Thirsty

I thought I might kick off the Thanksgiving celebration tonight with a festive cranberry cocktail. Who's with me?

This recipe comes from Egrivner on Allrecipes.com.

Cranberry Martini

Ingredients:
1-1/2 ounces vodka
1/2 ounce orange liqueur
1/2 ounce dry vermouth
3 ounces cranberry juice
1 cup ice
Cranberries

Directions:
Combine vodka, orange liqueur, vermouth, cranberry juice, and ice in a cocktail shaker. Shake vigorously to chill. Pour into martini glasses, and serve. Garnish with cranberries.

Makes 2 cocktails

Happy Thanksgiving!

--KitchenMaus

I was just talking to pal Cacky, who was saying how she always buys her eggnog in the store, and then alters it, until it becomes drinkable. I told her (and now am telling you)--forget about the pre-made stuff. Take a bit of extra time and make your own. It’s worth it. And sure, this might be a bit more in the way of instructions than usual for a "happy hour" drink recipe, unless you have the day off. But with the holidays fast approaching, I figure you may just have the day off, and also figure that at this time of year, everyone should be having some good, homemade, eggnog (and the below recipe, from my own book Good Spirits, fits that bill. And yes that was a shameless plug).

Serves 8

Ingredients:
8 large eggs, preferably organic
2-1/4 cups superfine sugar
8 ounces brandy
8 ounces rum
4 ounces bourbon
1 quart milk
Freshly grated nutmeg for garnish

Directions:
1. Separate the egg yolks from the egg whites, setting the whites aside for a moment.

2. In a large mixing bowl, beat the yolks with a hand-mixer until completely combined. Add the sugar and beat until it reaches a creamy consistency.

3. Add the brandy, rum, and bourbon, then the milk, beating well.

4. In a medium-sized mixing bowl, beat the egg whites with a hand-mixer until soft peaks form (be sure before beating the whites that you have cleaned and thoroughly dried the beaters).

5. Fold the egg whites into the yolk-sugar-alcohol mixture. Refrigerate the mix until well-chilled (at least 3 hours). You may also refrigerate it overnight if desired.

6. Stir to recombine as needed. Serve the eggnog in mugs, topping each serving with some nutmeg.

A Warning: As this recipe uses raw eggs, don’t serve it to the elderly or anyone with a compromised immune system. And always, always, use fresh eggs.

A Note: For a fun party game, take a vote as to who thinks "eggnog" derives from the English word "noggin" (a small glass with an upright handle) versus a combination of "egg" and "grog." All those on the side with the fewest votes make the next batch.

A Second Note: While the above eggnog recipe is darn tasty, to be correct, according to some old eggnog recipes, you must milk a cow straight into the mix. 

--A.J. Rathbun

This lovely and tasty recipe is from Wine Mondays: Simple Wine Pairings with Seasonal Menus by Frank McClelland and Christie Matheson (The Harvard Common Press, 2008), a book overflowing with wine and food pairings, taken from the popular reoccurrence of the same name (Wine Mondays, that is), which they introduced in 2002 at Boston’s renowned L’Espalier restaurant. The book makes it easy to learn about how to serve wine that complements the meal, without being stuffy about it. For example, this combination of cèpe mushrooms (which are also known as porcinis) and caramelized vidalias and peppery arugula is delcious, and goes perfectly with the suggested wine, Louis Bouillot, “Grande Réserve,” Brut. Mr. McClelland says that the wine choice is “refreshing to sip and cuts through the richness of the pastry element in this dish. Or you could try another dry sparkling wine.” Sounds like a perfect fall party pairing to me.

Ingredients:
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 tablespoons butter
4 medium-size Vidalia onions, thickly sliced
3 garlic cloves, minced
4 ounces fresh cèpes, or 3/4 ounce dried, reconstituted cépes (see below), thinly sliced
1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves
1/4 cup sherry
1/4 cup freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, plus extra for sprinkling
Juice and zest of 1 lemon
Pinch of ground nutmeg
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
4 ounces arugula
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
10 sprigs fresh flat-leaf parsley, finely minced
Three 8-inch puff pastry sheets
1 large egg, lightly beaten

Directions:
1. Preheat the oven to 400ºF.

