Brandy Egg Nogg

During the holidays, if you don't plan on having large parties with several guests but rather enjoy small intimate gatherings that don't require a lot of food or large bowls of holiday punches why not try the brandy egg nogg. The recipe calls for one serving but you can alway make a few at a time for your guests and they'll love it.

God bless and Cheers,

John Apodaca
john@daddyosmartinis.com


Brandy Egg Nogg

1 egg
2 tsp powdered sugar
2 oz brandy
6 oz of milk
Nutmeg

Place ingredients except the nutmeg in a cocktail shaker with ice and shake vigorously for about 20 - 30 seconds and pour into a Collins glass garnish with grated nutmeg.

Time for Bishops Cooler

Tis the season to get beyond the traditional carton of eggnog one purchases at his local grocery store and pour some whiskey and brandy into it and serve it up for expectant guests for a Christmas or Hanukkah party.  The host may wonder why there's so much left over at end of the night.

Why not go a step further and go back to old traditional drink that was served up in the nineteenth and first half of the twentieth centuries called the Bishops Cooler. It's the protestant bishop mentioned in barman Jerry Thomas's 1862 Bartenders guide also in "Trader Vic" Bergeron's 1947 bar book along with two other recipes but this one is of the best and easy to make.

God bless and cheers,

John Apodaca
john@daddyosmartinis.com


Bishop's Cooler


Juice of 1/2 lemon (approx 1/2 oz)
Juice of half an orange (approx 1 oz)
1 tsp sugar
3 oz of Burgundy (wine)
1/2 oz of Jamaican rum (Appleton Estates)

Squeeze lemon and orange juice over cracked ice in a 10 oz glass, add sugar and stir.  Add burgundy and stir, float the rum.    

TOM AND JERRY is not just a cartoon!

At one time was as much a part of American holiday celebrations as mistletoe and roasting chestnuts. In 1880’s Manhattan fashionable bars would place an ornate punchbowl in the middle of the bar containing the Tom and Jerry “batter”. The Brass Rail bar in Port Huron, Michigan, has kept the Tom and Jerry tradition alive since it’s opening in 1937.  They start serving it the week before Thanksgiving and continue until New Year’s Eve.

The drink derives its name from the two rambunctious protagonists of the hugely popular English novel  “Life in London” (1821), and not from Jerry Thomas, as he would have everyone believe.  The book inspired a number items named after the characters, but mostly Tom and Jerry was used to describe things drink related.  This a delicious hot drink that deserves to be served not only during winter holidays, but throughout the entire fall and winter seasons.

God bless and Cheers,

John Apodaca

john@daddyosmartinis.com 

½ cup batter (see below)
1oz brandy
1oz rum
Hot water

Ladle batter into a heated mug.  Pour in liquor and then fill with boiling hot water.  Top with grated nutmeg.  Let cool enough to be drinkable, and serve with a spoon for stirring. Tom and Jerry Batter (serves 8)

4 eggs, separated
Cream of Tartar
¾ cup powdered sugar

Whip egg whites with a sprinkle of cream of tartar until they are stiff.  Fold in ¾ cup powdered sugar and the egg yolks.  Mix until the batter is light and frothy.

Gingerbread Manhattan

Something I'm thankful for is the discovery of the Gingerbread Manhattan. It was an idea of Matt Parkinson of Viand restaurant in Chicago because the establishment was using gingerbread syrup for some of it's coffee drinks. Matt decided try switching out the sweet vermouth for the syrup and low and behold, the drink was born. It's great to have this as one of you're holiday drinks and it's really easy to make.

God bless and Cheers,

John Apodaca
john@daddyosmartinis.com

Gingerbread Manhattan 


3 oz of Bourbon ( Buffalo Trace)
1/2 oz of gingerbread syrup ( Torani brand )
1 dash of Angostura bitters
Marasca cherry from Italy (Luxardo)
Crystallized ginger

Combine bourbon, gingerbread syrup and angostura bitters in a cocktail shaker with ice. Shake vigorously for 30 seconds and strain into a chilled cocktail glass. Garnish with a Marasca Cherry and crystallized ginger on a toothpick.