Randy Clark's Blog, page 15

Cheers! 10 days of Holiday Beverages Number 9

Holiday beverages number 9 is a last-minute change. I originally had scheduled a cranberry-vodka-spiced-punch until I received a call from my eldest daughter this morning. Dr. Daughter lives in Florida. She was on a search for sprigs of Rosemary. She’d already made a couple of stops and was on her way to Publix. She needed Rosemary to make Christmas tree cocktails for the holidays. I asked, “Make what?” Christmas tree cocktails. What the heck is a Christmas tree cocktail?

Holiday Beverages Number 9Christmas Tree Cocktail

I love Rosemary. I have some less than a yard from my desk. It was brought in from my summer herb garden. So, I was intrigued. It’s simple. You take a sprig of Rosemary, place it upside down in a stemless glass, add a bit of water, and put it in the freezer. After a couple of hours, you have what looks like a miniature Christmas tree with a frozen base in the glass.

It Can Be a Mocktail, too!

My daughter adds Fresca Mixed Vodka Spritz to hers. Her daughter, my granddaughter, who doesn’t drink, adds sparkling water. It’s a cocktail or a mocktail!

I researched and found recipes with several liquors, whatever floats your boat. Other recipes included cranberries, oranges, lemons, juices, and spices.

If you’ve read any of the previous 8 recipes, you know, I’m not a strict measure type of cocktail mixer or cook, but more of a follow your taste buds type of experimenter. So, this idea fits me perfectly.

The Rosemary by my desk has dried out, so please excuse me; I’m heading out to Kroger’s. I hope they have a few sprigs.

If you want to know more, here’s one of the recipes I found. CHRISTMAS TREE DRINK (COCKTAIL OR MOCKTAIL). Cheers!

Image by andreas N from Pixabay

 

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Cheers! 10 days of Holiday Beverages Number 8

y beverages number 8 Holiday beverages number 8 takes us back to hot winter drinks, although here in Indy, it’s in the 50s today. There will be no white Christmas this year for us.

Holiday Beverages Number 8Irish Coffee

Today’s beverage is Irish coffee. We take our coffee seriously at the Clark household. We order beans from Guatemala and grind them. Food Network — The original Irish coffee is coffee with a tablespoon or so of brown sugar, about an ounce, and ½ of whiskey and heavy cream. However, here are recipes that include Kahlua and Baileys.

There’s debate and discussion not only on the best whiskey to use (it should be Irish whiskey, shouldn’t it?) but also on what coffee, for example, some call for expresso. Other additives include maple syrup, vanilla, and seasonal spices. And finally, the question is, should it be topped with whipped cream? Sounds good to me.

NA Irish Coffee

This is simple. Take your favorite Irish coffee recipe and leave out the whiskey! Here’s one example from BBC Good Food  — Non-alcoholic Irish cream liqueur.

 

Ingredients

·        150ml double cream

·        50ml evaporated milk

·        2 tbsp maple syrup

·        25ml freshly brewed espresso

·        pinch of ground cinnamon

·        1 tsp vanilla extract

·        pinch of finely grated orange zest

·        ice

Method

·        STEP 1

Put all the ingredients in a large cocktail shaker or jug with a generous handful of ice.

·        STEP 2

If using a shaker, shake well until the outside feels cold, then double strain into tumblers. If using a jug, stir well until combined. Serve poured over ice

I think I’ll try an NA Irish coffee Christmas morning. It sounds like fun. Cheers!

Photo by Fábio Alves on Unsplash

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Cheers! 10 days of Holiday Beverages Number 7

Holiday beverages number 7 could’ve been titled “Cheers to Holiday Beers!” Last Saturday, we met with friends to celebrate the holidays. We had a white elephant gift exchange, a wonderful meal, and a beer tasting. I brought 6 different holiday brews, and the host also had a couple. Four of us grabbed glasses and shared all 8. We had spiced Christmas ales and winter warmers. I found two favorites: Anderson Valley Winter Solstice and Great Lakes Brewing Christmas Ale. I also found Samuel Smith’s Winter Welcome Ale.

Holiday Beverages Number 7Christmas Ales 

In December 1994, I visited my daughter and her British husband in Doncaster, UK. My son-in-law took me to the Samuel Smith Brewery in Yorkshire, where he introduced me to a Christmas Ale. A beer with holiday spices. What the what? I wasn’t drinking beer with cinnamon and nutmeg. He convinced me to try a sip, and I loved it.

Christmas Ales and Winter Warmers fill me with cheer. There are holiday brews with cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, and orange, and I even had one with spices and cranberry juice!

