Cozy Cocktails to Enjoy Fake-Fireside
Pools and beaches are a happy memory at the moment, as winter’s dropping on KC. For all of us who live with changing seasons, we focus on the joys that come with cold weather.
Don’t we Karrie? Karrie?? Yeah. Well. Karrie likes warm weather, period, the end.
Maybe that’s why she loves blankets so much. They’re fantastic winter-fighters. So are warming drinks in cozy spaces.
Karrie and I thought it would be interesting to venture beyond the usual one-ingredient drinks (i.e. rosé or beer) we keep in our refrigerators and try our hand at making a few real-live cozy cocktails.
We laughed that unlike baking a cake, you can totally adjust these recipes to taste as you go. And one of them was totally infallible. (Horchata Cha Cha, I’m looking at you.) Mostly because each ingredient in that one was chugworthy on its own.
Drinks on tray, we ducked under low attic beams and entered the secret door that leads to my writing sanctuary. We grabbed a few of the throws I keep stacked and ready for inspiration naps, and curled up on the floor in front of my super awesome fake fireplace.
You guys, I don’t care where you live, get a fake fireplace and you will be 32%-53% happier every time you turn it on, I’m telling you the truth.
Coziness, catching up, and we even remembered to write down the recipes we liked best. Winter’s looking better all the time.
If you too want to offer friends something swankier than a beer or glass of wine next time they’re over, consider sharing one of these lovely libations. If we can do it, so can you!
Although I won’t judge Karrie if she points me toward the open bottle of rosé in the fridge next time I’m over.
And now here are our recipes (using that term loosely) as described by karrie:
Konichiwa, Eh? - Japanese Whiskey Meets Canadian Maple
Pretty much equal parts (or adjust to taste) Japanese whiskey (we used Iwai), Canadian maple syrup and lemon juice. Shake it with ice, then strain. And because we’re just all over the map and had to use the hotei buddhas, we added Italian Luxardo cherries.
Horchata Cha Cha - Embarrassingly Simple
Rumchata with a splash of Godiva chocolate liqueur. You can pretty much put anything with Rumchata, happened to have some of this on hand and it did not disappoint. Garnished with these marshmallows, because the garnish is important after all. We meant to toast them, but well, you know how it goes when you’re taste testing. Make sure and use one of those big ice cubes so it doesn’t get watery. Although, not gonna lie, we left these by the fireside to make the next cocktail, and they were even good watered down.
Winter Sangria - It's all about the brandy & herbs
Layer in thin slices of oranges, apples, and pears. Add ice and pour in some cheap red wine (you know the bottle that someone always leaves at your house), throw in sparkling apple cider and a sprig of rosemary. And must have: a splash of decent brandy.
Tuaca + Pear / Ginger Kambucha - It's that easy
Leave this one out for Santa, he will reward you. Tuaca with a splash of pear/ginger kambucha. Garnished with thin sliced pears. straight up. Room temperature or whatever. You can’t mess this up.
Cinnamon Milk - You're welcome
We’ve already established rumchata goes with pretty much anything. Here we added cinnamon whiskey. Don’t have it? Just use Fireball. Sounds cheap and nasty. It’s not, it’s heaven.
Do Not Make This- Seriously, it's gross
5 out of 6 ain’t so bad. Fig Dark and Stormy was a fail. Don’t know if it was the fig jam paired with lemon juice or the thyme or the ginger beer, or maybe spiced rum would have been better than dark rum. Or it was just the end of the night. But this wasn’t so good, but sure looks purdy in pictures.
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