The holidays are here. Just think…it feels like only yesterday we all starting this crazy 2020 journey—dusting off languishing sewing machines to piece together some kind of hastily-constructed-yet-adequately-sized face covering and beginning an eight-month stint of sleepless nights, binge watching shows about tigers, and learning “new math” while homeschooling. Boy, we’re all a lot wiser eight months later. (Well…most of us, anyway.) And as a result, we are headed into the holidays needing beverages to keep us going and reward us for surviving what will go down in historical memory as the year of toilet paper shortages, murder hornet madness, and an election long enough we should have contacted our doctors.
So, we thought we’d share a couple of recipes for your holiday evenings at home from our barkeep and the fella voted Best Bartender in the 2020 Winchester Star Awards, Greg Armstrong.
Greg’s message: “I’ve scoured my bartending library for some classic winter drinks to warm you body, mind, and soul. Below you will see recipes for a Skier’s Toddy, an Alhambra Royale, a Danish Toddy, and an Irish Tea. Enjoy!”
Skier’s Toddy
This drink is a simple twist on a classic hot chocolate. The combination of chocolate, coffee, and orange flavors is classic for holiday/winter season and will warm you whether you are stepping off the ski slopes, or just coming in from the grocery store.
- Ingredients: 1 cup hot chocolate, ¾ oz Kahlua, ¾ oz triple sec, marshmallows
- Instructions: Add liqueurs to hot chocolate in warmed mug, top with
marshmallows
Alhambra Royale This drink is another hot chocolate, but with a bit more challenge and excitement. Take care when making this one, and you can put on a great show for your guests.
- Ingredients: 1 cup hot chocolate, 1 piece orange peel, 1½ oz cognac, 1 tbsp. whipped cream
- Instructions: Fill cup nearly full with hot chocolate and add orange peel. Warm cognac in a ladle over hot water, ignite, and pour blazing into cup of chocolate. Stir well and top with whipped cream.
Danish Toddy
For those who want something a bit more complex and herbal, the Danish Toddy is a winter warmer with some ingredients you might not have at hand in your home bar.
- Ingredients: 2 whole cloves, 2 whole allspice berries, 1 cinnamon stick, 1 slice
orange, 2 oz cherry liqueur (e.g. Peter Heering), 1 oz aquavit, ½ oz kummel,
5 oz cranberry juice
- Instructions: Put cloves, allspice, cinnamon stick, and orange slice into a 10-oz
mug. Heat liquids until hot, but not boiling. Pour into mug.
Irish Tea
You can get (at least a version of) an Irish Coffee at most bars, but you’ve likely never had an Irish Tea at any of them.
- Ingredients: 1.5 Irish whiskey, 6 oz freshly brewed hit Irish black tea 3 whole cloves, 3 whole allspice berries, 1 stick cinnamon, 2 tsp honey, 1 slice lemon, freshly grated nutmeg
- Instructions: Put whiskey, tea, cloves, allspice, cinnamon, and honey into mug. Stir well. Add lemon slice. Sprinkle with nutmeg.
