There’s nothing like sitting bundled up outdoors around a firepit, or even indoors to escape the chill, with a hot drink to warm the hands, body and mood. Like a Southside in summer, warm cocktails and other drinks want winter. There are classics, like glühwein, Irish coffee and Tom and Jerry, or you can always toss a shot of brandy into a cup of hot chocolate or tea.
For these festive warmers, well endowed with spirits, home bartenders can use mugs or coffee cups; glass ones are nice. Bear in mind that the drink is hot, so the container needs a handle. Seasonally decorated cocktail napkins are as necessary as tinsel on the tree.
Here are several warm drinks for sipping before or even after dinner. There’s a fairly classic mulled wine, a smoky tea-based warmer that relies on Lapsang Souchong tea and peaty Scotch for its charred allure, and a riff on hot buttered rum from Ivy Mix and Julie Reiner, two stars in the New York bartending galaxy who run a seasonal menu called Sleyenda at their Brooklyn bar, Leyenda. The cappuccino “egg nog,” an eggless concoction, requires an espresso maker or at least a milk frother for its topping.
Après Ski
Adapted from Quality Eats, Quality Italian and Quality Bistro restaurants in New York City
Time: 20 minutes
Yield: 6 servings
½ cup sugar
2 cinnamon sticks, plus more for servings
1 teaspoon whole cloves
1 teaspoon whole allspice
3 cups (1 bottle) rich but dry red wine like zinfandel
¼ cup Bénédictine
¼ cup Cognac or brandy
2 tablespoons lemon juice
Orange wheels for garnish
1. Place sugar, cinnamon sticks, cloves and allspice in a 2-quart saucepan. Add ½ cup water. Bring to a simmer and when sugar has dissolved, simmer for 5 minutes, stirring.
2. Add the wine, Bénédictine, Cognac and lemon juice. Bring back to a simmer. Remove from heat and pour into a pitcher, straining out the spices. Divide among mugs or heavy stemware, garnishing each with a cinnamon stick and a slice of orange. Serve warm.
Winter and Smoke
Time: 15 minutes
Yield: 2 drinks
1 teaspoon Lapsang Souchong leaf tea or 1 tea bag
5 star anise
5 green cardamom pods
6 black peppercorns
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 tablespoon honey
3 ounces smoky Scotch, like Laphroaig or Lagavulin.
2 lemon wheels for garnish
1. In a small saucepan brew tea in 6 ounces water. Add 3 star anise, the cardamom and pepper. Bring to a simmer and cook on low heat for 5 minutes. Stir in the lemon juice, honey and Scotch.
2. Pour into 2 glass mugs, garnish each with a star anise pod and a lemon wheel, and serve.
Nightmare Before Christmas
Adapted from Sleyenda in Brooklyn
Time: 10 minutes
Yield: 1 drink
2 ounces dark rum
2 tablespoons (1 ounce) passion fruit purée or lemon curd
1 tablespoon honey
2 tablespoons pineapple juice
1 tablespoon lime juice
½ tablespoon salted butter in a single pat
1. Combine rum, passion fruit purée, honey, pineapple juice and lime juice in a small saucepan. Bring to a simmer, stirring, until the ingredients are well blended. Pour into a prewarmed coffee mug.
2. Top with pat of butter and serve.
“Egg Nog” Cappuccino
Time: 10 minutes
Yield: 1 drink
Ground coffee for a 2-ounce espresso, regular or decaf
1 tablespoon sugar
2 tablespoons brandy or other spirit
¼ cup heavy cream
Pinch of nutmeg
1. Brew the espresso into a cup or mug (at least 6-ounce capacity). Stir in the sugar and brandy.
2. In a separate container, foam the cream by machine or with a frothing wand. Spoon it over the spiked coffee, dust with nutmeg and serve.
