Drink, Drink, and Be Merry

My call for festive libations went unanswered, so I have decided to use my mad Martha skills to mix up some of my favorite holiday beverages and share the best recipes with you.

Little Miss Sunrise: It is never too early to commence drinking during the month of December, so sip this concoction with your morning corn flakes. Pour a quarter-cup of fresh-squeezed blood orange juice into a champagne flute and top it off with your favorite bubbly. Yes, this is a very special mimosa.

Crème de la Crème Brûlée: All you are eating for dinner is dessert, so you might as well drink it too. Pour one ounce each of vanilla vodka, hazelnut liqueur, and white chocolate liqueur into an ice-filled shaker. Add a splash of cream, and mix well. Serve in a turbinado-sugar-rimmed glass.

Ho Ho Hot Buttered Rum: Chilly (yeah, right), 65-degree nights call for a toasty -- and tasty -- beverage. Pour four ounces of boiling water into a large mug, and stir in a teaspoon of brown sugar until dissolved. Add a teaspoon of butter (real butter, not that I-can’t-believe-this-is-that-crappy crock stuff) and two ounces of dark rum. Garnish with fresh, grated nutmeg.

Rudolph’s Red Nose: You can’t have a holiday gathering without mulling something. Combine a quart of cranberry juice, one cinnamon stick, and a few whole cloves in a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil; then let simmer for fifteen minutes. Pour two ounces of spiced rum into a large mug, and top with the hot cranberry juice. Cheers!

For more holiday cocktail ideas, visit www.cocktailtimes.com/party/christmas_party.shtml.
Starts: Dec. 26. Daily, 2006