Picture this: You’re hosting a holiday get-together with all your favorite people. The menu is set, lights are hung and the tree is trimmed in all its glory. But when cocktail hour comes around, you find yourself chained to the bar cart, stirring martinis and reminding Uncle Bob for the fourth time: “No, we don’t have Rumple Minz.” Save yourself the trouble this holiday season by premaking a batch of party-pleasing cocktails. We’ll show you the way.
Krampus Manhattan
This black Manhattan variation will warm even the grinchiest of holiday guests. In place of sweet vermouth, this recipe calls for Sfumato Amaro; a smoky Italian liquor made from Chinese rhubarb. To emulate the dilution that would occur through stirring, add neutral filtered water.
Ingredients:
18 oz Rye whiskey of your choice
9 oz Sfumato Rabarbaro Amaro
3 oz filtered water
18 dashes Angostura bitters
18 dashes orange bitters
Method:
Combine all liquids and store in the fridge (Note: Amaro will become slushy if kept in the freezer). When ready to serve, measure out 3 oz in a chilled Nick & Nora glass. Zest with a lemon peel and discard, then garnish with brandied cherries and enjoy.
Winter Sangria
Who says sangria belongs to summer? This cold-weather red wine punch can be batched days in advance—the more time for those lovely winter fruits to infuse, the better. Select a dry red wine based on your preferences; we recommend an Argentine Malbec or Spanish Tempranillo, and infuse it with seasonal fruits like persimmons, oranges, pears and pomegranate.
Ingredients:
1 bottle of dry red wine
¼ cup brandy
¼ cup Grand Marnier
1 sliced orange
1 sliced pear
½ cup pomegranate seeds
2 sliced persimmons
Method:
Add fruits to a large pitcher and lightly muddle; toss in a few dashes of ginger or cinnamon for some extra holiday aromatics. Add all liquids and stir. Store in the fridge for at least 2 hours. When you are ready to serve, pour into wine glasses and top with effervescent ginger ale.
The Pre-tini
Serving martinis is a must at any holiday party, but pre-diluting them ahead of time will save you the headaches and wrist fatigue. Make one version with gin, and another with vodka to appease all manner of martini snobs. And if you want to go the extra mile, arrange a garnish board with several variations of olives, cocktail onions and lemon twists. You might even throw in a few wild cards, like caper berries, Botija olives and gherkin pickles.
Method:
Add 4 parts spirit to 1 part water to mimic the dilution achieved through stirring. Add the bottle to the freezer and rest in an ice bath when ready to serve. On your martini bar cart, chill a bottle of vermouth, Lillet and olive brine so guests can customize the martini to their liking.
The Utah Nog
You might hate to love it, but eggnog is a holiday sipping staple for a reason. In Utah, we love the custard-like concoction so much—we named a town after it. Just southeast of Capitol Reef, Eggnog is a desolate little town where the ‘nog isn’t just a beverage, it’s a state of mind. And if you aren’t up for making it from scratch, Rosehill Dairy is a local dairy farm in Hyrum that makes and even delivers eggnog during the holidays. Visit rosehilldairy.com for more info.
Ingredients:
4 oz Rye Whiskey or Cognac
4 oz Disaronno Liquor
16 oz Rosehill Dairy Eggnog
Method:
Mix liquids and pour into a
chilled punch bowl. Set out a ladle, rocks glasses and nutmeg powder
for garnish.
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