glass.”  With a boozy twist, that is. Lucky me – Kate parked the leftover nog in my fridge and I’m sipping another reindeer as I write. Sweet!

Fixin’s:
1 oz Dark Crème de Cacao
1 oz Frangelico Hazelnut Liqueur
Eggnog

Preparation: Blend (or shake with ice) and pour into an old-fashioned glass. Sprinkle with cinnamon or nutmeg.

Pairing: A Colston Basset Stilton from England was the opposite kind of creamy.  Sweet and spice meets pungent earthiness. Nice.

Bottom line: A great way to end!!!!

Tags: drinks for the holidays, holiday cocktails