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RECIPES: Spiked Warm Drinks Will Elevate Your Holiday Party

By Emily Frost | December 19, 2014 8:31am | Updated on December 19, 2014 5:52pm
 Try these warm drinks to make a holiday party cozier and livelier. 
Warm Drinks for a Holiday Party
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NEW YORK CITY — If you're looking to liven up your holiday party's drink options but don't want to go as far as city mixologists by making cocktails with chili oil or spruce needles, try serving a warm spiked drink.

It's an option that summons the mood and aromas of the holiday season, said Aviram Turgeman, the beverage director for the Tour de France restaurant group

Turgeman's pro tip for setting up your drinks properly is to prepare your glassware.

"The key is to warm up the mug ahead of time so it retains the heat for longer," he said, adding that you can do so simply by pouring some boiling water into your mugs and letting them sit for a minute or two.

And while these drinks go down easily at a rollicking gathering, they're also lovely to enjoy on one's own.

The smell of the Earl Grey tea used in the Apricot-Bergamot Hot Toddy is "so soothing," said Turgeman.

"The essence of bergamot captures the warmth of sitting near the fireplace," he added.
 

Apricot-Bergamot Hot Toddy 

Heat an 8-ounce Irish Coffee mug and set aside

Add into mixing glass:

3/4 ounce Earl Grey Syrup*
3/4 ounce Fresh Lemon Juice
1/2 ounce Marie Brizard Apry
1 1/2 ounces Bacardi 8-Year rum

Stir well and pour into the warm mug. Top with 3 ounces boiling water. Stir and garnish with an orange twist studded with 4 cloves on a cocktail pick.

*Earl Grey Syrup:
Steep 3 bags of good quality Earl Grey tea in 32 ounces of boiling water for 10 minutes (covered). Remove the tea bags and mix with 32 ounces of white sugar. Label and date, will keep refrigerated for three weeks.

If you'd rather have someone else make it for you after some crazed last-minute shopping, it's available for $13 at L’Express, Nice Matin, Marseille, Café D’Alsace, Le Monde, Pigalle, and French Roast Uptown & Downtown. 
 

Maple-Spiced Hot-Buttered Rum

1 ounce Spiced Maple Butter*
5 ounce Organic Apple cider
2 ounce Bacardi 8 Year Rum

Mix butter and cider in a saucepan and bring to a boil. Turn heat off and add the rum. Stir thoroughly.

Pour into an Irish coffee mug or another heat resistant cup. Finish with an orange twist. Garnish with a star anise float.

*Maple Spiced Butter Recipe:
Cut 2 sticks of butter to 1-inch cubes and let warm to room temperature
Add 1 cup grade A Maple Syrup
1/2 cup demerara (brown) sugar
2 1/2 teaspoons of ground dried ginger
2 1/2 teaspoons of ground mace
1/2 teaspoon of ground cinnamon
2 pinches kosher salt

Whip gently to create a smooth mixture. Place in the refrigerator for 20 minutes to get a harder consistency. Roll into a sheet of parchment paper and create a long about 1.5-inch thick roll. Keep in freezer and dose per drink.

The drink is also available at Nice Matin on West 79th Street at Amsterdam Avenue for $14 and was created by Aviram Turgeman.


Classic Cider Punch

4 ounces apple cider
1 ounce Grand Marnier
1 ounce Ron Zacapa 23-year-old rum
A pinch of fresh nutmeg
A pinch of fresh cinnamon
1 clove
1 quartered Granny Smith Apple (peeled)
1 quartered fresh orange

Mull apple cider, Granny Smith apple, orange and spices together. Remove orange and blend. Mix in Grand Marnier and rum with cider mixture. Chill and strain. Add garnish if desired. Can be served hot or cold.

Recipe by The Sea Fire Grill on East 48th Street between Lexington and Third avenues.
 

Up on the Rooftop

2 ounces Jefferson Bourbon
1 ounce apple cider
3/4 ounce lemon juice
1/2 ounce cinnamon-infused agave
1 ounce Chai tea

Combine all ingredients on stovetop and warm.  Garnish with nutmeg and a pinch of cayenne pepper.  

The recipe was created by The Manhattan Cricket Club on West 79th Street between Broadway and Amsterdam avenues. 

 

Bourbon Cider Punch

4 ounces apple cider
2 ounces Bulleit bourbon
1/2 ounce sweet vermouth
1 to 2 dashes bitters, such as Angostura
Orange zest
A pinch of fresh nutmeg
A pinch of fresh cinnamon
1 clove
1 star anise (garnish)
1 Orange Twist (garnish)
1 Cinnamon stick (garnish)

Warm the apple cider, orange zest and spices together. Mix in bourbon with the cider mixture. Pour into glass, top off with sweet vermouth and bitters. Add garnish. Can be served hot (cozy mug) or cold (martini glass).

Recipe was created by The Sea Fire Grill on East 48th Street between Lexington and Third avenues.