Bermudian Rum Swizzle
Serves 4 to 6
6.5 oz. (200 mL) dark rum*
4 oz. fresh lime or lemon juice, strained (about 4-5 lemons or
limes)
4 oz. pineapple juice
4 oz. orange juice
4 oz. ginger simple syrup
6 large dashes Angostura Bitters
6 dash Mixed Essence, optional
Ice
Lemon, lime or orange rind for garnish
Ginger Simple Syrup (make in advance)
1 cup cane sugar
1 cup water
4 inch piece fresh ginger root, peeled
Method
1.Prepare the simple syrup a day in advance or at least a few hours in advance (the longer the ginger steeps, the stronger
the ginger taste). Peel ginger and slice very thinly. In a small saucepan, bring the water and ginger to a boil; add the cane
sugar and reduce to simmer until sugar is completely dissolved. Let cool. Refrigerate in glass or jar. Note: the cane sugar
will give your final drink an added molasses flavor as does the rum since they are both derived from sugar cane.
2.Juice lemons or limes and strain to remove seeds and pulp. Measure and mix ingredients in a large pitcher. To serve,
shake each serving in a shaker with ice and serve cocktail style with ice or like a martini, without. Garnish with fresh
citrus rind, a slice of pineapple or a sprig of mint.
VariationsAlcohol: experiment with additional alcohols such as triple sec, flavored rums, brandy, etc.
Citrus: grapefruit, mango, just lime or lemon, someone recommended Hawaiian Punch
Carbonation: club soda or ginger ale.
Trinidadian Ginger Beer
Makes 4 quarts
This ginger beer is assertive – strong ginger and spices. It’s not
fizzy and it’s not ginger ale. If you want to dilute, do as the
Trini’s do, and cut it with seltzer, mineral water, etc. If you’d
like an even stronger ginger beer, reduce it by 2 cups of water.
Ingredients:
1 pound fresh ginger
3 quarts water (12 cups)
2 cinnamon sticks
8 cloves
1/4 teaspoon allspice
1/8 teaspoon nutmeg
1/2 of fresh lime, divided – large peel and juice
1 1/2 to 1 3/4 cup raw sugar (demerara, turbinado or muscovado)
Method
1.Peel the fresh ginger – using a peeler or the back of a spoon. Rinse. Grate ginger using a box grater or a food processor.
Watch the knuckles.
2.In a large a large non-reactive pot, bring water, cinnamon, cloves, allspice, nutmeg and the peel of half a lime to a boil.
Turn off heat. Add the 1 ½ cup sugar; stir until dissolved. Taste. Add fresh grated ginger and the juice from the half lime.
3.Let the ginger mixture cool to room temperature. Leave in the pot (cover) or transfer to a large jar with a lid and
refrigerate for at least 24 hours and up to a week to allow flavors to meld. (If steeping more than 24 hours – remove at
least one cinnamon stick.) When ready to drink, strain through a fine colander or cheesecloth; press solids at the end to
remove remaining liquid; discard solids.
4.Serve cold. Garnish with fresh mint or thin slices of limes or other citrus. Although, not traditional, this is also great as a
hot drink.
VariationFruit: lemons, grapefruit, pineapple
Spices: vanilla bean, mace, none
Mexican Christmas Punch- Ponche Navideno
Makes about 6 quarts
Ingredients:
7 quarts water, divided
2 cinnamon sticks
1 orange, with four slits
12 cloves
1 pound fresh tejocotes*
1 cup flor de jamaica (dried hibiscus flowers)
1 cone piloncillo or 1 cup brown sugar/light molasses
1 pound sugar cane, peeled and
2 cups pineapple, cut into large chunks
1 large apple, cored and sliced into thick pieces
12 guavas, ends removed and cut in half (optional)**
1/4 pound dried prunes (about 15), pitted
Juice of 2 oranges
Juice of 1 lime
**Guava may be hard to locate – I make it with or without depending on availability.
Method
1.In a large pot, bring 4 quarts of water to a boil with cinnamon sticks and the orange studded cloves; reduce to simmer.
Add the piloncillo, simmer until it dissolves. Next add the sugar cane.
2.At the same time, in a separate medium saucepan, bring one quart of water to a boil. Add the tejocotes, lower the heat
and simmer for 6-8 minutes until softened. Drain. Peel, remove hard ends, cut in half, and deseed. Set fruit aside.
3.In the same medium saucepan, bring 2 quarts of water to a boil with the jamaica. Turn off heat and let steep for 20
minutes. Strain off the flowers and add the liquid to the large pot.
