Now Try This

Last week, we thoroughly explored your adult beverage options for Thanksgiving. If you missed it, here are links to each topic:

Cocktails
Red Wine
White Wine
Beer

If you prefer, simply click here and scroll down to find the options that interest you.

Today, Woodbridge Floor Manager David Rudd offers a few additional cocktail recipes, just in time for the holidays.

Old Fashioneds for a Group

Lots of classic cocktails can be mixed up ahead of time.  When you’re catering to a group, you won’t have to make each drink individually.  Use a funnel to empty a 750ML bottle of bourbon, like Marker’s Mark™, into a one liter bottle.  Add 1 ounce of simple syrup and 12 dashes of Angostura™ bitters.  Lastly add 4 ounces of water – this mimics the ice that would melt in each cocktail if you were to make them individually.  You can chill the bottle or pour it over ice…no need to stir!  Garnish with a lemon peel.  Enjoy!

Vesper

James Bond ordered this in Casino Royale, although I think he ordered it wrong.  In my version, the proportion of gin to vodka should be 1 part gin to 3 parts vodka, with ½ measure of Lillet Blanc.  Stirred – not shaken, served in a champagne flute and garnished with the slighted twist of lemon.  In this version, the gin offers a hint of herbacity – it doesn’t hold the martini hostage…let the Lillet speak, shall we?

Añejo Alexander

This is an exotic twist on a classic – the Brandy Alexander – but this time, made with tequila. Try this at a holiday soiree this year. 1 ½ oz of Patron™ Añejo, 1 oz of Patron™ XO Café, 1 oz of whole milk together in an iced cocktail shaker.  Shake it up for a 12 counts and strain into a chilled cocktail glass.  Garnish with grated nutmeg.  This is sweet and creamy and slightly spicy…you will order another one.

Spiced Pear Sangria

I recently served this one at a party at my house and it was a huge hit. And it couldn’t be easier. In a pitcher, combine one Asian pear sliced very, very thinly, one 750ML bottle of Gazela Vinho Verde, ½ bottle of the Pear William™ by Marie Brizzard™ and 1 liter of club soda.  Float 5 star anise pods and 5 sprigs of rosemary in the pitcher.  Let it mellow in the refrigerator for about an hour.  Pour over a little ice and serve with one of the slices of pear.  Notice how the pear absorbs some of the effervescence!  Fizzy Pear!