Holiday Cocktail Roundup

We called upon Northern Virginia mixologists for their favorite seasonally inspired sippers

Compiled by Northern Virginia Magazine staff

Whether you want simple and delicious (Genevieve Ahrens’ Jack N’ Cider only requires three ingredients you probably don’t already have kicking around the house) or masterfully complex (see heritage-proud Todd Thrasher’s 21-step Peppermint Paddy), we’ve got the drink recipe to match.

 

Genevieve Ahrens
Tallula and EatBar

Granny’s Turkey Punch
1 1/2 ounces Wild Turkey
1/2 ounces apple brandy
Splash Cointreau

- Serve in a Collins glass over ice.
– Top with Homemade Cranberry Juice (recipe below).
– Garnish with a fresh cranberry.

Homemade Cranberry Juice
8 ounces fresh cranberries
3 cups water
1 cup sugar
1 stick cinnamon
Zest of 1/2 an orange

- Simmer all ingredients in a saucepot for half an hour.
– Strain, chill, and reserve for service.

Jack N’ Cider
1.5 ounces Jack Daniels
1 ounce Licor 43
1 ounce Apple Jack
1 teaspoon Cinnamon Simple Syrup (recipe below)

- Serve in a mug, and top with warm apple cider.
– Garnish with apple wedge.

Cinnamon Simple Syrup
2 cups water
2 cups sugar
1 large cinnamon stick

- Simmer all ingredients in a saucepot for half an hour.
– Strain, chill, and reserve for service.

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Stefan Trummer
Trummer’s on Main

Hot Spiced Sangria
Assorted fresh fruit (may include figs, pomegranate, orange, etc.)
1 cinnamon stick
5-6 cloves
4-5 allspice
1 star anise
Nutmeg
3 tablespoons of honey
1 orange peel
1/3 cup of red wine (pinot noir or shiraz)
2 ounces rum
2 ounces fresh orange juice

- In a saute pan, combine all of the ingredients.
– Slowly bring the mixture to a boil, stirring occasionally so that all spices absorb, and infuse with the wine.
– Ladle the liquid into a glass, and serve.

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Laura Secker
Vermilion

Pumpkin Patch
1.5 ounces Grey Goose la Poire Vodka
1 teaspoon Ginger Simple Syrup (recipe below)
2 tablespoons Pumpkin Puree with Spices (recipe below)
A splash of half & half (about 2 tablespoons)
A splash of soda water (about 2 tablespoons)
1 lemon slice, squeezed for juices
Toasted pumpkin seeds and ground cinnamon for garnish

- Add the first six ingredients into a mixer.
– Shake vigorously for a few seconds until ingredients are combined and mixture is frothy.
– Pour into a chilled martini glass.
– Garnish the top of the cocktail with toasted pumpkin seeds and a sprinkle of cinnamon.

Pumpkin Puree with Spices
1 1/2 cups pumpkin puree (likely available seasonally in the frozen foods section of specialty grocery stores)
1 cup plain white sugar
1/2 cup water
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg

- Combine pumpkin puree, sugar and water in medium saucer over medium-low heat until blended together and warm.
– Add cinnamon, ginger and nutmeg.
– Reduce heat to low, and let simmer for about 15 minutes so flavors blend.
– Remove from heat, and put into a bowl to cool.
– Once at room temperature, store in the refrigerator.

Ginger Simple Syrup
1 pint sugar
1 pint water
6 tablespoons of peeled, sliced fresh ginger

- Simmer all ingredients on low heat in small saucepan until the mixture reaches a syrup consistency.
– Take off the stove, and let it cool to room temperature.
– Once cool, strain through a fine mesh sieve, and keep covered in your refrigerator.

