January Closeouts

Here are the last of the after-the-holiday recipes — just in time to close out January. But these are a four of the most attractive and tasty cocktails I have sampled in a while. These festive concoctions are just the ticket to get in you in the holiday mood. –roz edward

Blood Orange Bourbon
Recipe: Ice cubes
3 tablespoons blood orange juice, strained
2 tablespoons bourbon
1 teaspoon powdered sugar
1 drop aromatic bitters
Blood orange slice

Fill a short glass with ice. Add blood orange juice, bourbon, sugar and bitters; stir vigorously. Bend orange slice in half, slide into glass. Serve immediately.

Chocolate Peppermint Cookie Cocktail
Recipe: 2 1/2 ounces Jose Cuervo Resposado Tequila
1 ounce peppermint schnapps    3/4 ounce Godiva liqueur
1 1/2 ounces cream
Chocolate syrup and candy canes for garnish

Rim martini glass with chocolate syrup and crushed candy canes. Shake ingredients in shaker with ice and strain into a martini glass.

 Sugar Cookie Cocktail
Recipe: 2 1/2 ounces Jose Cuervo Resposado Tequila
1 teaspoon brown sugar
Brown sugar for garnish

Rim a cordial glass with brown sugar. Add tequila and brown sugar into a shaker with ice and shake ingredients well. Strain into glass.

Dress up classic Spanish sangría with Spiced Simple Syrup and tart cranberries to create an ideal cocktail for a winter holiday celebration.

Spiced Cranberry Sangria
Recipe: The Fruit
2 cups fresh cranberries
2 Granny Smith apples, large dice
1 cup Spiced Simple Syrup
3/4 cup Cointreau
1/2 cup ruby port wine

Recipe: The sangría:
1 (750-milliliter) bottle Tempranillo rosé
1/2 cup ruby port wine
1/2 cup Cointreau
1/2 cup cranberry juice



For the fruit:
Combine all ingredients in a 3-quart container with a tight-fitting lid.
Cover and refrigerate at least 4 hours or preferably overnight.

For the sangría:
Add all ingredients to the fruit mixture and stir to combine.
Refrigerate until chilled; serve over ice.

More Of the Best Of

Last entry we examined — and tasted the best beers and wines of the 2011 variety. Now we'll move on to the hard stuff, the gins, rums, vodkas and whiskeys. Whether these are your favorites or not, they enjoyed immense popularity throughout the party season. The criteria for making it to my best of list is include taste, adaptability, availability and at what price point. Bottom line these are affordable and sitting on a shelf in shop — or as we say here in Atlanta — a package store near you.

 

Best Gin - Bombay Sapphire® Gin - The spirit is delicately infused in a Carterhead still with the aromatic flavours of 10 botanicals. It is an altogether great gin... complex, refreshing and well-balanced

Best Rum  - Bacardi  is the most popular rum sold within the United States.
 

Best Vodka - Cîroc Vodka releases the true flavors in every cocktail. The sweet complexity of the distilled grapes draw out and complement the flavors of whatever is mixed ...

Best Scotch - Glenrothes Select Reserve is a fine single malt scotch,  decently-balanced, full-flavored and easy-going enough for casual cocktailing, but with enough complexity to pair with a fine cigar.

Best Whiskey - Crown Royal Black is an extra bold whiskey matured to perfection in oak barrels. This deliciously black whiskey has a higher proof and more full bodied flavor.

Best Beers and Wines of 2011

It’s the start of the new year and time to recap the events and items that made a real impression on us in the world cocktails an libations. Here are my top choices for domestic brands. –roz edward

The pieste de resistance the best champagne of 2011 is still the reigning royalty of champagnes — Dom Pérignon.

A truly unique style heralding the creator of champagne, Dom Pérignon is named after the creator of champagne, a monk called Pierre Pérignon. And when it's stored and consumed properly it's like inhaling, the nectar is airy and nothing short of divine.


Best Beer: Guinness

The only global stout brand – the much adored Guinness, which recently celebrated the 250th anniversary of the signing of the lease on St James’s Gate Brewery, Dublin.

Red: Chateau Ste. Michelle Indian Wells Cabernet Sauvignon 2009

This lush wine reveals fruit-forward blackberry and cherry flavors and dark fruit aromas.






White: Concannon Conservancy Chardonnay 2009

A wonderfully expressive wine with ripe tree fruit flavors of peach, pear and guava show on the nose and palate. Hints of lemon, subtle herbs and brioche balance out the fruitiness of the finish. 

Moscato Sutter Home Winery Moscato

This wine is from United States, California region. Dessert Muscat Blanc A Petits Grain Wine.

