Peppermint Coffee

Peppermint and chocolate? Yes, but peppermint and coffee? Why not!

1 part Kahlua coffee liqueur

½ part peppermint schnapps

1 part (or more) fresh cream or half n’half

Crushed ice

Ginger Gem

A little ginger something for a festive toast during our Christmas tree lighting 'ceremony' tonight.

1 ½ parts spiced rum

½ part Domaine de Canton ginger liqueur

¼ part cinnamon schnapps

1 tsp molasses

Ginger ale/ginger beer

Candied ginger to garnish (or if you’re like us and don’t have any to hand a lemon twist works just as well.)

Shake first three ingredients with ice in cocktail shaker and pour into glass which has had the molasses twirled around the inside. Top off with ginger ale/beer and enjoy.

The molasses might need a little stirring towards the end and it really does give it a nice flavor. You can see the twirl so much better when I tried this with the citrus vodka. Himself approves of this ‘hobby’ of mine because of the trial and error involved. Nothing seems to go to waste around here compared to say, my sewing 'hobby'.

Hicko-rye Cider

1 1/2 part Sazerac rye whiskey
1 part St. Germain
1/2 part lemon juice
1/2 part hickory syrup
1 part apple cider
After thought: 1 part cava (I wanted the bubbles so if you have a more effervescent apple cider it would do the trick I think)

We have this hickory syrup made from the bark of Virginia hickory trees that we are experimenting with in cooking (so far it's good with pork!) but we thought it might do something good in a cocktail too.

And yes, it does.

Grateful o'punch

Pre-stuffing our faces on Thanksgiving we had a little ol' cocktail made up of the following:

1/4 - 1/2 cup ginger/rosemary syrup (1/cup water, 1/2 cup sugar with about 5 thin slices of fresh ginger and sprigs of rosemary, boiled till sugar is disolved, let cool and strain)
1 cup of Cointreau
2 cups Pomegranate Juice
Bottle of Prosecco
Serve with ice and orange slices and rosemary

It's great to be grateful.

Grand Autumn

I've never been a fan of bourbon but was told I was drinking the wrong kind (i.e., the cheap stuff!) so I have been making amends. I'm pleased with what I'm tasting and this is a grand drink to taste it in.

2 parts rye whiskey
1 part St. Germain
3/4 part lime juice
Ginger beer
Optional: Dash of angostura bitters
(Copied directly from here)

Red Hot Jazz

The sisters met recently at the Cork Jazz Festivaland created this. For me! To post on my blog! I love them.

Chilled champagne or prosecco
1 shot of cognac
1 sugar cube
2 dashes Angostura bitters
Optional: Hibiscus flower in syrup

Saturate sugar cube with bitters and place in champagne glass
Pour in cognac and top up with champagne

Best served with full measure of sisters or 3/4 if full measure is not available!

Red and Blue

Election Day is fast approaching – will red be on top or will red be on the bottom?

Equal parts Hpnotiq liqueur and champagne/sparking wine
1 maraschino cherry

How it ends up is in your hands. Use this power wisely.