Drinks with Anna: Nogs, Grogs, Punches, Bubbles, and Cocktails for Every Festive Occasion
by Anna Tusa
THE HOLIDAYS ARE ONE OF MY FAVORITE TIMES of the year. It is when we truly cherish moments with family and friends. While it’s special, it can also be overwhelming and stressful. But I am here to make your cocktail serving experience easy like Sunday morning! Whether you are hosting your family over the holiday season, friends for brunch, or just want to warm up while enjoying the beautiful weather, you should not be stuck behind the bar. I have created drinks that can be batched, or made with simple ingredients, so that you can enjoy the festivities too.
PUNCHES
SPARKLING CRANBERRY PUNCH
Serves 12
- 14 oz Vodka
- 1 1⁄4 pints cranberry juice
- 1 1⁄4 pints pink grapefruit juice
- 12 dashes of Peychaud’s bitters
- 1 1⁄2 liters chilled Brut Prosecco
- Frozen cranberries and lime wedges for garnish
*Mix all ingredients in the bowl except the Prosecco and garnish, stir and let sit in the fridge until ready to serve. Once ready to serve, remove and add a few ice cubes. Place the garnish in the bottom of the glasses, ladle punch, and top with Prosecco.
ANNA’S HOT MARTELL BLUE SWIFT CIDER
Serves 10-12
- 14 oz Martell Blue Swift
- 1⁄2 gallon of apple cider (Found at any grocery)
- 1⁄2 gallon of caramel apple cider (Found at any grocery)
- Cinnamon to taste
- 1 Tbsp lemon juice
- 2 honey crisp apples
- 12 cinnamon sticks
*Mix all ingredients in the bowl (except the apples and cinnamon sticks) and place in the fridge overnight. One hour before serving allow it to get room temperature. Ten minutes prior to serving, heat it on the stove top and serve in a glass with a fresh apple garnish and cinnamon stick.
BANANAS FOSTER PUNCH
Serves 20
- 1-gallon Creole Cream Cheese Ice Cream
- Carmel syrup in a squeeze bottle
- Whipped cream
BANANA SYRUP
- 1 banana
- 3 Tbsp brown sugar 3 oz banana liqueur 8 oz water
*Heat on the stove top until it forms a syrup.
PUNCH
- 7oz cinnamon rum
- 7oz banana liqueur
- Banana Syrup
*Combine the syrup and punch on the stove to heat; pour into a heat proof pitcher. In your glasses scoop creole cream cheese ice cream, pour punch over it, whipped cream, and a squeeze of caramel.
NOGS
All recipes start with a half-gallon of non-alcoholic egg nog (buy it to save time)
CINNAMON NOG
- 14oz Fireball
- 1⁄2 gallon of egg nog
*Stir together in a pitcher add cinnamon to taste. Garnish with a cinnamon stick and a nutmeg sprinkle when serving.
PRALINE NOG
- 14oz Bird Dog Praline Whiskey
- 1⁄2 gallon of egg nog
*Stir together in a pitcher add cinnamon to taste. Garnish with candied pecans when serving.
COCKTAILS
HOT BUTTERED CINNAMON RUM
- 1 stick of salted butter 3 Tbsp of Sugar
- 1⁄2 Tbsp Cinnamon
- 1⁄2 Tbsp all spice
- 1⁄4 tsp ground cloves
*Beat butter mixture together; store in fridge until ready to serve.
- 1 Liter Cinnamon Rum
*To serve, place two scoops of butter mixture in a shatter resistant glass. Pour a shot of the cinnamon rum, then top with boiling water.
APPLE BRANDY SOUR
- 2oz apple brandy
- 1 oz lemon juice
- 3⁄4 oz maple syrup
- 3 dashes of bitters
- 1⁄2 oz egg white
- Maraschino cherry to garnish
*Freeze a coupe glass for 15 minutes. Pour brandy, lemon juice, maple syrup into a shaker with ice, add bitters, shake well, then strain into a clean glass. Discard ice, add the cocktail back to the shaker, pour in the egg white, and shake for 30 seconds. Drop a maraschino cherry into the coupe glass and strain cocktail over cherry.
OH SNAP!
- 3 oz Cask and Crew Ginger Spice Whiskey
- 1 oz simple syrup
- 4 oz whole milk
- Cinnamon to taste
- Crushed ginger snap to garnish
*Combine all ingredients except the ginger snap garnish in a shaker with ice. Shake then strain over ice. Top with cinnamon and ginger snap garnish.
BUBBLES
A TROPICAL HOLIDAY
- 3 oz Malibu
- 2 oz orange juice
- 2 oz pineapple juice
- 2 oz Brut Champagne
*In a champagne flute combine Malibu, orange and pineapple juice. Top with Champagne and garnish with pineapple.
CHERRY SOUR FIZZ
- 3 oz Maraschino liqueur
- 2 oz lemon sour mix
- 3 oz Champagne
*Rim a champagne glass with red sugar, combine all ingredients and top with Champagne.
ANNA’S MARTELL CIDER
(This is for the leftovers of the cider if you have any)
- 5 oz of cider mixture
- 3 oz Champagne
*Rim a champagne glass with cinnamon pour both ingredients and serve with an apple garnish.
I hope that you enjoy these festive cocktails with family and friends this holiday season. I know many of you have not been able to spend time together this year, so I hope these wonderful drinks will be a great part of your 2020 memories. Maybe you will find a new favorite or tradition.
Cheers and see you in 2021!