Affordable Wines for Every Holiday Soirée

‘Tis the season to be jolly and what better way to accomplish that objective than with a good bottle of wine. When guests come 'round you’ll be ready for for everything from casual entertaining to a full blown house party with a few good wines. The thing that makes wine a perfect choice for holiday celebrations is that you don’t have to dip into the Christmas shopping budget to afford them, since there are a number of good brands available at about $10 per bottle.  –roz edward

McManis Family Vineyard 
Cabernet Sauvignon 2005
$10
This wine will “wow” the most discerning guests, especially if you tell them what you paid per bottle.  A deep garnet colored red wine with plenty of blackberry and cherry on the palate. The perfect party wine.

Kendall Jackson 
Vintner’s Reserve Chardonnay 2005
$10

To make and cherish fond holiday memories, break out this chardonnay is a delicious compilation of fruit and smoke, full-bodied and balanced, and supported by a rich, buttery texture. Kendall-Jackson is known for consistent quality, and its reputation for producing wines that are reasonably priced.



Vog Quatro
$9

The stylish packaging houses a blend of merlot, shiraz, cabernet sauvignon and pinot noir (hence the name) from Italy, the unique bottle and price will hook many buyers looking for an interesting bottle of wine that won’t break the bank, but the pleasant way                                 the different varietals blend will certainly have you coming back for
                              more.

Sutter Home Moscato
$9

While the jury is still out on sweet wines, there is something about the sweet, creamy, peach flavor of Sutter Home’s moscato that makes you feel like maybe it shouldn’t pair with dessert so much as replace it.



Yellow Tail Shiraz
$7

There is a reason that the Yellow Tail brand has done so well in the U.S. and abroad, and it comes down to making consistent, quality wines at a perfect “party” wine price point. The wine has a fruit-forward flavor that guests will enjoy whether they are “into” reds or not.

Korbel Champagne 
Brut
$10
And no celebration is complete without a bottle of the bubbly on hand,  This is a champagne stand by that is perfect for party goers, the taste is good and the price is right for poppin’ corks all night. .

Thanksgiving: LET’S DRINK TO IT

The holiday crunch is upon us. And while you may have planned your Thanksgiving menu — traditional or something with a twist — if you haven’t decided what to serve your guests pre, during and post meal, here are a few suggestions.

Pre-dinner: Apple Pie Cocktail
3/4 ounce Bacardi Traditional White    
Rum
1/4 ounce Martini & Rossi Rosso
Vermouth
1/4 ounce Apple Brandy
1/2 ounce Lemon Juice
dash of Major Peters’ Grenadine

Stir in a mixing glass with ice, and then strain into a chilled cocktail glass. Garnish with a lemon twist.


Chocolate Pumpkin Pie-tini

3⁄4 ounce vanilla flavored vodka,
Smirnoff®
1/2 ounce Irish cream liqueur, Baileys®
1⁄2 ounce coffee liqueur, Kaluha®
1⁄2 ounce crème de cacao
1⁄8 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice

In a cocktail shaker, combine vodka, Irish cream, coffee liqueur, crème de cacao, pumpkin pie spice, and cayenne pepper. Add ice; cover and shake until very cold. Strain into a chilled martini glass.




During Dinner: Wine

Serving wine at Thanksgiving, can be a challenge because of the variety of dishes and flavors. If the dish is sweet (sweet potatoes), look for wine with fruitiness. If the dish is spicy, look for wine with low alcohol content to minimize the heat. Acidic foods such as cranberry sauce or collard greens, call for a wine with acidity, for it to stand up to tart tastes. Pinot Noir is a great silky, sensuous red wine that meets all of those characteristics. With its typical tart-berry fruit, warm spices, and earthy aroma, it’s a slam dunk for Thanksgiving. A pinot can do right by almost all the exuberant side dishes a turkey requires.

You might also want to try mulling wine in a crock pot. Mulling spices are available in most fine wine stores and specialty food markets. It’s a great and cozy addition for a holiday meal, that you may just want to make a holiday tradition.

Post-Dinner: The Ciroc Truffletini
1/2 ounce Ciroc Vodka
1 ounce Godiva White Chocolate Liqueur
1/2 ounce Godiva Chocolate Liqueur

Shake and strain into a chilled martini glass. Garnish with Godiva Milk Chocolate Truffle or White Chocolate shavings.

The Most Affordable Cocktails for Holiday and Pigskin Parties — Make It A Potent Punch

Thanksgiving is coming soon, and it’s time to think about making drinks en masse for guests who will gather at your home for the holiday or a Sunday afternoon football game — or both. In general punches with alcohol are the best and most affordable way to accommodate revelers. I suggest moderately priced alcohol — not the bottom of the cask that causes those awful hangovers but it doesn’t have to be top shelf, either. That goes for all the alcohols — something moderately priced and for moderate consumption — if you can manage the latter. –roz edward

Cranberry and Pineapple Champagne Brunch
Start off your party with this festive punch made with pineapple juice, cranberry-raspberry juice concentrate, and seltzer or champagne.

