Holidays Cheers!

(Side note and gift idea, many of you have asked where I got the very cool and unique Champagne glasses. A big thank you for the glasses goes out to Four Blocks South for these champagne stunners. I have ordered items from them in the past and (time-saving tip coming up) they arrived super quickly and they were wrapped! How’s that for a time saver?)

December also means Christmas Markets. Christmas Markets are most famous in Europe, but we are lucky to also have one in Toronto. While you are strolling around outside in the cold, the traditional Christmas market drink (and necessity) is the hot mulled wine or glühwein. I’ve added this concoction at the request of KJ, a Travel*Food*Cool reader (and the creator of KJ’s Summer Crush – Thank you!).

Finally, many years ago, my housemate Leigh (the other hot sauce fan) and I would have the neighbours over for breakfast before everyone went to their parents’ house for Christmas dinner. Besides making Mimosas, we always served boozy coffee. This drink is my throwback tribute to Christmases past and good friends (and good housemates).

The “Oh My Darling” Bubbles

What you need:

• 1 clementine
• Prosecco, sparkling wine, Cava or Champagne

What you do:

• Juice your clementine (I admit, this is just an excuse to show off my vintage glass juicer)

• Add the clementine juice (about 1 oz) to your champagne glass
• Top with Champagne

• Toast the holidays with friends

Violette Vanilla Sparkles

What you need:

• 1/2 oz Giffard Creme de Violette (gift idea – this is my go-to hostess gift this year)
• 1/2 oz vanilla vodka (I used Stoli)
• Prosecco, sparkling wine, Cava or Champagne

What you do:

• Add the Giffard Creme de Violette and vanilla vodka to your champagne glass
• Top with your Champagne

• Admire the gorgeous colour, pretend you have done all your Christmas shopping and wrapping, relax, sip and enjoy the company of friends!

Hot Mulled Wine (Glühwein) – serves 8

What you need:

• 1 orange, sliced, remove seeds if necessary and save end pieces of rind
• 2 cinnamon sticks
• 1 bay leaf
• 6 cloves
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 2 cups water
• 1 750 ml bottle of red wine (don’t use expensive wine, but use a heavier wine like a Cabernet, Negroamaro, etc)
• 3/4 cup (6 oz) Grand Marnier

What you do:

• In a medium-large saucepan, add sugar, water and oranges

• Add cinnamon stick and bay leaf

• Add cloves [ELIN’s TIP: put your cloves in a tea ball or strainer] 

• Bring to a boil, cook for 10 minutes (what we are doing is making a flavoured simple syrup)

• Add Grand Marnier

• Add the wine

• Turn heat down to low simmer (you want to keep this warm, you don’t want to burn off the alcohol)

• Serve, transport yourself to an outdoor Christmas market without worrying about the cold or the crowds

Boozy Coffee

What you need:

• 3/4 cup hot coffee (or more, it’s your call)
• 1 oz Bailey’s Irish Cream – it’s called Boozy Coffee, you can use less or more if you like
• 1 oz Bourbon (I used Bulleit) – it’s called Boozy Coffee, you can use less or more if you like
• whipped cream
• shaved chocolate (optional)

What you do:

• In a cup or cognac snifter, add Bailey’s, Bourbon and coffee
• Top with whipped cream
• Add shaved chocolate

• Sit back, savour and relax!

Travel*Food*Cool would like to raise our glasses to you and say:

Don’t forget to comment on the previous post “My Go-To Spice Mix” for your chance to win our Holiday Giveaway!