Festive NA Brews 

There are plenty of holiday-ish NA brews. Beers with spices, juices, and more. Here’s a dozen! The 12 Non-Alcoholic Beers of Christmas, The List You Never Knew You Needed Until Now! I don’t know anything about it, but there’s even an NA beer club, NA BEER CLUB.

Beer is all year. It’s not only a summer drink. So, if you like beer and haven’t tried a Christmas brew, I recommend you give it a go. Cheers for beers!

Photo by Alessio Zaccaria on Unsplash

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Cheers! 10 days of Holiday Beverages Number 6

Holiday beverages number 6 is an old favorite and a winter standard – Hot Chocolate. BTW, do you call it hot chocolate or hot cocoa? Here in Indiana, it’s Choc–o—lot.

Holiday Beverages Number 6Spiked Hot Chocolate

Years ago, I was making some hot chocolate when I was inspired. Why not add a little vodka to the mix? I loved white Russians, and that was a festive drink. So, I did, and I haven’t looked back until now. So, as I researched spiked cocoa, I found there were many variations. Marshmallows, cinnamon, and whipped cream. Peppermint sticks, vanilla, crushed graham crackers, and more. The liquor of choice is off the charts, peppermint schnapps, bourbon, brandy, and chocolate stout beer! Don’t believe me? Check it out. 16 Alcoholic Hot Chocolate Recipes for a Cold Winter Night.

I keep it simple. I use a packet of sugar-free powdered cocoa, low-fat milk, vodka, and a dash of cinnamon and heat it up. Works for me.

NA Hot Chocolate

For traditionalists who remember before we had powdered packs of cocoa, here’s an old-fashioned stove-top hot chocolate recipe from Southern plate.

Ingredients

1/2 cup granulated sugar

1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder

4.5 cups whole milk

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract (optional)

Instructions

In a medium saucepan, combine

1/2 cup granulated sugar,1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder,4.5 cups whole milk

Stir constantly over medium heat until the hot chocolate mixture comes to a boil. Cook, stirring constantly for 2 minutes.

Remove from heat and add the remaining milk. Then return to medium heat and stir in vanilla if desired. Stir until heated through.

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract (optional),4.5 cups whole milk

Serve hot with mini marshmallows.

 

There’s nothing better than hot chocolate on a cold winter holiday eve, whether spiked or not! Cheers!

Photo by Nature Zen on Unsplash

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Cheers! 10 days of Holiday Beverages Number 5

Holiday beverages number 5 is an old winter standby for me – Eggnog. I’ve never made it. I always buy it, so if you make Eggnog, please leave me a comment about your recipe. I usually buy a ½ gallon of low-fat and a bottle or two of the Eggnog Liquor you see this time of year. Like all my recipes, it’s not about measuring ingredients. It’s about what you like. What works for your taste buds?

Holiday Beverages Number 5Spiked Eggnog 

I spike my low-fat store, store bought Eggnog with rum, but you can use any brown liquor including brandy. I start with a shot or two of rum, add enough Nog to fill the glass (or cup if it’s to be heated), and then sprinkle cinnamon and nutmeg on top. Yummy. For hot Nog, I do the same and then micro-nuke for a couple of minutes.

Some recipes call for vanilla. I haven’t tried it, but it sounds good. Others top it with whipped cream before sprinkling it with spices.

Good Ole NA Eggnog

Here’s the ingredients for homemade scratch eggnog from The Spruce Eats. Click the link for the full recipe.

 6 large eggs

2 large egg yolks

1/2 cup sugar

1/4 teaspoon salt

4 cups whole milk

1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract

1/2 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg, plus more for garnish

1/4 cup cold heavy cream

It’s 17F here in Speedway today. I think it’s time for a cup of hot Eggnog. NA, of course, until 5:00! Cheers!

Photo by Aleisha Kalina on Unsplash

 

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Cheers! 10 days of Holiday Beverages Number 4

Holiday beverages number 4 is the first that’s not a hot drink and the first with my go-to liquor – vodka. Don’t get me wrong; I love hot and spicy drinks when it’s cold and snowy like it is here today as I write this! However, for me, it’s beer and iced drinks most of the year. One of the cold drinks that I think fits the holiday spirit is a Bloody Mary.

