A celebration of Santa’s arrival is not just for children. Adults celebrate the festive holiday season with their own special parties, often after months of planning and preparing. Shared with favorite friends and family, no party is complete without showing off the latest holiday decoration and delicious food trends. Following the handcrafted wine and beer movement, cocktails prepared with fresh homemade ingredients from the kitchen are back in style.

Mulled Wine

Sometime during the second century, Romans began heated wine during cold winters. As the Romans conquered much of Europe during the next century, their love for mulled wine spread throughout their empire. Spices were added according to the local region to promote health, or improve on the flavor of a sour wine. Wine merchants began to promote their spiced wines during the holiday season when demand for wine soared, which is why mulled wine is associated with Christmas.

• 4 cups apple cider
• 1 (750 ml.) bottle red wine, such as Cabernet Sauvignon
• ¼ cup honey
• 2 cinnamon sticks
• 1 orange, zested and juiced
• 4 whole cloves
• 3 star anise
• 4 oranges, peeled, for garnish

Combine the cider, wine, honey, cinnamon sticks, zest, juice, cloves and star anise in a large saucepan. Bring to a boil and simmer over low

heat for ten minutes. Pour into mugs, add an orange peel to each and serve. .

Recipe courtesy of Ina Garten found on the Food Network website

Rosy Cheeks

The first reference to gin is in a 13 th Century Flemish manuscript as a spirit distilled from grains flavored with “genever’ – Dutch for juniper berries. By the 1600’s, gin distilleries thrived in Amsterdam when gin was used by chemist for treatment of ailments such as gout and dyspepsia. Gin became popular during the Thirty Years’ War when British soldiers fighting on Dutch land found extra courage by drinking gin. Gin is made the same way today, with the berries creating a unique flavor.

• 1½-ounce gin
• ½ ounce spiced cranberry simple syrup 
• 1 egg white
• Juice of half of a fresh lime
• Place all ingredients in a cocktail shaker. Add the ice and shake vigorously. Strain into a cocktail glass and rest until foam floats to the top.

Recipe courtesy of Molly Wellmann, 2019 Bartender-Owner of the Year

Handcrafted Chilled Eggnog

For many years, Monks were known to drink a posset with eggs and figs for good health, much like the smoothies of today. When the mixture was first heated is not known, however the British were heating the milky ale-like drink in the 13 th century. Eggnog became popular during the holidays in the colonies when chicken farms were inundated with eggs during the cool season. How eggnog got its name is still a mystery, however one theory is that the name comes from the Dutch word “noggin” meaning wooden cup.

• 4 egg yolks
• 1/3 cup sugar, plus 1 tablespoon
• 1 pint of whole milk
• 1 cup heavy cream
• 3 ounces bourbon
• 1 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
• 4 egg whites

In the bowl of a stand mixer, beat the egg yolks until they lighten in color. Gradually add the 1/3 cup sugar and continue to beat until it is completely dissolved. Add the milk, cream, bourbon and nutmeg and stir to combine. Place the egg whites in the bole of a stand mixer and beat to soft peaks. With the mixer still running, gradually add the 1 teaspoon of sugar and beat until stiff peaks form. Whisk the egg whites into the mixture. Chill and serve.

Recipe courtesy of Alton Brown found on the Food Network website

Hot Buttered Rum

Also known as the Hot Toddy, has a long history in Europe when cold long winters created a craving for hot drinks using rum imported from the Indonesian island of Java. New Englanders began making their own rum over 300 years ago from molasses using African slaves brought to the Colonies from England who knew the distilling process. Today, most rum is made from sugar cane and imported from Cuba, Puerto Rico or Barbados, where the spirit was called rumbullion, translating to “kill-devil”.

• 2/3 cup packed dark brown sugar
• ½ cup unsalted butter, room temperature
• ¼ cup honey
• ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
• ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1/8 teaspoon ground cloves
• pinch salt
• ¾ cup spiced rum
• 2 cups boiling water
• Cinnamon sticks for garnish

Using an electric mixer, eat the brown sugar, butter, honey, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves and salt in a medium bowl until blended and smooth. Transfer the mixture to a 4-cup or larger measuring cup. Add the rum and then 2 cups boiling water. Stir until the butter mixture dissolves. Divide the buttered rum among 4 mugs. Garnish with the cinnamon sticks and serve.

Recipe courtesy of Duchin Lounge during a Rachael Ray $40 A Day episode

Beet Around the Christmas Tree

Tequila was first produced in the 16 th century in Tequila, a city in central Mexico and distilled from the rare agave plant. Mexico authorities have a long history of regulations on tequila to ensure the spirit’s quality and authenticity. True tequila is made from the blue agave plant which only grows in the central western state of Jalisco, Mexico. Tequila had denomination of origin, meaning is must be produced in Mexico in designated states. The trendy “worm” is found in tequila’s “lower-quality” cousin, mezcal and does not add flavor to the spirit.

• 2 ounces tequila
• 1-ounce fresh beet juice
• ½ ounce lemon juice, freshly squeezed
• ¾ ounce vanilla simple syrup
• Soda to top

Add all ingredients but the soda to a cocktail shaker. Add ice and shake. Strain over ice in an old fashioned glass. Top with soda and garnish with a rosemary sprig.

Recipe courtesy of Molly Wellmann, 2019 Bartender-Owner of the Year