Month: December 2019

Hot White (Christmas) Chocolate

Who remembers playing outside in the snow as a kid?  Sledding?  Making Snowmen?  Snowball fights?  Just staying outside in the crisp, cold weather crunching through the snow until your cheeks were pink and your nose was froze?  When it was finally time to go inside the perfect way to warm up was a steaming mug of Hot Chocolate.  How did you top yours?  Marshmallows?  Whipped Cream?  Or were you a purist, and drank yours with no garnish at all? 

Growing up we had a really good homemade Hot Chocolate Mix.  My mom had the recipe in an old church cookbook.  It might have been my dad’s mom’s church cookbook, but I’m really not sure.  I just remember that it was delicious.  I made it a couple of years ago, and it was still good.  But not as good as I remember.  So I decided to create a new, easy, amazing Hot Chocolate. 

I don’t know about you, but as an adult Hot Chocolate is a pretty big treat.  My hot drinks tend to stay on the sensible side- coffee or tea.  And if I’m craving Hot Chocolate, sometimes the powdered packet is just fine… but let’s face it, even the best powdered mixes aren’t that good.  So, if you are going to have Hot Chocolate do yourself a favor, and make it a real treat.  A rich, creamy, decadent (SPIKED) treat. 

I love this recipe because it’s a little different.  It features White Chocolate and Dark Chocolate Cocoa Powder.  You get all of these delicious layers of chocolate and it’s not too sweet.  It’s amazing on its own, but even better if you spike it with a little smoethin’ somethin’ it’s even better.    

  • Hot White (Christmas) Chocolate
  • 1 bag (11oz) High Quality White Chocolate Chips
  • 1 ½ Tablespoon Dark Chocolate Cocoa Powder
  • 8 cups 1% Milk
  • 1/3 Cup Heavy Whipping Cream
  • A couple of drops of Vanilla Extract
  • Pinch of Kosher Salt

In a heavy bottomed pot combine the heavy cream, about half the milk, the cocoa powder, and whisk well to combine.  Add the rest of the ingredients.  Stir often and keep an eye on the heat, you don’t want to scald the milk.  Once the chips are melted and everything is heated through, give it a taste test.  Add more cocoa powder, milk, or vanilla as needed. 

You can also make this in a crockpot.  Follow the same directions, but over low heat stirring every 30 minutes.  Once hot, switch to the warm setting.

Serve with marshmallows, whipped cream, or nothing at all in your favorite mug!

This is amazing and child friendly, as is.  Now let’s make it adult friendly.  Some of my favorite additions are – Candy Cane Infused Vodka (as made in a previous post), Skrewball Peanut Butter Whiskey (who doesn’t love peanut butter and chocolate?), Fireball (cinnamon and chocolate for a little extra spice), your favorite bourbon (bourbon and chocolate pair so well together), Rum Chata (for a more mild, extra creamy addition), Kahlua (for a mocha-type drink)….. the possibilities are really endless.  Let me know what your favorite is!

My favorite? LOTS of marshmallows and a healthy glug of Maker’s Mark.

Winter Warm-Ups

 So, this post is delayed by a few days.  I was going to make a nice post about some of my favorite winter warm-up drinks, like hot toddies and how they are not only delicious, but also medicinal… I made my drinks, I took my pictures, and then my throat started to hurt, I began to feel achy and chilled, and before I knew it, I was hit with a cold/flu/nastiness.  I have been sleeping as much as possible and drinking lots of hot water/lemon/honey/ginger and I’m already feeling much better. 

So, what is a hot toddy?  A mixed drink, served hot traditionally made with whiskey, lemon, and honey. 

I enjoy a traditional toddy when the weather starts getting chilly but by December, I’m ready to shake it up a little bit.  I don’t know if you’ve noticed but I love pairing blackberry and whiskey.  So, I made a Hot Blackberry Ginger Toddy… it just what I needed.  The blackberry and honey mix so well, and with the fresh lemon juice it doesn’t get too sweet.  Beam Black is my go-to for a drink like this- big enough flavors to stand up through the blackberry/ginger, but it still blends well into the cocktail.  The ginger is absolutely necessary for me, but feel free to leave it out if you don’t have any or don’t like it.  I need the bite of fresh ginger to balance the other flavors, but I understand fresh ginger is too much for many people. (ps – sorry for the not-great phots… this is all that I got before I accidentally drank it in my haze of oncoming sickness.)

  • Hot Blackberry-Ginger Toddy
  • 1oz Honey (locally sourced is best, thank you Don Popp’s Honey Farm)
  • .5oz Fresh Lemon Juice
  • 4 Blackberries
  • ¼ – ½ inch piece of fresh Ginger, peeled and rough chopped
  • 1.5oz Beam Black
  • 5oz near boiling water

In a heat proof measuring glass combine Honey, Lemon Juice, Blackberries, and Ginger.  Muddle the blackberries into the honey and lemon.  Add Beam Black. Top with water and carefully stir to combine.  Cover the top of the glass and let steep for 4 minutes.  Pour through fine mesh strainer into your favorite mug and enjoy.

