Winter has finally arrived. The 2-hour delays have started due to below freezing temperatures and going outside is a form of punishment. Not only does the wind beat at our faces like a seasoned boxer, but our fingers and toes can’t seem to ever recuperate after the trudge across town. After a long, freezing day, nothing is better than curling up next to a fire with a warm drink. Sure, hot chocolate or coffee will be just fine but let’s kick things up a notch. A warm liquid with a buzz? Sounds like a plan. Here are some quick and easy recipes that are sure to warm you up.
Terzo Piano’s Hot Buttered Cider
Hot Buttered Cider Ingredients:
Cinnamon butter
4 oz butter, room temperature
1/4 tsp cinnamon
2 tblsp brown sugar
Dash of salt
Cider Cocktail Ingredients:
1 oz rum
4.5-5 oz hot apple cider
Tab of cinnamon butter, very cold
Orange peel
To make the butter: Whip the butter with a whisk until light and fluffy, for one to two minutes. Stir in the cinnamon, brown sugar, and salt. Spoon butter on a small piece of plastic wrap, wrap plastic around the butter, and twist the ends tightly, like a candy wrapper, to form a tube about three to four inches long and about one inch in diameter. Chill thoroughly.
To make the cocktail: Pour the rum into an Irish coffee mug, top with the hot cider. Remove the plastic wrap from the butter and cut a ¼- inch thick slice, add this to the top of the cider and serve. Optional addition of orange peel.
Snow Day
Ingredients:
1 1/2 ounce Goslings Black Seal Rum
1 ounce Pierre Ferrand Amber Cognac
Hot Cinnamon Almond Punch (sugar, water, cinnamon powder, fresh lemon and lime juice, almond extract, clove)
Mix all the ingredients for the Almond Punch and bring to a boil, pour in coffee mug and mix in spirits. Serve hot into a coffee mug and garnish with a sugar cane stick.
Hot Buttered Pecan Rum
Butter Base Ingredients:
1 stick of salted butter, softened
2 cups light brown sugar
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
Pinch of ground cloves
Pinch of salt
Drink Ingredients:
2 tbs butter base
2 oz pecan infused rum
3 oz hot water
3 dashes chocolate bitters
Mix and garnish.
Cruzan Sliced Apple Pie
Ingredients:
2 parts Cruzan® 9 Spiced Rum
1/4 part Honey
4 parts hot water
3 Apple Slices
Cinnamon
Apple Slice
Cranberries
Take three slices of apple, honey, and a dash of cinnamon, and gently muddle in a tumbler. Add rum and top with hot water, giving it a quick stir. Strain mixture it into a coffee mug. Add a cinnamon dusted apple slice and 3 skewered Cranberries to garnish.
Winter Julep
Ingredients:
1.5 oz Maker’s Mark
1 oz brown sugar syrup
Top with fresh-brewed peppermint tea, garnish with a peppermint stick.