Americans young and old love to share drinks with family and friends as they gather together for holiday and New Year's Eve parties. The chefs at The Culinary Institute of America suggest you consider expanding your library of beverage offerings beyond your favorite alcoholic cocktails to include non-alcoholic "mocktails" that can be served to those not yet of drinking age as well as others who prefer to abstain from alcohol on any particular occasion.
"Some very traditional alcoholic cocktails can be modified to make them 'virgin' with a little imagination and by using similar flavor substitutes," explains CIA Lecturing Instructor Doug Miller. "For instance, you can substitute ginger ale or sparkling cider for the champagne in my Crimson Bubbles recipe below."
Keep beverage recipes refreshing and light by using the freshest ingredients. Make sure to put aside some time before the party starts to prepare drink garnishes such as thin slices of fruit or curls of citrus peel. Delight your guests by dressing up holiday beverages when you float the garnishes on top or hang them off the side of the glass.
Whichever beverages you choose to serve this holiday season, please be sure to remind everyone to drink responsibly.
Apple Sidecar.
Photo Credit: CIA/Keith Ferris
Apple Sidecar
Makes one drink
- 1/2 fresh vanilla bean
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 1 blood orange (to yield 1 ounce blood orange juice)
- 2 ounces Calvados
- 1 ounce Grand Marnier
- 1/2 ounce lemon juice
- Prepare vanilla sugar to rim the glass the day before: Cut the vanilla bean lengthwise in half and scrape out the seed. Add the seed to the sugar and make sure the seeds are well-mixed with the sugar. Place the mixture in an airtight container and let rest overnight.
- Coat the glass rim with sugar: Place vanilla sugar in a shallow bowl or on a plate. Moisten the edge of a martini glass by rubbing a wedge of the blood orange around the rim. Hold the glass upside down above the sugar and spoon vanilla sugar over the outer rim of the glass.
- Add Calvados, Grand Marnier, lemon juice, blood orange juice, and ice into a cocktail shaker. Shake for approximately 10 seconds and strain into prepared glass.
Chef's tip: If you want to make a batch of drinks ahead of time for a party, you can combine all of the ingredients without ice and keep it refrigerated in a pitcher. Then when one of your guests wants a drink, simply add ice to a cocktail shaker, pour in the sidecar mixture, shake, strain, and serve.
Cranberry Smash.
Photo Credit: CIA/Keith Ferris
Cranberry Smash
Makes one drink
- 1/4 cup fresh cranberries (approximately 8)
- 5 fresh mint leaves
- 1 lime wedge (lime cut into 6 pieces)
- 1 teaspoon brown sugar
- 5 ounces ginger ale
- Place cranberries, mint, lime, and sugar in a cocktail shaker. Using a muddling stick (or the back of a tablespoon), muddle the mixture until the cranberries are slightly crushed and the mint is bruised. Add ice and shake for approximately 10 seconds.
- Place the mixture into a rocks glass with ice and add ginger ale. You can add fresh mint leaves as a garnish.
Chef's Tip: Get you children involved by asking them to muddle for you. If you want, you can add 1 1/2 ounces of your favorite vodka or bourbon to this drink.
Crimson Bubbles.
Photo Credit: CIA/Keith Ferris
Crimson Bubbles
Makes one drink
- 1 sugar cube
- 1 1/2 ounces pomegranate juice
- 1 ounce currant juice
- 8 pomegranate seeds
- 6 ounces champagne
- Place one sugar cube in the bottom of a champagne glass. Pour in pomegranate and currant juice, add pomegranate seeds, and top with champagne.
Chef's Tip: You can substitute champagne with sparkling wine, or for a "mocktail" use sparkling cider.
Maple Eggnog.
Photo Credit: CIA/Keith Ferris
Maple Eggnog
Makes one drink
- 3 tablespoons pasteurized egg yolk
- 4 ounces milk
- 2 ounces cream
- 1 tablespoon maple syrup
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
- 3 tablespoons pasteurized egg whites, whipped
- Place egg yolks, milk, cream, maple syrup, spices, and egg whites into a cocktail shaker. Add ice and shake for approximately 10 seconds. Strain into a glass. Garnish with ground nutmeg on top.
Chef's tip: You may add a variety of liquors to this recipe such as rum or bourbon. To save time, the eggnog can be made the day before. You can also increase the recipe and serve it in a punch bowl.
Hi
Lovelly cocktails and mocktails.
Thanks for sharing
Posted by: Mobiliario Infantil | 08/21/2009 at 01:29 PM