No matter who you're ringing in the new year with, good fun and good cheer are important for starting your year off right. Mix up one of these cocktails and say goodbye 2013 and hello 2014 at the stroke of midnight — and clink of your glass. Cheers!
CHERRY BLOSSOM
Garnish: Vanilla stick
Ingredients:
0.5 oz Luksusowa Cherry vodka
0.5 tsp Vanilla syrup*
Top up Champagne
Preparation:
Shake Luksusowa cherry and vanilla syrup in a shaker with ice. Double strain into a chilled champagne flute. Top with cold champagne, garnish and serve.
*Vanilla Syrup
Ingredients:
1 cup Sugar
1 cup Water
1 tsp Vanilla extract
Preparation:
In saucepan, bring sugar and water to boil. Reduce heat and simmer until syrupy, about five minutes. Add vanilla extract. Pour into jar and refrigerate for up to 2 weeks.
Recipe courtesy of Maciek Starosolski, Vodka Ambassador Poland
RESERVE JAMAICAN HOT BUTTERED RUM
Glass: Mug
Garnish: Cinnamon Stick
Ingredients: Large batch for cocktail base
1 lb. brown sugar
1/2 lb. butter
pinch of salt
4 oz. apple cider
1/2 oz. fresh extracted ginger juice
1/2 tsp. nutmeg
1/2 tsp. allspice
Use the above base for the following individual cocktail recipe:
2 heaping tbsp. of the above cocktail base.
2 oz. Appleton Estate Reserve
6 oz. (approx) hot water
Preparation:
Blend the above ingredients and bring to a boil before removing from the heat. Then leave alone to cool and store in refrigerator.
Courtesy of Appleton Estate Jamaica Rum.
MISTLETOE MARTINI
Ingredients:
2 oz vodka
2 oz orange juice
3 oz Santa’s Secret tea, chilled (available from Tea Sparrow)
¾ oz lemon juice
3 tsp sugar
Directions:
1. Brew 2 tbsp of Santa’s Secret tea in 1 cup of boiling water for 5 mins, and then set aside to cool.
2. Pour the ingredients into a cocktail shaker with ice. Shake well.
3. Strain into 2 chilled cocktail glasses.
Note: Keep the left over tea cool in the fridge until you are ready to make the second round. Serves 2.
Courtesy of Tea Sparrow.
GREEN TEA HOLIDAY PUNCH
Ingredients:
750 mL bottle dark rum
750 mL bottle dry red wine
1 lb superfine sugar
1 large orange, for juice
1 lemon, for juice
1 BBQ lighter
Directions:
1. Brew the Cherry Rose Green Tea by adding 3 cups of not-quite boiling water to 6 tablespoons of tea. Brew for about 4 minutes, then set to the side and allow to cool.
2. Heat the wine and chilled green tea with lemon and orange juices in a saucepan or chafing dish. Do not allow mixture to boil.
3. One heated, transfer the mixture into a heatproof punch bowl.
4. Place as much sugar as possible into a large ladle, and any excess sugar into the punch bowl.
5. While holding the ladle over top of the punch bowl, saturate the sugar with dark rum.
6. Ignite the rum and sugar mixture sitting in the ladle with the BBQ lighter, and then pour while still aflame into the punch bowl.
7. Stir well and extinguish the flames.
8. Pour the remainder of the rum into the punch. Stir well.
Note: This is the perfect drink for a holiday party, as the recipe makes 27 servings. Also, because there’s fire involved, don’t start making this one if you’re already drunk. It won’t end well.
Courtesy of Tea Sparrow. "Enjoy the recipes responsibly and happy sipping, Michael Menashy, Tea Sparrow Family"