Do you have a favorite take on the Hot Toddy?

Up next… my Favorite White Christmas Hot Chocolate….

Clarified Milk Punch

I have been reading about Clarified Milk Punch.  Images of these crystal-clear punches have been popping up in my Insta-feed.  I keep reading recipes.  Searching for the best way to make one.  What they’re supposed to taste like.  The science behind it.  Well, I walked into O’Neal’s on Monday and I said to myself- “I can make that.”  And so, I did.  It was quite a process.  And I’m not sure if I did it correctly or not.  So, I tried it again today, this time with a different punch base and a better understanding of how the science behind it works. 

To explain this process as simply as possible, you make a delicious concoction of flavors- tea, sweeteners, fruit juices, spices, booze and lemon juice.  Then you add whole milk or heavy cream and let it all sit for about 30 minutes.  And then you start straining the liquid to remove the milk solids.  And you strain it again and again and again until the magic moment when the cloudy, murky liquid is suddenly translucent!  Then serve over ice and marvel in your creation. 

This finally strained into a golden-translucent liquid.  It has a very delicate, but decisively one-note flavor, which is: Lemon.  It’s smooth, with a slightly creamy mouthfeel and a definite lemon flavor (without the mouth-puckering tartness) and a hint of orange and bourbon. 

I’m absolutely not unhappy with how my first attempt turned out. 

  • Attempt #2-
  • -Churchill’s Fine Teas Hot Cincinnati Spice
  • -Simple Syrup
  • -Fresh Orange Juice
  • -Lemon Juice
  • -Jim Beam
  • – Cardenal Mendoza Angelus Liqueur
  • -Half and Half

I followed the same procedure of mixing everything (except the Half and Half) together in a large glass bowl.  Then I added the Half and Half, covered the bowl and let it sit 24 hours untouched.  Just like the first time the dairy immediately curdled.  It. Looked. Disgusting.  But hey, sometimes you gotta get ugly before your beauty can shine through.  And this, it was a SERIOUS glow-up!

  • Yup, it curdled
  • Pretty Gross.
  • Keep Straining
  • It’s almost clear!

This time when I strained the concoction, I did so into another large glass bowl with a large strainer lined with a coffee filter.  OMG, it was so much faster than my first attempt!  After the first strain it was SO clear.  2 more goes, once through my super fine tea strainer and it was good to go!   Let it chill and serve over a giant ice cube with an orange and lemon wedge and enjoy.

The science behind this Clarified Milk Punch is still blowing my mind… I’m looking forward to playing around with it more.  Maybe a Gingerbread Milk Punch.  Or a Candy Cane Milk Punch.  The possibilities are endless… keep an eye out for more #sippableexperiments

Agave and Rye

Agave and Rye has been a staple in Covington for many years now.  And for years I’ve been reading about the amazing food menu and the top notch cocktail list.  However Covington isn’t exactly close to me and when I do find myself in that part of the city it’s usually for a specific reason.  So alas, I have yet to make it to the original Agave and Rye…. BUT lucky, LUCKY me!  Agave and Rye opened a location in Liberty Center, which is just up the road from my Partner in Crime which made it PERFECT for a #SundaysareforResearch outing.

Last Sunday was cold and damp.  And did I cold?  We had big plans to adventure up to Dayton or Hamilton.  But waking up Sunday to the damp and the cold, we decided to stay close.  So Agave and Rye it was.They took over the former Cantina Laredo space in Liberty Center and completely transformed the space.  The white bar top and tables provide a perfect setting for the murals that cover the walls.  There is a definite urban flare to the art, which keeps the space feeling hip and edgy but still comfortable and approachable.  Even though the capacity was increased by approximately 30 covers the space feels cozier than it used to.  

The menu is daunting.  Not because of the huge selections (but they have that, too) but because EVERYTHING sounds SO GOOD!  We decided to start with the chips and queso- who doesn’t like queso?  The homemade chips were light and crisp but held up to the thick, goey, spiced queso.  It was delicious.My Partner in Crime decided on the Snitch- a Jerk Mahi-Mahi Taco and I went with the Shrimp and Crab Empanada.  His taco was ginormous!  It was overflowing with garlic rice and grilled pineapple and a very generous portion of Mahi-Mahi.  My empanadas were so good- the crust was fried a perfect golden brown, and very light.  They were topped with avocado and a corn salad and even more crab!  So much crab and shrimp!  Very well seasoned.  Absolutely delicious!  

This couldn’t be a true #research outing if I didn’t indulge in a fabulous cocktail.  I was tempted by so many things… from there proudly perfected frozen margaritas to a traditional marg to something a bit more adventerous.  I finally decided on a Sangria because I love a good Sangria and a good one is very hard to find.  And this was pretty good.  It had all of the rich flavors that I look for in addition to a nice tequila kick.  