2. Heat the oil and butter in a medium-size saucepan over medium-low heat. Add the onions and turn the heat to medium-high, then cook until they begin to caramelize and turn brown, 6 to 8 minutes. Add the garlic and stir for 10 seconds, then add the cèpes and cook for 3 minutes.

3. Add the thyme, sherry, cheese, lemon juice and zest, and nutmeg. Cook for 2 minutes, then add the vinegar and remove from the heat. Place the arugula in a medium-size bowl and pour the mixture over it. Season with salt and pepper and add the parsley. Stir to combine.

4. Place the puff pastry sheets on baking sheets (there is no need to roll them out). Pierce the pastry sheets with the tines of a fork, then brush the tops with the beaten egg. Parbake the puff pastry for 13 minutes.

5. Remove from the oven and distribute the filling evenly over the pastry sheets. Sprinkle a bit of cheese and a dash of black pepper over the top. Bake for 6 minutes. Remove from the oven, let cool, and serve at room temperature.

A Note: Cooking With Dried Mushrooms
To reconstitute dried mushrooms, soak them in hot water for 20 to 30 minutes, then drain before using.

--A.J. Rathbun

I was recently lucky enough to be able to gather at the virtual bar to talk about cocktails, as well as bartending, drink books, and favorite (and not so favorite) drinks with two fine gentlemen, gentlemen who just happened to be cocktail lovers and experts. The whole bubbly conversation happened at Cookthink (by the way, if you love food and drink and haven’t been to Cookthink, you’re missing out), and the two good spirits alluded to above who I talked cocktails with were Greg Boehm, the publisher of CocktailKingdom.com and Mud Puddle Books and Rob Chirico, author of The Field Guide to Cocktails and Cookthink’s Hair of the Dog columnist. If you’re into cocktails or bartending or bars or drink books or the state of modern and classic potent potables or any mixed up combination of the above, then these are the guys you want to be talking to--and I feel pretty darn swell about being able to take part in the discussion. So, head on over to the bar and catch up on your Cocktails Rising. One warning: you might want to shake or stir up a drink beforehand, because once you start reading you’ll sure get thirsty.

--A.J. Rathbun

If helping to change the fate of our nation isn't incentive enough to vote, perhaps a few tasty election-inspired libations will provide some encouragement. The folks at Grist have put together a fun list of drinks such as the Maverick Martini, the Palin Polar Punch, the Obama Mama, and the Organic Cup o' Joe. Being a rum gal myself, I'm partial to the Obama Mama and have listed the ingredients below. Head over to Grist for the complete list. Happy Election Day!

Obama Mama
1/2 ounce organic dark rum
1/2 ounce coconut rum or coconut liqueur
1/4 ounce coffee liqueur
2 ounces organic pineapple juice

--AndreaLeigh

This tasty nonalcoholic blended drink goes out to all those under-21 trick-or-treaters out there! Not only is it delicious, but it's cute, to boot. The recipe comes from Taste of Home on Allrecipes.com. Photo by 3BoysMama.

Boo Beverage

Ingredients:
2 cups orange juice
2 cups milk
2 pints orange sherbet
4 ripe bananas
2 cups whipped topping
18 miniature chocolate chips

Directions:
1. In four batches, process the orange juice, milk, sherbet, and bananas in a blender until smooth. Pour into glasses.
2. Cut a hole in the corner of a pastry or plastic bag; fill with whipped topping. Pipe a ghost shape on top of each beverage. Position chocolate chips for eyes.

Serves 9.

--KitchenMaus

It's fall and it's cold. To me that means Irish coffee, hot totties, and hot buttered rum. Here's a great recipe for hot buttered rum from epicurious.

