Planning a festive party and need some drink ideas? Don’t worry! I’m here to help, so you’ll have lots of time to be merry with your guests,
Pick 1-2 signature cocktail recipes and pre-batch them. Then supplement your signature drink(s) with red wine and champagne, or beers. And of course, have something festive for the designated drivers as well.
For example, try my Festive Sparkling Rum Punch – made with rum, brandy, fresh juices, and homemade spiced syrup. You can make this up to a week in advance and refrigerate. Then, whip out that punch bowl from the closet and serve over a fun ice ring, then finish it off with champagne. Yum!
For the non-imbiber my Rosemary POM Holiday Sparkle is a cheery combination of fresh rosemary, tangerines, pomegranate juice and sparkling apple cider!
So don’t fret this holiday season – just make sure to plan ahead! –Kathy
Festive Sparkling Rum Punch
This punch is great to make ahead and then just add bubbles right before serving. Make a festive ice-ring to chill the punch, or serve over large ice balls – there are lots of molds available on line.
Makes about 16 – 20 servings
Spiced Syrup
2 cups water
2 cups sugar
12 each whole cloves
1/4 tsp. ground nutmeg
1/2 tsp. ground allspice
2 cinnamon sticks, broken up
Punch
3 cups gold rum
1 cup brandy or cognac
1 cup guava or passion fruit nectar
1 cup pomegranate juice
1 cup fresh orange juice
1 cup fresh lemon juice
1 1/2 tsp. Peychaud’s or Angostura bitters
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1 bottle brut sparkling wine or champagne, chilled
To make the syrup: combine syrup ingredients in a medium sauce pan over medium-high heat. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer slowly for about 3 minutes. Remove pan from heat and let cool to room temperature before proceeding with recipe. Or you can prepare the syrup up to a week in advance and store refrigerated.
To make the punch: in a large punch bowl (or large container such as a stock pot or pitcher) combine the Spiced Syrup, rum, brandy, juices and bitters. Stir to combine. (At this point you can refrigerate the punch for up to 3 days in advance)
Present in a large punch bowl. Add sparkling wine/champagne right before serving. Serve punch in an old fashioned glass over ice or large ice balls.
Recipe by Kathy Casey Liquid Kitchen® – www.LiquidKitchen.com
Rosemary Pom Holiday Sparkle
Fresh rosemary’s herbal essence complements the tangy flavor of the clementine and the sweetness of the sparkling cider. When making this in the Middle East, I substituted sparkling date cider instead of the apple cider! It was fantastic!
Makes 1 drink
1 sprig fresh rosemary
1/4 or 1/2 of a clementine or mandarin, depending on size
1 1/2 oz pomegranate juice
3 oz sparkling apple cider
Garnish: fresh rosemary sprig
Bend 1 rosemary sprig and drop into a cocktail shaker. Squeeze in the clementine then drop in. Measure in the pomegranate juice. Fill the shaker with ice. Cap and shake vigorously. Pour into a tall glass. Top with the cider and stir. Garnish with a rosemary sprig. (Or, you can shake the drink in the cocktail shaker, then add the sparkling cider and strain the drink into a tall champagne flute for a more elegant look.)
Recipe by Kathy Casey Liquid Kitchen® – www.LiquidKitchen.com
