November 20, 2012
Thanksgiving Cocktails for the Entire Family
Mark Thompson READ TIME: 3 MIN.
If you've ever watched the movie "The Family Stone," then you know how family gatherings during the holidays could drive a person to drink - and drink.
Families are wonderful - of course they are - but sometimes it doesn't hurt to take the edge off of childhood traumas resurrected yet again. And especially if a cocktail is done with fanfare and festivity, such as the ones listed below.
Who knows, you might all start singing Christmas carols around the table.
Basil Hayden's Autumn Harvest
(Charles Joly, Chicago, IL)
2 Parts Basil Hayden's� Bourbon
� parts Heering� Cherry Liquor
1 dash Fee Brothers� Old Fashioned Aromatic Bitters
2 parts Milk Stout Beer
Fresh Nutmeg
Method:
1. Combine Basil Hayden's, cherry liquor and bitters in a mixing glass
2. Add ice and shake
3. Roll in the milk stout beer
4. Strain into an old fashioned glass with ice
5. Garnish with freshly grated nutmeg and cherry on top
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Cruzan® Pilgrim Punch
1/2 bottle Cruzan� 9 Spiced Rum
1/2 bottle Cruzan� Aged Dark Rum
1/2 can Cranberry Sauce
1/2 cup Sugar
2 bottles Sparkling Apple Cider
Method: Combine rums, cranberry sauce and sugar in a bowl and stir until well combined.
Refrigerate for 1 hour.
When ready to serve, add sparkling apple cider, drop in apple slices to garnish.
Serve over ice in punch glass, making sure to scoop out an apple slice with each drink.
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EFFEN® Spiced Chai-tini
1 1/2 parts Chai infused EFFEN� Vodka
3/4 part Kamora� Coffee Liqueur
1 part Half and Half
3 dashes Cinnamon
EFFEN Chai Infusion: Place 3 bags of Twinings� Indian Spiced Chai Tea into a bottle of EFFEN Vodka and remove after two hours.
Agitate bottle every hour.
Method: In a mixing glass, combine all ingredients over ice.
Lightly shake, and strain into a cocktail glass.
Garnish with grated nutmeg.
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A long-term New Yorker and a member of New York Travel Writers Association, Mark Thompson has also lived in San Francisco, Boston, Provincetown, D.C., Miami Beach and the south of France. The author of the novels WOLFCHILD and MY HAWAIIAN PENTHOUSE, he has a PhD in American Studies and is the recipient of fellowships at MacDowell, Yaddo, and Blue Mountain Center. His work has appeared in numerous publications.