Holiday Beverages Number 4Bloody Mary

My Bloody Mary recipe has a secret ingredient. I don’t use tomato juice. Well, not quite. I use Clamato. Once again, like most of my recipes for cocktails and food, I seldom measure the ingredients I eyeball and add stuff to my taste as I should. My typical Bloody Mary mix includes:

A shot or two of vodka. My favorite is Titos.8 to 10 ounces of ClamatoA splash of hot sauce, usually Tabasco, but I’ve used others, including Sriracha SauceA drop of Worchester SauceSalt and pepper to tasteWhat about garnishes?

Have you seen Bloody Mary do-it-yourself bars with a dozen garnishes? They include the traditional celery stick, but I’ve also seen carrot sticks, green onions, olives on a stick, and more. Some have salt rimmed glasses others with basil or lemon and lime slices. The garnish is whatever I have that sounds good, although olives are my go-to.

Virgin Bloody Mary

My NA Bloody Mary is Clamato and hot sauce. So, I did a little research and found some interesting variations, including this one from Skinny Taste — Virgin Bloody Mary.

 

 Tomato juice

Lemon juice

Pickle juice or olive     juice

Worcestershire sauce

Horseradish

Hot sauce

Celery seed

Cayenne

It sounds fun. I may have to try it as a non-virgin drink, too!

Cheers!

Photo by Toni Osmundson on Unsplash

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Cheers! 10 days of Holiday Beverages Number 3

Holiday beverages number 3 continues 3 trends: Hot drinks, spicy recipes, and both alcohol and NA drinks. What’s different today for both is that I don’t actually make these. I drink them, but I buy them. Last night, we had dinner with a dozen friends. It was a fine and fun evening. We tasted spiced Christmas ales, and I brought mulled wine that we shared.

Holiday Beverages Number 3Mulled Wine

Today’s hot and spicy holiday cocktail is mulled wine, which, to be honest, is a drink I’ve never made. Don’t get me wrong, I enjoy mulled wine when the temperature dips and the holidays approach; I just don’t make it. I buy it at Aldi’s Winterliebe Gluhwein.

Since I don’t make my own mulled wine, I went online to check out a few recipes and found they were pretty different than I expected. Most of them included apple cider with the wine, some had apples, and many used oranges along with the spices. Here’s an example from Bon Appetit.

I don’t have all the ingredients to experiment with these recipes yet, nor the time today (it’s almost time for kick-off!). I’ve added it to my to-do list and will report later.

Hot Apple Cider

Funny thing, I’d previously decided today’s NA would be hot Apple cider. However, I didn’t realize Apple cider was an ingredient in mulled wine until today when I started checking out recipes. I usually heat up some fresh cider and occasionally use powdered packs of Apple cider. And I have added spices and honey to the fresh cider.

I found and was fascinated by the recipe below from Nancy Fuller on The Food Network. Look at the last optional ingredient! Ok. I’m down to try it.

16 cups (1 gallon) apple cider

1/4 cup light brown sugar

1 teaspoon allspice

Pinch grated nutmeg

2 teaspoons whole cloves

1 orange

Cinnamon sticks, for garnish

2 cups bourbon, optional

There you have it, day 3 with all 3 trends and some eye-opening discoveries for me. Cheers!

Photo by Gaby Dyson on Unsplash

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Cheers! 10 days of Holiday Beverages Number 2

Okay, cheers 10 days of holiday beverages number 2 is one day late. So, shoot me. Since I missed the 12/16 post, we’ll all have to drink two potions today!

Much like my Hot Buttered Rum recipe, the best Hot Toddy doesn’t follow a strict recipe; the amount of ingredients depends on your taste buds. The amount of each ingredient below is, at best, a suggestion. Trust your buds!

Holiday Beverages Number 2Hot Toddy ¾ cup water1 to 1 ½ ounces whiskey2 to 3 teaspoons honey, to suit your palate2 to 3 teaspoons lemon juice, more or lessA slice or two of lemon1 cinnamon stick (if, like me, you love cinnamon)

If you’d like another option try this recipe, Martha Stewart — Bourbon Hot Toddy.

Non-Alcoholic Hot Toddy 

Since we’re not adding the bite of whiskey, let’s spice this up a bit!

6 to 8 ounces hot teaHoney to tasteA couple of squeezes of lemon juice. Again, trust your taste buds.Spices you like, all the following or none. It’s your call. Cinnamon stick, sprinkle of cloves, a dash of ground nutmegLemon slice

Holiday beverages number 2 is a tough choice: Hot Toddy or NA Hot Toddy? I’ll just have to taste both! Happy Holidays!