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Stephen Warner
Eventide

Caribbean Holiday
1 ounce Cruzan Estates Single Barrel Rum
1/4 ounce Yellow Chartreuse
2 ounces Espresso Syrup (recipe below)
1 teaspoon Allspice Dram (recipe below)

- Add the first three ingredients to a mixing tin filled with ice.
– Shake hard for 20 seconds.
– Using a tea strainer, fine strain into a cocktail glass.
– Drizzle the Allspice Dram over the top of the cocktail. The drink will sheet up the sides of the glass, much like a Guinness stout, and retain a frothy head for as long as it takes you to finish.

Espresso Syrup
2 ounces instant espresso powder
10 ounces sugar
16 ounces water

- Heat the water and sugar in a small saucepan over medium heat until incorporated.
– Add the espresso powder and stir to blend.
– Cool, strain, bottle, and refrigerate for up to a month.

Allspice Dram
2 cups rum
1/2 cup crushed whole allspice berries
2 cups water
16 ounces brown sugar

- Place the crushed allspice in a jar, and pour in the rum.
– Cover tightly, and set aside for seven days.
– Pour through a strainer, then again through a coffee filter (this will take some time, but is necessary).
– Make a simple syrup with the water and brown sugar, heating until completely incorporated.
– Add the flavored rum, cool, and bottle. Will keep indefinitely in the refrigerator.

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Todd Thrasher
PX and Restaurant Eve

White Hot Chocolate
1/2 ounce Meyers rum
1 ounce Cardenal Mendoza Brandy
Chocolate Mixture (recipe below)
Garnish with jalapeño dust (air-dry jalapeños five days, then put through a coffee grinder)

- Pour rum, brandy and Chocolate Mixture into an Irish coffee glass, lightly rimmed with the jalapeño dust.

Chocolate Mixture
1/2 ounce Ghirardelli Classic White Flavored Syrup
1/4 ounce red jalapeño syrup (boil 1 cup water, 1/2 cup sugar and 15 jalapeños)
5 ounces steamed milk

Peppermint Paddy
1/2 ounce Meyer’s rum
1 ounce creme de cacao
5 ounces White Chocolate Mixture (see recipe below)
2 to 3 tablespoons Chocolate Foam (see recipe below)
1 teaspoon Peppermint Dust (see recipe below)

- In the glass, combine the rum, creme de cacao and the warm White Chocolate Mixture.
– Top with Chocolate Foam.
– Sprinkle with Peppermint Dust.
– Serve immediately.

Peppermint Dust
Take 1/4 pound of peppermint leaves strained from the simple syrup and let air-dry in a warm place for 5 days, or until they are completely dry. Powder them in a coffee grinder. Set aside.

White Chocolate Mixture (makes enough for eight drinks)
2 cups white chocolate chips
4 cups heavy cream
4 cups whole milk
1/2 cup Peppermint Simple Syrup (recipe below)

- Bring the milk and the cream to a simmer.
– Add the white chocolate chips in small batches, whisking constantly.
– When the chocolate has been incorporated, stir in 1/2 cup of Peppermint Simple Syrup (recipe below).
– Remove from heat and keep warm (Thrasher uses a thermos).
– If not using right away, refrigerate, then reheat before using.

Peppermint Simple Syrup
4 cups water
2 cups sugar
1/4 pound peppermint leaves, stems removed

- Bring the water to a boil, then reduce the heat to low and add the peppermint leaves.
– Remove the mixture from the heat and whisk in the sugar until it’s dissolved.
– Return to the heat, and let simmer for 20 minutes.
– Strain the peppermint leaves from the liquid, and set them aside to make the Peppermint Dust.
– Refrigerate the Simple Syrup.

Chocolate Foam (makes enough for eight drinks):
2 cups dark chocolate chips
4 cups heavy cream
4 cups whole milk
1/2 cup Peppermint Simple Syrup

- Bring the milk and the cream to a simmer.
– Add the chocolate chips in small batches, whisking constantly.
– When the chocolate has been incorporated, stir in 1/2 cup of Peppermint Simple Syrup.
– Remove from the heat, and let cool.
– Using either an immersion blender (set the blender in the liquid, and skim the foam with a spoon) or an N2O whipper (mix the foam in the canister and refrigerate for a half hour), make the foam.

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