If there's anything more prone than your budget to stretching during the holiday season, it's your waistline. But don't forget to leave some room after all those cookies, turkey and latkes for indulgences of a more fluid nature. Here are some flavourful beverages to tempt your family and friends' senses.
Eggnog
Don't settle for the store bought variety no matter how cheap it is. Especially since the ingredient this beverage gets its name from is something you probably have around anyway. To make eight servings, beat four egg yolks with one fourth of a cup of white sugar. Meanwhile, have a friend beat the whites with another fourth of a cup of sugar until it's forming nice stiff peaks. Fold the egg mixtures together and stir in three cups of milk or cream. Alternatively reduce the cream and add about a cup each of your favourite rum and whiskey. Chill for at least four hours.
Rack that noggin of yours: The proportions of almost everything in eggnog can be altered to fit your every whim. Use heavier cream to make it richer, top with cinnamon or nutmeg for more flavour, etc. If you're looking for a unique drink to serve at your next Christmas party, try an eggnog martini. Pour equal parts of your delicious homemade eggnog, amaretto and vodka into a shaker over ice, shake and strain into a martini glass. Sprinkle with nutmeg or cinnamon to taste.
Spiced (``mulled``) apple cider
A childhood favourite any time of year, "mulled" simply means to heat and spice. Traditional spices include cinnamon sticks, cloves, and sliced orange or lemon peel to taste. Toast your spices for a few minutes at the bottom of a saucepan to really let their flavour out. For four servings, pour six cups of apple cider with one fourth of a cup of maple syrup or brown sugar over the spices, bring to a boil then simmer for at least fifteen minutes. Remove from heat and ladle the cider into mugs and serve immediately.
For the grownups: Try some spiked apple cider by stirring in some apple flavoured brandy to taste. Alternatively try Mulled Wine, popular in northern Europe, by using red wine as the base instead of the cider.
Mudslide
Mudslides are the ultimate comfort cocktail that are a great alternative to the fruity varieties you usually indulge in around Christmas. It's a simple concoction calling for equal parts of a coffee liqueur such as Kahlua, Bailey's, Casey's or any other namesake's Irish cream, vodka and a cream base. Pour your ingredients into a mixing glass over ice, shake then strain into a cooled glass.
For those of you who still crave ice cream when it's -10 C out: try the frozen mudslide - blend the alcohol mixture with 1?4 cups of vanilla ice cream per 1 1?2 oz of alcohol and serve in a tall frosted glass. Don't forget to top with chocolate syrup to get the "mudslide" effect.
2008 Woodie Awards
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