Hot Buttered Rum

Ingredients:
2 or 3 ounces dark rum
Twist lemon peel
Stick cinnamon
2 cloves
Sweet cider
1 tablespoon sweet butter
Nutmeg

Directions:
1. Put the rum, lemon peel, cinnamon and cloves in a pewter tankard or any heavy 12-ounce mug that has been rinsed in very hot water to warm it.
2. Heat the cider to the boiling point and pour into the spiced rum.
3. Add the pat of butter and stir well.
4. Grate a little nutmeg on top. A cube of sugar may be added as well.

--Spanno

Apples are everywhere right now, and while a hot apple cider drink is always lovely, I'm feeling a bit more motivated than usual so I'm making apple liqueur. This recipe comes from A.J. Rathbun's new book Luscious Liqueurs: 50 Recipes for Sublime and Spirited Infusions to Sip and Savor. And yeah, I know the payoff here isn't immediate, but it'll be worth the wait.

Ingredients
5 apples
1 lemon
2 cups vodka
1 1/2 cups simple syrup

Directions
1. Core and coarsely chop the apples. Wash, dry, and peel the lemon, trimming away any white pith. Put the apples and lemon peel in a glass container with a tight-fitting lid. (Juice the leftover lemon to use in cooking).
2. Add the vodka, stir and seal. Place in a cool, dry spot away from sunlight. Let sit for 2 weeks, swirling once or twice a week.
3. Add the simple syrup, stir, and reseal. Return to its spot. Let sit for 2 more weeks, swirling occasionally.
4. Filter the liqueur through a fine-mesh strainer into a bowl. Strain again through a double layer of cheesecloth into a pitcher or other easy-pouring vessel. Finally, strain through 2 new layers of cheesecloth into another pitcher or bottle. Check that the liqueur is free of debris. If it isn't, repeat this step until the desired clarity is reached. Pour the liqueur into 1 large bottle or a number of small bottles or jars.

--AndreaLeigh

With the upcoming James Bond movie, this cocktail is sure to be a hit for the fall season--even though the drink is stirred, not shaken. At least it dressed for the occasion. This recipe was featured in the October 2008 issue of Gourmet.

Black-Tie Martinis

Ingredients:
9 ounces (1 cup plus 2 tablespoons) gin or vodka
1 teaspoon black peppercorns, crushed
1 tablespoon dry vermouth
3 dashes Angostura bitters
Lemon twist for garnish

Directions:
1. Combine gin (or vodka) and peppercorns, then let stand 15 minutes.
2. Stir together 1/2 teaspoon finely ground pepper and 1/2 teaspoon salt on a plate. Wet rim of a martini glass with your fingertip and dip in salt mixture, rotating glass to coat rim. Repeat with two more glasses.
3. Strain gin through a fine-mesh sieve into a 16-ounce cocktail shaker three-fourths full of ice. Add vermouth and bitters and stir 15 seconds. Strain into martini glasses.

Makes 3 drinks.

--KitchenMaus

Next Spring, you'll be able to enjoy a "premium domestic beer" branded with Kid Rock's name and/or likeness. The Dayton Daily News reported yesterday that Drinks America Holdings Limited, the makers of Donald Trump vodka and Willie Nelson bourbon signed a brew deal with "singer" Kid Rock.

Said company CEO J. Patrik Kenny, "Kid Rock is a reflection of great American rock 'n' roll music and the American spirit, and we think we can create a beer in that same image." I'm going to assume he's referring to Lynyrd Skynyrd-ripoff Kid Rock and not pseudo-rapping Kid Rock.

While Mr. Rock does remind me of a 70's rocker (minus the talent), I don't see the need for another brand of 70's-style crappy American beer. Our collective taste in beer has shifted dramatically since then. Yes, Bud Light and Miller Light still dominate the market, but microbrews have exploded to the point that the largest beer makers are getting in the action with their own brands of craft brews. Kid Rock's beer will undoubtedly harken back to our watered-down roots. Afterall, the guy lives on cigarettes, Budweiser, and stripper sweat. Does anyone really think he'd put his name on something tasteful?

--Spanno