AppetitePortland

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Posts Tagged holiday cocktails

Tasting the Holiday Spirit(s) – Round 3

Dec 19

Posted by dawn in Bar Scene, Home Cooking & Baking, Informal Dining | 5 Comments

Vrylena's contribution: Whispers of the Frost

It didn’t sneak up on me this year. I planned, recruited cohorts to bring cocktails, secured last-minute kitchen help (thank you S.!), invited new bloggers, and – in an uncharacteristic flash of Martha Stewart-like craftiness – made a center piece. Don’t know what that was about. . .

In year three, Obscure Holiday Cocktails officially became a tradition.

S. outdid herself (again) with cheese pairings, and the cocktails kicked ass! Seriously. All (at least to my taste) were great. So much so, that I actually got a little nostalgic about the gnarly Grinch and the revolting Christmas Pudding – ghosts of cocktail parties past.

But on to the details of 2011:

First Up – Christmas Bellringer
My contribution was this citrusy, boozy little number. A cousin to last year’s tropical crowd pleaser, The Ulimate Holiday, the Bellringer was tart with a nutty edge. More complex than a Screwdriver, but orange-juicy and pleasant, it’s the kind of drink that sneaks up on you. Again, more Santa Monica than Santa Claus, but whose judging? Methinks the dark of early December makes me crave the beach.

Fixin’s:
1 oz Gin
1 oz Cointreau
1 oz Frangelico
2 tablespoons freshly squeezed orange juice
Orange twist

Pairing: Caprichio De Cabra, a Spanish goat cheese high in fat and protein plowed through the drink’s tart sweetness and draped my tongue in a happy hug.
Bottom Line: The fruity cointreau and the nutty frangelico totally mask the gin. Proceed carefully.

Next – Greek Airmail
A. twisted this vintage spirit around with a liquor from his heritage (the Greek Metaxa subbed for rum) and produced a fragrant winner. Earthy from the biting tonic and bitters, sweet from the honey, tart from the lime and fresh from the mint. Balanced is the word. Much like the man, himself.

1-1/2 oz Metaxa
3/4 oz Lime juice
1 oz Honey
Splash Q Tonic
Dash of bitters
Muddled mint

Pairing: England’s Keen’s cheddar – more nutty than sharp – added one more dimension to the flavor frenzy. Nice.
Bottom Line: A terrific aperitif. I recommend it as a start to an evening.

Kate stirs the Tom & Jerry's.

Then – Lion’s Pride
Adam took delicious liberties with a seasonal tipple revealed by the bartender at Brunswick’s beer mecca. Hence the name. Very, very adult with a peppery finish, this frothy concoction won my heart. It featured bitters (a popular ingredient this year) and was like nothing I’ve sipped before. Herbal, with a smooth base from the egg white, it rolled around in my mouth like a savory sauce until the twin kicks of lime and pepper asserted themselves. Sublime.

Fixin’s:
1 oz St.Germain
1 oz Gin
Portion of egg white
Dash Peychaud Bitters
Lime juice
Shake and top with lime zest and black pepper

Pairing: Valencay, a goat’s milk covered in ash, was a grown up cheese for a grown up drink. Instead of countering the Lion’s Pride’s flavors, it matched them. Brilliant.
Bottom Line: Classic yet original. Smooth yet spicy. If only folks referred to me this way!

And Then – Whispers of the Frost
I adore the name (so, granted, I was predisposed) but Vrylena’s beverage continued the evening’s winning streak. Culled from Old Mr. Boston De Luxe Official Bartender’s Guide (I sense V is just as enamored by such-titled things as I) this delicately named drink is anything but. Powered sugar and citrus barely tame three dark, potent alcohols. Subtle it is not. But truly luscious. It went straight to my head.

1 oz Bourbon
1 oz Sherry
1 oz Port
Dash of Powdered Sugar
Serve with slices of lemon and orange

Pairing: My pick for best pairing of the night. A Bayley Hazen Blue stared the high alcohol content of Whispers of the Frost right in the eye and didn’t back down.
Bottom Line: A couple of these and you’ll be ho ho ho-ing. Ergo, this cocktail is not advisable for office parties.

Finally – Tom & Jerry
Kate continued her nog-ish ways again this year with a creamy warm Tom & Jerry.  Two years ago, I dissed the Rye Flip for being an anemic cousin to Egg Nog. Tom & Jerry caused me to reconsider that assessment. Like the flip, it’s thinner and less weighty than nog, but offers the same velvety, pie-like spice that saucily chortles, “Christmas.”  Without the heaviness.

12 eggs
1 Cup Sugar
1 Bottle Brandy
Ground allspice
Ground cinnamon
Ground cloves
Dark rum
Milk
Nutmeg

Pairing: S. rightly skipped the cheese this round and presented us with not one, but TWO, delectable homemade chocolates: Ghost Chili Salt Bark (with salt from Gryffon Ridge Spice Merchants in Dresden, ME) and Guittard Chocolate with Candied and Roasted Marcona Almonds and Sea Salt. Yes, the women is my hero.
Bottom Line: A lovely way to end a lovely evening.

Other highlights? S. brought the best deviled eggs I’ve ever had the honor of devouring and Steffi (the awesome owner of Schulte & Herr) popped in for the Christmas Bellringer round and left behind (bless her) a plate of her restaurant’s signature lox. All and all, a successful night of imbibing, noshing and gaiety.

Blogger’s Note: Check out the insights and thoughts of the other participants at their blogs at the links above!

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Tasting the Holiday Spirit(s) – Round 2

Dec 14

Posted by dawn in Bar Scene | 8 Comments

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!!!!

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