Holiday cocktail for one
The winter holidays may be grounded in religious tradition and significance, but for many, what elevates these December days from gloomy and dark to special and joyous is the opportunity to gather with friends and family and enjoy each other’s bright company. Without them, December and its short days would otherwise slide by unnoticed and unappreciated until the year’s end.
This December, however, many of us cannot wait for this last month of an unbearably difficult year to speed along so we can shut the door hastily on 2020, a veritable annus horribilis. The holidays aren’t even something to look forward to, since we can’t gather and make merry--no office parties, no SantaCon, no extended family meals. In fact, for some, like me who will be totally alone at the holidays, they have the reverse effect this year; they are going to make the final days of the year even more unbearable. To be frank, being alone at this time can suck.
It’s tempting, then, to close your eyes to the holidays and ignore them, or to grit your teeth and endure them as best you can. If that’s your choice, that’s fine. We all need to be doing what we can to make it through December safely, both in spirit and body.
But I am going to urge you to mark the holidays--even me who’s on her own. Why bother, you may ask? My response is that a celebration, even a solo one, helps us to grab onto time and make it work for us, to savor these fleeting days, and to do as Mohammed Ali encouraged us to do, to make the days count, not count the days.
The next question is how to do so. Under normal circumstances, one of the clear markers of the holidays are seasonal cocktails, the ones that you don’t imbibe at any other time of year. You’re not going to shake up eggnog in July (even though it’s basically melted ice cream) or gently simmer spiced mulled wine during the dog days of summer. No, these drinks have a firm hold on the month of December.
And usually, under normal circumstances, eggnog and mulled wine are made for a crowd. But this year, crowds are the Grinch of Christmas this year--not welcome. So, let’s make individual servings of them. It’s possible!
I present to you single-serving recipes for holiday drinks that you can whip up, and in so doing, acknowledge and even enjoy this strange holiday season. And please don’t be ashamed or hesitate to enjoy a few cocktails on your own, with moderation. For encouragement, check out my blog on the subject. Or do as we’re all doing, drink them in the company of friend or family on Zoom!
Ho ho ho! And, Cheers!
Glüwhein (individual serving)
(Adapted from Micahel P. Foley's Drinking with Saint Nick)
4oz hearty, dry red wine
1 stick cinnamon
1/2 tsp. sugar (or more to taste)
1 orange peel
1 lemon peel
1 whole clove
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Add all ingredients to a small saucepan and gently bring to the boiling point (but do not let the mix boil, or the alcohol will evaporate--unless, of course, you are serving children and want it to evaporate). Let it cool it a bit. Meanwhile, pour boiling water into an Irish coffee cup or coffee mug to warm it. Pour out the hot water from the mug and pour in the glüwhein.
Mulled Wine, but Chilled
(Adapted from Rebekah Peppler, NYTimes)
1 ½ oz dry red wine, such as Pinot Noir, Gamay, or Grenache
1 oz Cognac
½ oz Sweet vermouth
½ oz Fresh lime juice
½ oz Mulled simple syrup*
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Add all ingredients to a cocktail shaker and fill with ice. Shake and strain into a chilled coupe glass.
* Mulled Simple Syrup (Make ahead of time)
1 (5- to 6-inch) piece ginger
2 cinnamon sticks, lightly crushed
4 whole cloves
4 whole black peppercorns
¾ cup granulated sugar
5 whole green cardamom pods, lightly crushed
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Use the larger holes on a box grater to grate the ginger, and add to a small saucepan. Place over medium-high heat. Add 1½ cups water, cinnamon sticks, cloves, and peppercorns. Bring to a boil, then lower the heat and simmer on medium until the liquid reduces by about half and is very fragrant, about 20 minutes. Add the sugar and cardamom, and stir until the sugar dissolves. Remove pan from the heat, and set aside to cool completely. Strain through a fine mesh sieve. This makes about 1 cup. Store in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks. (You can use the extra syrup by adding it to lemonade, drizzling it over oatmeal or substituting it for standard simple syrup in another cocktail to make it automatically cozy.)
Gin Punch
(Adapted from, Drinking with Dickens)
½ lemon, juiced
Pinch ground cinnamon
1 whole clove
1 tsp Brown sugar
1 tsp Honey
1 oz Madeira
1 oz Gin
Boiling water
Garnish: Freshly grated nutmeg
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Pour boiling water into a mug to warm it. Dump out the water and then add the lemon juice, cinnamon, clove, sugar, and honey. Fill the mug three-quarters with boiling water and stir to dissolve the honey and sugar. Add the madeira and gin and stir with a stick of cinnamon. Garnish with grated nutmeg and the cinnamon stick.
Eggnog (Individual serving)
(Adapted from David Wondrich's Imbibe!)
1 Tbls Sugar, dissolved with 1 Tbls water
1 Egg
2 oz Cognac
1 oz Dark rum
4 oz Whole milk
Garnish: Freshly grated nutmeg
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Add all ingredients, except garnish, to a cocktail shaker and fill with ice. Shake and strain into a glass. Garnish with freshly grated nutmeg.