The Christmas holiday season is once again upon us, and with that a flurry of places to go, people to do, things to see. We’ve received a bountiful number of recipes this year for your consideration, and we’ve taken great pains (and hangovers) to ensure that these are some of the best of the bunch. Ho ho ho!

Mistletoe Martini
1.5 oz. Devotion Vodka Black & Blue
1 oz. Kahlua
1 oz. Bailey’s Irish Cream
1 oz. white crème de cacao

Pour all ingredients into a martini shaker filled with ice. Shake and strain mixture into a martini glass, and garnish with chocolate shavings.

Hemingway Hot Rum Punch
(Created by Phil Greene, author of To Have and Have Another: A Hemingway Cocktail Companion)
9 oz Pilar Blonde rum
6 oz Pilar Dark rum
6 oz Cognac Ferrand 1840
1 oz water (author’s note: totally optional)
4 1/2 oz lemon juice
3 oz lime juice
3 oz Depaz Cane Syrup or 1 oz brown sugar simple syrup

Directions: Add all ingredients to a pot, set on stove on low, allow to simmer for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally. Serve in punch cup, Irish coffee glass, sturdy wine glass, or rocks glass. Garnish with lemon peel. Optional: Add a dash of Angostura Bitters or Dale DeGroff’s Pimento Bitters to each serving. Serves 8.

More Precious than Gold
(Courtesy of Milagro Tequila)
1.5 oz. Milagro Anejo
0.5 oz. dark crème de cacao
4 saffron threads
1 pinch of chili flakes
0.5 oz. brown sugar syrup
3 dashes of chocolate bitters
.5 oz. of sweet potato puree
1.5 oz. of hot water

Add all ingredients in small pot and heat up till almost boiling. Pour into irish coffee cup or mug. Top with whipped cream and garnish with saffron. (Note: Because of the price of saffron, I’m making the call that this is totally optional. Your drink will not be ruined with its absence.)

Cranberry Collins
1 ½ parts Bacardi rum
¼ parts St. Germaine Elderflower liqueur
1 part fresh lemon juice
¾ parts simple syrup
2 bar spoons cranberry jam
Top with soda water

In a Boston glass, add all ingredients except for soda water. Fill glass with ice, top with shaker and gently shake to mix ingredients. Strain over ice-filled Collins glass, top with soda water, and garnish with fresh cranberries and sprig of rosemary.

Pear Rosemary Cocktail
(courtesy of celebrity caterer Andrea Correale)
1 bottle pear infused vodka
12 sprigs of fresh rosemary plus more for garnish
1 oz. pear nectar
2 oz. sparkling water
fresh cranberries for garnish

Add 12 sprigs of rosemary into a 48-ounce glass jar, then add pear vodka and seal the jar. Let it stand at room temperature overnight. Pour 3 oz pear rosemary vodka into glass, add the pear nectar and sparkling water. Garnish with fresh cranberries and sprig of rosemary.

The Gingerbread
1 oz vodka
1 oz Baileys Irish Cream
½ oz Kahlua
½ oz gingerbread syrup
Whipped Cream (garnish)
Gingerbread Cookie (garnish)

Combine all ingredients (except garnish) into a cocktail shaker and shake until well combined. Serve in a glass of your choice and garnish.

Winter Star Martini
2 oz. Skyy vodka
1 oz. fresh lemon juice
¼ oz. agave syrup (or simple syrup)
½ oz. raspberry compote (or jam)
½ ripe green pear
Raspberries (for garnish…. or snacking)

Chop the pear into small pieces. Muddle all ingredients together in a shaker and shake vigorously. Double strain into a martini glass. Garnish with three raspberries on a cocktail stick.

Midori’s Elf Kiss
1.5 parts Midori Melon Liqueur
1.5 parts sweet & sour mix
1 part Skyy Infusions Citrus
juice of 1/2 lemon
2 ½ inch squares of fresh ginger
Top with cranberry juice
A floater of orange liqueur

Fill tall glass with ice, pour Midori as the bottom layer. Muddle fresh ginger and juice of 1/2 a lemon. Add sweet & sour and SKYY Infusions Citrus. Shake with ice. Strain and pour over the bottom layer. Finally, carefully top with cranberry juice and a floater of Orange Liqueur. Garnish with candied ginger and a cranberry.

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