Next visit to Agave and Rye it will be hard to convince myself to not order the Crab and Shrimp Empanadas again- they were so darn good.  My Partner in Crime already knows exactly what he’ll be ordering next time.  And as far as cocktails go- I think next time I’m going to try one of their famous margaritas

Candy Cane Shooters

‘Tis the Season for Good Tidings and Good Cheer!  And I have tons of ways to help you shake up your favorite Spirits to help you get into the Holiday Spirit! 

Vodka is awesome.  It is one of my favorite spirits to play around with.  It mixes well with just about everything.  It’s delicious chilled with some olives or a lime wedge.  It is great as a base for creating infusions.  Like a Candy Cane infusion. 

Yes, Candy Cane infused Vodka.  Delicious in some hot chocolate with tons of whipped cream.  Or a simply chilled and garnished with crushed canes for a Candy Cane Martini.  Or mixed with a few other ingredients to make something extra special.  Extra, extra special.

One of my absolute favorite Christmas cookies from my childhood were Candy Cane Cookies.  Traditional Sugar Cookie mix and pink Peppermint spiked Sugar Cookie mix twisted together in the shape of a Candy Cane.  I loved these things.  So I used my Candy Cane infused vodka to recreate my favorite Christmas Cookie!  I hope you like it as much as I do!

  • Candy Cane Cookie
  • -1.25 oz Candy Cane infused Vodka
  • -.5 oz French Vanilla Coffee Creamer
  • -about ½ a teaspoon of Krusteaz Sugar Cookie Mix

Combine all ingredients in a shaker tin, add ice, and shake!  Double strain into a shooter glass or a martini glass if your feeling fancy.  Garnish with a mini Candy Cane and enjoy!

*Candy Cane Infused Vodka

You can infuse the entire bottle or just a couple of cups.  The choice is yours. 

Combine your vodka and Candy Canes in a sealable container. 

For every 2 cups of vodka add about 3 Candy Canes.  Shake container every hour or so.  Once Candy Canes completely dissolve in the vodka it’s ready to use.  For the entire bottle I would use 7 full size Candy Canes. 

Cranberry, Spice, and Everything Nice

I know that I’m not alone when I say that I love the Holidays!  From Thanksgiving (ok, if I’m being honest with myself, from Halloween) through Christmas and New Year’s Eve I love the Holidays.  All of the decorations, the cool-to-cold weather, the first snow, and all of the amazing food!  This time of year, we make all of those special recipes that define Thanksgiving and Christmas to our taste buds.  The Cranberry Sauce simmering away on the stove.  The Snickerdoodles baking in the oven.  The Apple Pie cooling on the counter. 

I don’t know about you, but I always end up with some odds and ends left over from a flurry of holiday cooking and baking.  An apple or pear too bruised to use in a pie.  About half a bag of cranberries that I didn’t use.  I always over buy cinnamon sticks because I love cinnamon and I can always find someway to use it.  So I gathered all of my leftover Thanksgiving goodies and threw them in a pot and let it simmer away for an hour or so… the kitchen smelled amazing as the flavors mingled and the liquid reduced. 

Once cooled I mixed it with some Maker’s Mark and topped it with Fever Tree Ginger Beer.  Honestly, it would mix well with almost any liquor, it just depends on what your feeling and what you have on hand.  But your favorite vodka or rum (I would go with a Spiced Rum over a Silver Rum) or even a nice tequila would all be a nice addition to this reduction.  If you don’t have Ginger Beer, Ginger Ale, Club Soda, or even just Sprite would be good.  Or you could spike some Champagne or Sparkling Apple Juice to make a festive Mimosa.  This juice is incredibly versatile.  I was really tempted to reduce some of it down to a syrup to serve over pancakes- but that will have to wait for the next batch! 

Let me know what you think and how you use this concoction!

Cranberry-Pear-Cinnamon-Maple Reduction

  • In a 5 quart pot combine-
  • -6 cups water
  • -12oz fresh Cranberries
  • -2 Pears (or Apples or one of each) cored and chopped
  • -2 Cinnamon Sticks
  • -5oz Demerara Sugar
  • -4oz Pure Maple Syrup
  • -and if you have an orange lying around, throw a slice or two into the pot

Bring it all to a slow boil, stirring occasionally.  Reduce heat to low and simmer for about 45 minutes.  Taste test for desired sweetness/flavor concentration.  Either continue reducing or allow to cool and strain into a storage container and chill.

Spiked Cranberry and Spice

  • In a Collins glass, over ice combine
  • 1.5 oz Maker’s Mark (or your favorite spirit to get you in the Holiday Spirit)
  • 2 oz Cranberry-Pear Reduction
  • Stir to combine
  • Top with Fever Tree Ginger Beer
  • Garnish with an Orange Wedge, Cranberries, or nothing at all.

Enjoy!