4.Simmer the ponche for 30 minutes. Add the remaining fruit and juice: the tejocotes, pineapple, apple, guavas, prunes,
orange and lime juice. Simmer until fruit is softened (about 20 to 30 minutes). Adjust sweetness.
5.Ladle the hot punch into cups with some of the fruit. For the adults, add some wine, rum, brandy or tequila to taste.
Variations
Fruit: apricots, kumquats, guavas, pears, quinces, lemon, raisins
Sweetener: brown sugar, light molasses, honey, agave
Puerto Rican Holiday Drink - Coquito
Makes about 40 oz. (1 liter+)
The white rum by Don Q® worked nicely for me but you can use your favorite rum (light or dark) or experiment with the
coconut flavored or spiced versions. I got my coconut milk at the Asian grocery store and found (but decided not to use)
the Coco Lopez® cream of coconut at the liquor store.
For a more authentic Puerto Rican presentation, refrigerate the coquito in clean spirit bottles (recycling old wine and
liquer bottles is common) and give them as gifts to your host/hostess during the holidays.
Ingredients:
1 1/4 cup water
2 whole cinnamon sticks
5 cloves
1 can (12 oz.) evaporated milk
1 can (14 oz.) sweetened condensed milk
1 can (15 oz.) coconut milk
1 cup white Puerto Rican rum
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon almond extract
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
Method
1.Bring water, cinnamon and cloves to a boil in a small sauce pan. Turn off heat when the water turns reddish brown and
begins to taste of cinnamon. The water will have evaporated somewhat and there should be about 1/2 cup liquid
remaining. Let cool to room temperature for at least 15 minutes, allowing spices to steep.
2.In a pitcher, add evaporated milk, condensed milk, coconut milk, rum, vanilla, almond and nutmeg. Stir well. Remove
and discard cloves from cooled cinnamon water. Add cinnamon water to rum/milk mixture and stir.
3.Refrigerate coquito in glass containers overnight with steeped cinnamon sticks. Shake well and serve cold in 4 oz.
glasses. Sprinkle with nutmeg (fresh or ground) or cinnamon before serving.
VariationsRum: White or dark, coconut flavored or spiced rum
Spices: Cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, anise, star de anise and fresh ginger. Note: Substitute 1/2 to 1 teaspoon ground
cinnamon and 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon ground cloves to skip step 1 entirely.
Coconut: Fresh, coconut cream or milk
Eggs: Whole eggs, egg whites only, yokes only – raw or cooked
Jamaican Sorrel Punch
Sorrel punch is a traditional Christmas beverage in the Caribbean. Dried hibiscus flowers — known as sorrel in Jamaica
and not to be confused with the pungent green — can be found in most Caribbean or Latin markets. In Latin markets
hibiscus flowers are known as jamaica, and so is the beverage. In West Africa the flowers are known as roselle or bissap
and in Nigeria the drink is called zobo.
Makes about 1 1/2 quarts
Ingredients
•Dried hibiscus flowers (sorrel) -- 2 cups
•Gingerroot, minced -- 1/4 cup
•Boiling water -- 8 cups
•Sugar -- 1 to 1 1/4 cups
Method
1.Place hibiscus flowers and ginger in a large bowl and pour in the boiling water. Cover and let steep for several hours at
room temperature.
2.Strain into a large pitcher and stir in sugar to taste. Serve well chilled.
Variations
•Add a few allspice berries or a stick of cinnamon the the steeping hibiscus and ginger if you like.
•Use only 4 cups boiling water to steep. Add 4 cups of seltzer water after straining and chilling for a bubbly beverage.
•Mix with a shot of rum and a garnish of lime for a nice cocktail.
Britain Christmas Wassail Recipe
Serves/Makes: 20
INGREDIENTS:
1 gallon apple cider
27 whole cloves
8 cinnamon sticks
1 quart pineapple juice
1 can (6 ounce size) frozen orange juice concentrate
PREPARATION:
Mix all ingredients in a large crockpot and simmer. Serve hot.
German Gluehwein
"Gluehwein is a German/Austrian winter-holiday drink that most tourists know as an after-ski drink. After you come in
out of the snow, it is supposed to make you glow with warmth again. Watch it: Since you drink this wine warm, the
alcohol goes to your head extra quick!
