Written by:
Colleen M. Lee
» Order
this Issue of Curve:
17#10
During the holidays, let’s face it—we all need a drink or three to get us through. I mean with the pushy mall dwellers, relatives you would prefer not to see and the constant anxiety of charging gifts on a maxed card, we all need to sit down and have a glass of our favorite festive beverage. So what do the ladies of CURVE drink during this time of year? Here’s the rundown:
FRANCO, COMMANDER IN CHIEF Franco is not one to be outdone during the season: She came up with her own drink—the NA version of the mojito, which she likes to call the “Franco Mojito.”
Franco Mojito Ingredients Tall thin glass
Six fresh mint leaves
Ginger ale
Two wedges fresh lime
Ice
Sugar (optional)
Directions Add sugar to a flat small bowl (just a bit bigger than your glass lip), wet the lip of a tall glass and turn it over in the sugar, crush mint in the bottom of a tall glass with a pastel, squeeze the juice of two fresh lime wedges, once juiced, put the lime wedges into glass Add ice cubes, slowly add ginger ale, stir without disturbing sugar on lid, garnish with a fresh mint sprig and a fresh lime wedge
DIANE, EXECUTIVE EDITOR Diane mentions that she and family started a new holiday tradition—Veev Acai mojitos. The Anderson-Minshall clan used to drink seabreezes, and grandma drank pink squirrels, but now the Veev mojito is the drink of choice.
Veev Mojito Ingredients 2 ounces Veev Acai vodka (veevlife.com)
1tablespoon superfine sugar
Lime wedges
Club soda
Mint sprigs
Directions Muddle mint leaves, sugar and lime in a mixing glass, add 2 ounces of Veev and ice in cocktail shaker and shake, strain into glass, top with club soda and fresh mint.
(SHORT) COLLEEN, SENIOR EDITOR Normally a beer and wine drinker during the year, I do bring out the spirits to get in the spirit. I have a few favorites depending on the activity. It is usually a nice refresher after shopping like a vodka limeade or a family tradition of white cherry Russians Christmas morning.
Kaffir Limeade Ingredients Couple of ounces of Hangar One Kaffir Lime Vodka (hangarone.com)
Lime
Soda water
Ice
Directions Add ice, vodka, squeeze of lime and soda water to fill. Shake. Enjoy.
White (Cherry) Russian Ingredients Effen Black Cherry Vanilla Vodka (effenvodka.com)
Kahlua
Whole milk
Ice
Directions Pour any amount of Effen Black Cherry Vodka and Kahlua in a glass (depends on your taste), add a splash of milk. Stir. Add ice. Be careful not to gulp, because this drink is delicious.
HOLLY, SUBSCRIPTIONS Holly loves an old-time holiday beverage called beer. Her dad would tell her that on Christmas Eve, Santa gets tired of all the cookies and milk, so Holly would leave him a braunschwiger sandwich and beer—making us wonder if Holly really wishes she was Santa.
Beer Ingredients Bottle of preferred beer, bottle opener
Directions Open bottle, gulp or sip (Holly says it depends on the company present).
KATIE, ASSISTANT EDITOR Katie says the hot toddy is what she likes to drink when it's cold outside. She adds, “I particularly like coming home for the holidays after working and having my dad fix me a hot toddy before I go to bed. And my sister and I use them as cold medicine.”
Hot Toddy Ingredients One-half cup of whiskey
One-quarter cup of hot water
2 or 3 tablespoons sugar
Juice from half lemon
Whole cloves to taste
Directions Mix ingredients together and sip.
STEF, ART DIRECTOR Stef whose car is riddled with empty bottles of Alize says that her drink of choice during the holiday season is gluhwien because “it makes me feel warm and fuzzy and it reminds me of my mom, and celebrating with my family on Christmas Eve—the German way—on a wintery Boston night. Fireplace crackling, cats snuggling up on our laps, and an odd assortment of jazz, folk, oldies, R&B and calipso music playing in the background.”
Glühwein (mulled wine) Ingredients Two bottles red wine
1 cup sugar
3 cups water
One lemon, sliced
20 whole cloves
Six to eight cinnamon sticks
1 orange, sliced for garnish
Directions Mix water, lemon and spices and simmer for an hour. Strain. Heat but do not boil the red wine. Add wine to hot water mixture. Ladle into cups and serve with half a slice of orange.
MEA, INTERN Mea and her family wash down the tinsel and sentimentality with a little shot of Cabo Wabo tequila. She adds, “What better way to celebrate the season than shouting ‘Salud!’ in unison and throwing one down.”
Cabo Wabo Shot Ingredients
One shot Cabo Wabo (cabowabo.com)
One lime wedge
One bottle of beer
Directions Grab the shot of tequila, toast to your friends and family, pour the shot down your throat, suck the lime and then sip your delicious beer. Feliz Navidad, everbody!
(TALL) COLLEEN, INTERN When asked about drinks Tall Colls says, “Are you kidding me, I'm Irish, drinks have been in my blood since the day I was born. I love cocktails. I love hot cider and whiskey, chocolate candy canes and Manhattans.”
Chocolate and Vanilla Candy Canes Ingredients 2 ounces UV Vanilla vodka (uvvodka.com)
1 ounce chocolate liqueur
Splash of peppermint schnapps.
Directions Mix all ingredients, shake and serve in a martini glass.
JENNA, INTERN Jenna swears by one holiday drink: pomegranate champagne cocktail. “It’s a big hit at parties,” she says. Her reason for loving it is simply because it looks pretty and tastes great.
Pomegranate Champagne Cocktail Ingredients One-half ounce pomegranate juice
Champagne
Five to 10 pomegranate seeds
Directions Pour champagne and pomegranate juice in flute. Place seeds in drink (they float).
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