Image by Imo Flow from Pixabay

 

 

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Cheers! 10 days of Holiday Beverages

I’m starting, Cheers 10 days of holiday beverages, on 12/15 so the 10th day will fall on Christmas Eve. BTW, I really thought about, Cheers 10 Days of Holiday Beers, because, you know, rhymes. Anyway. Over the next 10 days, I’ll share some of my favorite evening cocktails (It’s 5:00 somewhere) and NA drinks as well.

I often don’t measure so much as eyeball ingredients, whether I’m cooking or creating a cocktail. And I experiment. Not all of my trials are successful, but as my father taught me, if you want to learn, you must drink your mistakes. (He really said that!)

Cheers! 10 days of Holiday Beverages

Today, I’m sharing two of my favorite cold-weather drinks: Hot buttered rum and a Ginger-lemon hot tonic.

Hot Buttered Rum2 Tablespoons of unsalted butter2 Tablespoons of sweetenerCinnamon and nutmeg to tasteA dash of vanilla extract2 ounces of rum1 Cup of boiling water

Put all the ingredients in a cup and pour the boiling water over it as you stir. Enjoy.

Ginger Lemon TonicI cut up about an inch of fresh ginger, and although I don’t peel it, I trim any of it that looks gnarly. Next, I chop it up and then comes the lemon.I scrape about ½ of the peel from a fresh lemon to create a small pile of lemon zest.I put the zest and the finely chopped ginger in a strainer and pour boiling water over the strainer into a large cup.Next, I squeeze a little of the lemon and add a couple of lemon wedges into the mixture and then a couple of squirts of honey.

If you’d prefer someone else to make it, here in Indianapolis, Georgetown Market makes a great  Ginger Lemon Tonic.

There you have it, two cheers, no beers, one with rum and the other with none. I might have them both tonight!

Photo by Anita Jankovic on Unsplash

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7 Fun and Informative Christmas Websites (and 1 app)

Here are 7 informative and fun Christmas websites I’ve stumbled upon over the last couple of years. I love the holidays. From Thanksgiving through New Year’s is my favorite time of year. Okay, who am I kidding; my holiday season begins on Halloween. I love the music, decorations, and fellowship of the season. Christmas movies, music, and decorations just can’t be beat. And I love learning holiday facts. With that in mind, here are a few of my favorite Christmas websites.

7 Fun and Informative Christmas Websites (and 1 app)The Night a War Stopped

WWI’s Christmas Truce: When Fighting Paused for the Holiday. If you’re unfamiliar with this story, you should read this article. On December 24th, 1914, during one of the bloodiest conflicts the world has ever known, deep in the trenches during WWI, peace broke out. What began as shared singing of Christmas carols across enemy lines became a celebration, which included sharing food, drink, and gifts.

There’s a Cat in the Tree 

Tree Decorating 101 This isn’t quite what you might think. It’s for cats. It’s cats decorating a Christmas tree, with step-by-step instructions and photos. I mean. It’s cats!

A Ghostly Christmas

Every Christmas season, I read Charles Dickens’s The Christmas Carol. I have three or four copies. I’d happily loan you one, but there’s no need. This site has the complete book for free. A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens 

And if you want the whole experience, go to Dickens Fair, a vintage exhibition hall converted to old London with dance halls, tea rooms, and period costumed Christmas revelers. Enjoy the photo gallery and videos.

A Desk!

Last year, I saw Charles Dickens’s desk, writing slope, lamp, desk calendar, and chair at the New York City Public Library. It was awe-inspiring.

If you’d like to create the Dickens era in your home, try this: A Victorian Christmas.

Take a Photo of your Exterior Illumination Like a Pro

Strobist: How To Photograph Christmas Lights. Are you like me and never know the best lighting, perspective, or distance to photograph your Christmas lights? If so, Strobist has the answers.

Good Grief

How Charlie Brown Christmas Came to Pass Do you love Charlie Brown Christmas? Is it a tradition in your family? Did you know that every television network initially rejected Charles Schultz and Vince Guaraldi’s first short, “A Boy Named Charlie Brown”? Read the back story on this site.

Fa La La La La La

A few years ago, a dozen friends and I put on our winter coats, hats, and gloves and went caroling. One choir member (I use the word loosely) informed her neighbors we were coming, and several of them requested a visit. Along the way, children and a few adults joined us. We weren’t always on key, but we were enthusiastic. I’m not sure which app we used, but one of our friends sent a Christmas Carol App to all of us. It was a heck of a lot easier than holding sheets of music.

We Wish You a Merry Christmas!

There you have it: seven websites and one app that will add joy to your holidays.

If you liked this you might also enjoy Is it Okay to Wish Your Customers Merry Christmas?

Photo by Amy Shamblen on Unsplash

 

 

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