Yeah, It’s Cider, But For Big Kids

 

Hot chocolate, mulled wine, and warm spiced cider are perfect for this time of year. We big kids sometimes want to up the ante a bit and here you’ll find recipes and ideas for just that.

I am no mixologist.  My friend Phil at DrunkBotany is.

So are some southerners.  I am a Yankee from Michigan living in Oregon by way of Florida.  North Florida, which, despite what the map says, is Southern Georgia.  They are very nice and gracious and know how to throw a party.  Here is a link to Southern Living, which offers some nice cocktails for this time of the year.

Here is Alton Brown’s recipe for hot chocolate mix.  I’m not a fan of spicy chocolate, so I leave the cayenne out.  I’ve made homemade marshmallows.  Worth every bit of the time spent.

 

“Here we come a-wassailing” actually means something more than lyrics which confuse.  Wassail is a Christmas beverage, probably Medieval England of spiced ale.  It’s not much different today, but many recipes use commercial apple cider instead.  I suppose an adult cider would be interesting.  The song refers to beggars singing carols for gain, a penny or a piece of food or a sip of wassail.  This is a good recipe which can be made virgin for the kids and amped up for the big kids.

Christmas for my parents was always a Kahlua drink season.  If you’ve the time and plan well, this Kahlua is well worth making.

 

 

I really like eggnog, both the kid and adult kind, but really the adult kind.  Here’s a recipe which works very well, is super thick and packs a punch.