Prep Time: 10 minutes
Total Time: 10 minutes
Servings: 11 cups

1 can (48 ounces) pineapple juice, chilled
1 container (8.5 ounces) cranberry-    raspberry juice concentrate
1 liter seltzer water or 1 bottle champagne, chilled

Directions
Combine all ingredients in a 3-quart pitcher or punch bowl. Serve over ice. Makes 11 cups.

Hennessy KAWS N’ Effect

1 ounce Hennessy VS
1/4 ounce fresh lime juice
1/2 ounce mango juice
1/2 ounce pineapple juice
1/2 ounce passion fruit juice
1 ounce Amaretto liqueur
2 dashes of Angostura Bitters
A splash of Grenadine

Garnish with orange and lemon slices.

The Big Brew
A great game day cocktail. The ease of making the Big Brew makes it ideal for holidays, football parties and tailgating.
   
Make a whole pitcher of the mixture:
20 ounces Ginger Beer
4 slices of ginger
2 tablespoons of lime juice
5 mint leaves, torn up

1. Combine in a pitcher keep in fridge, set a liter of Bombay Sapphire gin near the pitcher in the fridge with instructions on how much to pour.

2. Pour 2 ounces  Bombay Sapphire in a pint glass.

3. Pack with ice, top with mixture.

Check this one out. This is one potent punch!!!

The Chatham Punch was created in Savannah, Ga., to accommodate as many as 200 guests. We scaled this one back for a party of 20.

4 cups Bacardi White Rum
2 cups Bombay Sapphire Gin
2 cups Jim Beam Bourbon
2 cups Christian Brothers Brand
1 1/2 bottle sweet red wine
1 gallon strong cold tea
1 cup maraschino cherries, drained
1/4 pound pineapple chunks (fresh)
1 1/4 cups light brown sugar
Juice of 4 lemons
1 bottle dry champagne

HIP-HOP INSPIRED COCKTAILS TO BUILD YOUR PRE-THANKSGIVING SWAG

MCs rappers and hip-hop artists have made their mark on the culture on so many different fronts, from fashion to food and even the language, they are shaping a brave new world on urban scenes across the nation. And most tend to have a drink du jour, whether it’s “poppin’ corks,” “sippin on gin and juice” or just plain “blame it on the alcohol” it’s big business for the clubs, the artists and the companies looking to connect with young African American urbanites.
So, every time Luda or Diddy name-drops a product, sales automatically shoot up — so here’s to them. –roz edward





Conjure
As Luda says of his premier cognac,
“We get straight to it. We’re straight no chaser …
I might put a little lime in there but I like mine just on the rocks. You’ve gotta taste the essence of what’s going on.”

 Thug Passion
This drink is one of 2Pac’s favorites, which he references in the song of the same name. But instead of a $350 bottle of Cristal, use any champagne that fits your personal tastes and finances.

2 ounces Hennessy® Cognac
2 ounces Alize® liqueur
2 ounces champagne

Mix all ingredients in shaker with ice and pour into champagne flute.

Babygirl
Both 50 Cent and Busta Rhymes signed on to promote Leyrat premier cognac. But we caution, “Not a lot, baby girl, just a lil bit.”
2 ounces Leyrat cognac
2 ounces Baileys® Irish Cream
2 ounces Kahlua® coffee liqueur
Pour all three ingredients into a cocktail shaker half-filled with cracked ice. Shake well, and strain into a highball glass filled with cracked ice. Top with whipped cream, if you’re into it.
Shake ingredients over ice and serve.

Tap That Ass  
Swizz Beatz debuted on May 5 as the new frontman for Hennessy Black with his live performance in New York of “When I Step Into the Club,” alongside the JabbaWockeez of “America’s Best Dance Crew.”  Here’s one of the label’s hottest new cocktails.

1 ounce Hennessy Black® cognac
1 ounce Alize® Red Passion liqueur
1 ounce Alize® Gold Passion liqueur
1 splash cranberry juice
top with soda water

Fill the hurricane glass with ice. Pour the Hennessy, Red Alize and Yellow Alize. Splash in some cranberry juice and top it off with soda. Add blackberry to garnish.

Ciroc Peach Vodka
The newest entry in hip-hop-influenced libations is Diddy’s CIROC Peach Vodka. The music mogul and branding beast dropped the newest and fourth in CIROC’s line of flavored vodkas on Oct. 21 at Love nightclub in D.C. to celebrate Howard’s homecoming weekend.


The Georgia Dome
2/3 ounce Peach CIROC
1/3 ounce ginger ale
Pour in tall glass and fill  with Mango Fruitista.