It’s officially the most wonderful time of the year! We hope everyone’s holiday season is off to a great start. I asked Amanda & Anayis to share their favorite holiday cocktails with me so that we could showcase them here on Setting The Table.
Amanda: Sidecar Martini
The Sidecar has become the single most iconic Cognac cocktail of the world. Amanda said, “Every Christmas Eve, I serve the same meal: beef tenderloin, potato gratin with rosemary crust and sidecar martinis. It’s a tradition I’ve cherished for years!”
Amanda is due with Baby Girl #2 any day and I bet she is looking forward to that Christmas Eve Sidecar even more so than usual!
Ingredients:
50ml Hennessy Very Special
18.75ml Grand Marnier
12.5ml Fresh Lemon Juice
Add all ingredients to a shaker tin with ice, shake until chilled, strain into a chilled cocktail coupe or martini glass, garnish with a lemon twist, and an optional sugared rim.
Anayis: Spiced Apple Cider Margarita
I had a feeling Anayis would pick a tequila drink. I know she is a big fan and whenever she and I are together, I can count on us having a margarita or two!
Anayis said, “I am constantly scouring cocktail menus this time of year for a winterized tequila libation. I don’t always have the greatest luck, which is why I play mixologist at home with this Spiced Apple Cider Margarita from The Defined Dish. This cocktail is the perfect fusion of sweet and spice, naughty and nice! I lean spicy, so I often reduce or eliminate the maple syrup. If you prefer a spicier apple cider, add your own blend of cinnamon, ground cloves, nutmeg and allspice to the shaker before shaking!”
Ingredients:
3 oz good tequila
1 oz Cointreau
6 oz spiced apple cider
½ oz fresh orange juice
½ oz maple syrup
1/2 tsp egg whites fresh or out of the carton is fine!
2 tbsp turbinado sugar + pinch of ground cinnamon for rimming your glass
Combine all ingredients in a shaker and dry shake (no ice) to allow the egg to emulsify for the foam. Pour over a cinnamon sugar-rimmed glass filled with ice.
Rachel: Frosted Moscow Mule
I wanted to join the fun and share one of my favorite holiday drinks too. I enjoy drinking Moscow Mules during every season of the year, but with its festive twist, Half-Baked Harvest’s recipe is so yummy!
Ingredients:
2 ounces vodka
Juice from 1/2 lime juice
1/4 cup fresh grapefruit juice, plus grapefruit slices for serving
A dash of McCormick Peppermint Extract, to your taste
Ginger beer, for topping
Pomegranate arils, for serving
Fresh mint leaves, for serving
Fill a cocktail glass with ice. Add the vodka, lime juice, grapefruit juice, and peppermint extract. Stir to combine. Top off with ginger beer. Garnish with pomegranate arils, a grapefruit slice, and fresh mint.
Do you have a favorite holiday cocktail or a cocktail that’s part of a holiday tradition? Let us know in the comments. CHEERS to a happy and healthy holiday season and New Year ahead!
XO,
The DINEvent Team
