A Delicious Cocktail: A Beautiful Way to Warm Your Heart

Who dont love to raise a glass or two in the festive season? A glass of bubbly or a delicious cocktail. The term “cocktail” first appeared in print in 1806 in a New York newspaper, defining it as spirits, sugar, water, and bitters, think of a simple mix like an Old Fashioned. However, mixing alcoholic drinks has ancient roots, evolving from medicinal concoctions and punches into the sophisticated drinks we know today. Come the festive season, a hot cocktail always warms the heart. Find out more in A Delicious Cocktail: A Beautiful Way to Warm Your Heart.

Key Milestones in the world of Cocktail making

Mixed drinks existed for centuries, with evidence of early blends in ancient Greece and Rome. By the 1700’s, punches were popular in Great Britain, and in America, taverns served early versions, sometimes called by the slang term “bittered slings”. 

The History of the Cocktails

In 1806  The Balance and Columbian Repository company published the first known definition of a cocktail as ‘spirits, sugar, water, and bitters’.  The evolution continued between 1830s-1860s with Liqueurs, absinthe, and curaçao being added, making cocktails more complex.  By 1862, the Codification was complete with the publishing of  Jerry Thomas’s How to Mix Drinks (The Bartender’s Guide), which put cocktail culture on the map.  So, while the idea of mixed drinks is ancient, the cocktail as a specifically named beverage emerged in early 19th-century America. The practice of heating and spicing wine is arguably the ancestor of all hot cocktails, with roots in Roman times two thousand years ago. It was widespread in medieval Europe, often referred to as hippocras and documented in 13th-century medical texts as a spiced wine concoction. Who knew cocktails were good for you? So why not find a delicious cocktail as a beautiful way to warm your heart at Christmas?

How to make Mulled Wine

 1 bottle of red wine (fruity and medium body), 1 orange, 1 lemon, 0.25 cup evaporated cane sugar, 3 cinnamon sticks, 1 medium piece fresh ginger, 6 whole cloves, 3 star anise pods, 8.5 oz French Cognac.

Combine all ingredients in a large saucepan. Heat over medium-high until the mixture just begins to simmer. Do not let it boil or the alcohol will evaporate. Reduce the heat to low, cover and let it simmer for two to three hours so the flavours meld. Strain to remove the spices and fruit and serve hot in a mug.

How To Make Hot Toddy

¾ cup water, 1 ½ ounces (3 tablespoons) brown liquor (whiskey, bourbon, or dark rum, 2 to 3 teaspoons honey, 2 to 3 teaspoons fresh lemon juice, 1 lemon round or wedge (for garnish) 1 cinnamon stick (optional, for garnish) 

Heat water to a simmer. Combine hot water, brown liquor, 2 teaspoons of honey, and 2 teaspoons of lemon juice in a mug. Stir until the honey dissolves, then adjust the honey and lemon juice to taste. Garnish with lemon and an optional cinnamon stick. Serve warm. 

How to Make Hot Buttered Rum

8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter, 2/3 cup packed dark brown sugar, 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract,1/2 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg, plus more for sprinkling, 1/4 teaspoon ground allspice or ground cloves, 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt

2 cups water, 1 cup dark rum, 2 cups whipped cream (optional), 4 (4-inch) long cinnamon sticks.

Place 1 stick of unsalted butter in a medium heatproof bowl and let it sit at room temperature until softened. Add 2/3 cup packed dark brown sugar, 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract, 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground nutmeg, 1/4 teaspoon ground allspice or ground cloves, and 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt. Beat with an electric hand mixer on high speed until fluffy and smooth, about 2 minutes.

Bring 2 cups of water to a boil in a kettle or medium saucepan. Let the water cool slightly so it isn’t actively bubbling, about 30 seconds. Carefully pour the water into the butter mixture. Add 1 cup dark rum and beat with the mixer on medium speed until the butter is dissolved and the mixture is frothy, 1 to 2 minutes. Divide between 4 mugs. Top with whipped cream if desired. Sprinkle with more freshly grated nutmeg. Garnish each mug with a cinnamon stick.

How To Make Eggnog

Milk, Cinnamon & Nutmeg, Vanilla, Egg Yolks, Sugar, and Cream. Bourbon or Rum. Whipped Cream

Combine the milk, cinnamon, nutmeg, and vanilla in a small saucepan and slowly bring to a low boil. While the milk is heating, vigorously whisk the egg yolks and sugar in a large bowl until pale yellow and well combined. Add the hot milk mixture to the yolk mixture a little at a time, stirring well after each addition. Pour the mixture back into the saucepan and cook, stirring often, over medium heat until it has thickened enough to coat the back of a spoon. Remove the saucepan from the heat and stir in heavy cream and booze until well combined. Let cool slightly, then cover and chill.

How to make Verte Chaud,

Also known as a hot green in its native French, is a favourite après-ski beverage in the French Alps.

Ingredients: For the hot chocolate: 0.75 cup brown sugar, 0.3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder, 1 pinch salt, 4.5 cups milk, 0.5 teaspoon cinnamon, 0.75 teaspoon vanilla extract, 0.5 cup half-and-half cream. For the chartreuse cream: 4 oz heavy cream, 2 oz green chartreuse, 1 oz simple syrup.

Method: In a saucepan, combine all of the ingredients for the hot chocolate and bring to a gentle boil; simmer for 15–20 minutes. Make the chartreuse cream by combining all ingredients in a mason jar. When ready to serve, shake vigorously until thickened. To make the cocktail: combine 4 oz of hot chocolate with 1.5 oz of green chartreuse in a tempered mug. Top with the shaken chartreuse cream.

If you enjoyed reading A Delicious Cocktail: A Beautiful Way to Warm Your Heart, then why not read What to Eat here

.Cent Magazine London. Luxury Mindset