Holiday Cocktails 2011

If you've finished buying gifts and decorating for the holidays, then it's time to relax and enjoy the season. For me, this means indulging in a cocktail, and I think the season deserves something special. I've been, uh, researching these holiday cocktails for you to try this year. These are all recipes that serve two, so grab a friend and start celebrating (responsibly, of course).

Hanukkah Blue
Blue is the traditional color of Hanukkah, and blue Curaçao liqueur is the best way to make a festive blue beverage.

In a cocktail shaker filled with ice, combine 3 ounces of top-shelf vodka or gin, 1/2 an ounce of white vermouth, a splash of blue Curaçao and the juice of half a Meyer lemon. Shake well and strain into two martini glasses. Garnish with a lemon twist.

Dark December
Whether or not Winter Solstice is your seasonal celebration of choice, you can't deny that, when the shortest day of the year is happening, it's dark and cold and dreary. A little sugar can help you feel better about that.

Combine 8 ounces of Irish cream liqueur, 8 ounces of vanilla ice cream, 8 ounces of milk, 8 ounces of ice and three or four good squirts of chocolate syrup in a blender. Blend until smooth. Fill two highball glasses, garnish with shaved dark chocolate, and serve with straws.

Partridge in a Pear Tree
I don't particularly love the Christmas carol that lends this drink its name, but I do like the idea of giving the gift of a specific breed of bird perched in a particular type of fruit tree. Try to return that!

Fill two double old-fashioned glasses with ice and set aside. Gently muddle one cardamom pod in an empty cocktail shaker. Fill the shaker with ice and add 2 ounces of pear-infused vodka, 2 ounces of simple syrup and 2 ounces of fresh lemon juice. Strain and divide into the two glasses. Top each with sparkling lemonade and garnish with a slice of pear.

Midnight Maybe
I call this New Year's Eve beverage a Midnight Maybe because, if I have one at 8 p.m. I may be awake at midnight, but I may not.

In an ice-filled cocktail shaker, combine 1 ounce raspberry liqueur, 1 ounce elderflower liqueur and 1 ounce fresh lime juice. Shake and strain into two champagne flutes. Top each with your favorite sparkling wine.

Are there any holiday spirits that get you in the holiday spirit? Do you prefer the classics, like egg nog or wassail? Would you rather just crack open a beer?

Posted by Stephanie Petersen