'Tis the season to eat, drink and be merry! You can be sure to delight guests at any holiday party or gathering by elevating your libation offerings to include not only wine and beer, but some colorfully inventive, well-garnished and festive cocktails as well. The Northeast region is home to many small-batch craft distilleries producing a range of interesting and unique spirits using both old-world and modern-day fermentation techniques. This means you can have a lot of fun this month sourcing locally made liquors at the farmers market and channeling your inner mixologist through a variety of holiday cocktail recipes: 1. Whiskey Cocktails Whiskey is a distilled liquor made from different grains such as barley, corn, rye, wheat and oats. A mixture of these grains is combined at certain percentages, cooked together and mixed with malted barley and warm water to form a mash. The mash undergoes a fermentation and distillation process after which more water is added to the product to achieve the desired alcohol by volume. The resulting liquid is then aged in wooden barrels for at least two years. Whiskey is the quintessential winter spirit given its spicy, sweet, caramelly, and toasty notes. You can use it to add warmth and cheer to both cold or hot cocktails: Cinnamon Maple Whiskey Sour The scent of cinnamon and maple syrup infuse this cocktail with plenty of holiday spirit! Ingredients * 1 ½ ounces (3 tablespoons) locally made bourbon * 1 ounce (2 tablespoons) fresh lemon juice * 2 to 4 teaspoons local maple syrup, to taste * Pinch of ground cinnamon * Whole cinnamon stick Directions Fill a cocktail shaker or repurposed mason jar about two-thirds full with ice. Pour in the bourbon, lemon juice, maple syrup and a pinch of ground cinnamon. Securely fasten the lid and shake well. Strain the cold whiskey sour mix into a tumbler filled with fresh ice. Plop in a whole cinnamon stick to serve as attractive garnish as well as a handy cocktail stirrer! “Irish” Coffee When Jack Frost is nipping at your nose, nothing beats an “Irish” Coffee to warm them up. Bonus points are given for using coffee brewed from single-origin, fair-trade grown coffee beans such as those sold at farmers markets. Ingredients * 2 ounces local whiskey * 5 ounces coffee * 2 teaspoons sugar * Heavy cream Directions Pour the whiskey, coffee, and sugar into a stemmed, heated glass mug. Stir, then top off with a thick layer of lightly whipped heavy cream. Don't stir it in. 2. Mulled Wine Mulled wine tastes and smells just like the holidays in a mug! It’s warmth and spices make it the perfect drink to serve on a chilly night: Some Like It Hot (Mulled Sangria Recipe by Freefall Sangria) Ingredients * 1 bottle Red Freefall Sangria * 2 cups farmers market apple cider * 3 cinnamon sticks * 6 allspice berries * 8 cloves * 2 star anise * 1/4 orange Directions Pierce orange with cloves. Place all ingredients in pot and heat on low for 20 min. Strain and serve warm. For even more warmth, add brandy after heating. 3. Vodka Cocktails Vodka is traditionally made by distilling liquid from fermented cereal grains such as rye. It can also be made using potatoes which produces a higher quality, smoother tasting liquor. If you are looking for gluten-free cocktail options this season, use potato vodka in your recipes such as this colorful holiday punch: Jingle Juice Holiday Punch Ingredients * 6 cups chilled cranberry juice * 1 (750 milliliter) bottle chilled Prosecco or sparkling wine (try Cliffton Dry Sparkling Wine made from local apples!) * 3/4 cup potato vodka, chilled * 3 (12 oz) cans chilled hard seltzer * 1 lime, juiced * 2 cups frozen cranberries * 1-2 oranges, thinly sliced * 1-2 limes * Granulated sugar * Fresh rosemary sprigs Directions Combine all ingredients in a large punch bowl and stir together until well combined. Add ice if desired, but the frozen cranberries will help to keep the punch cold. Rim serving glasses with lime and then dip into sugar to fully coat. Ladle punch into glasses (with ice if preferred) and garnish with rosemary sprig. Serves 8-12. 4. Holiday Mocktails Don’t forget to pick up some alcohol-free options at the farmers market for the non-drinkers in your crowd. You can find locally brewed kombucha, cold-pressed syrups (Aronia very berry offers a wide-range of juices and syrups extracted from New York State grown berries), mulled apple cider, nut milks (check out Nuthatch egg-free Nog), non-alcoholic sorrel wine such as kosher-certified Caribbean Hibiscus and more. Serving an inventive holiday mocktail like these suggestions will make everyone feel included in the festivities: Blackberry Fizz Mocktail Ingredients * 1 tablespoon Aronia very berry’s new wild blackberry 100% natural cold-pressed syrup * 1 tablespoon Lime juice * 4 Mint leaves * 1 teaspoon honey * 1 cup of your choice of kombucha Directions Mix blackberry syrup, lime and honey in a glass. Clap the mint together in your hands to release the scent, then add to the glass. Top with kombucha. Garnish with a lime wheel and serve. Sparkling Cranberry Kombucha Mocktail Ingredients * 2 bottles kombucha of choice * ½ cup 100% cranberry juice * 1-inch slice of fresh ginger, thinly sliced, plus more for garnish * Fresh cranberries, rosemary sprigs, and thinly sliced ginger for garnish Directions Fill 4 double old-fashioned glasses with ice and set aside. In a pitcher or quart-sized mason jar, muddle sliced ginger and rosemary together using the end of a wooden spoon. Add cranberry juice and kombucha, stir gently to combine. Pour into ice-filled glasses (using a strainer, if necessary) and garnish with sprigs of rosemary, a slice of fresh ginger, and a few cranberries before serving. Cheers!