Yield 6 (4 ounce) servings
Ingredients
3/4 cup water
3/4 cup white sugar
1 cinnamon stick
1 orange
10 whole cloves
1 (750 milliliter) bottle red wine
Directions
1.In a saucepan, combine the water, sugar, and cinnamon
stick. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer.
2.Cut the orange in half, and squeeze the juice into
the simmering water. Push the cloves into the outside
of the orange peel, and place peel in the simmering water.
Continue simmering for 30 minutes, until thick and syrupy.
3.Pour in the wine, and heat until steaming but not simmering. Remove the clove-studded orange halves. Serve hot in
mugs or glasses that have been preheated in warm water (cold glasses will break.)
Scandinavian Glogg
Glögg is hot, spiced wine, perfect for cold winter evenings. Just follow this easy
Glogg recipe to make your own great-tasting spiced wine. Variations are optional
and add great personalized taste to your own "Glögg"!
•1 bottle of red wine
•0.5 Liter inexpensive brandy or vodka
•10 cardamom pods
•1 cinnamon stick (broken down)
•1/2 orange peel (dried or fresh)
•1/2 lbs sugar (regular or lumps)
•Optional additions: 5 cloves, 1/2 cup raisins, 1/2 cup almonds, 5 dried figs
Preparation:
Heat the wine and brandy spices, fruit, and nuts in a pot (and any optional additions you might like.)
Be careful not to boil the mixture; just let it simmer for about 45 minutes.
Then, strain through a cloth to remove all additions.
Serve your Glogg hot over lumped sugar (or with regular granulated sugar).
Optional: You can also serve the Glogg with raisons or almonds. If you'd like the drink to be stronger, use more brandy.
This Glogg recipe makes approx 1.5 Liter (close to 1/2 gallon).
Mexican Atole
Atole (ah-TOH-lay) is an ancient Mexican beverage with origins in pre-Columbian times. Similar warm drinks, thickened
with cornmeal, are found throughout Central America and are especially popular for breakfast. Mexican atole is
traditional at dia de los muertos celebrations, and it's chocolate version, champurrado, is popular at Christmastime. The
consistency of atole varies anywhere from almost porridge-like to a thin, pourable drink.
4 servings
Ingredients
•Milk or water -- 5 cups
•Masa harina -- 1/2 cup
•Brown sugar or piloncillo -- 1/4 cup
•Cinnamon -- 1/2 teaspoon
•Vanilla -- 1 teaspoon
Method
1.Whisk the milk or water, masa harina, sugar or piloncillo and cinnamon in a large saucepan until smooth.
2.Place the saucepan over medium heat and bring to a boil, stirring constantly. Reduce heat to medium-low and continue
to stir until thickened, about 5 minutes.
3.Remove from heat, stir in the vanilla and serve hot in mugs.
Variations
•Champurrado (Chocolate atole): After removing from heat, whisk in 4 ounces of chopped Mexican chocolate until
completely dissolved. Or use 4 ounces of chopped baking chocolate. Adjust sugar as needed. Champurrado is
traditionally whisked with a wooden utensil called a molinillo until it is frothy. The beverage is then served with a
generous serving of foam spooned on top of each serving.
•Atole de Fruta: Eliminate the cinnamon and stir in 1 cup of pureed pineapple or strawberries after removing the atole
from heat.
•Vary the amount of masa harina to make the atole thicker or thinner according to your personal taste.
•Use oatmeal instead of masa harina. Puree until smooth in a blender before cooking.
•Use half milk and half water if you like.
Chilean Cola de Mono (Monkey Tail)
"This is a traditional Chilean Christmastime drink of milk flavored with coffee and spices, passed down to me by our
Chilean nanny Isa. It is delicious, and a must-try if you don't care for egg-nog. The recipe can be varied to suit your tastes
- be creative with the proportions of coffee, cinnamon, cloves, and vanilla, as well as with your choice of liqueurs."
Yield 1 gallon
Ingredients:
20 whole cloves
5 cinnamon sticks
1 cup water
1 gallon cold milk
1/4 cup instant coffee granules
1 cup white sugar
1 tablespoon vanilla extract (optional)
1 cup pisco, white rum, brandy, or other lightly-flavored liquor (optional)
Directions
1.Gently simmer the cloves and cinnamon sticks in water until reduced by half, about 30 minutes. Add 1 cup of milk, and
heat to a simmer, then stir in and dissolve the coffee and sugar.
2.Strain the coffee mixture into the remaining cold milk, and discard the cloves and cinnamon sticks. Stir in the vanilla
extract and pisco. Store in the refrigerator