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| FINE COOKING |
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| Warm as a Toast |
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| Cold outside? Then stay in by the fire and sip a cozy cocktail. |
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| Recipes and text by Adem Tepedelen Once the nights turn chilly, a gin and tonic just doesn’t have the same appeal. Gray skies and shorter days call for rich, warming drinks, the kind often made with brandy, whiskey or bourbon, or fortified wines like port. That’s the thinking behind these cocktails, which make for excellent sipping either before or after a meal. If the mood is celebratory, jump start the evening with a sparkling version of the Sidecar, this one emboldened with Cognac and cava. Two traditional after-dinner drinks, port and amaretto, come together in the decadent Sweet Ruby, and the classic hot toddy takes a comforting turn with bourbon, honey, and lemon. Add a roaring fire, and you have the recipe for warming up a wintry night. SPARKLING SIDECAR This festive take on a Sidecar cocktail (which typically contains Cognac, orange liqueur, and lemon juice), features Spanish cava in place of the traditional citrus juice. Serves One. 1 fl. oz. (2 Tbs.) chilled orange liqueur, such as Combier 1/2 fl. oz. (1 Tbs.) Cognac 4 fl. oz. (1/2 cup) chilled cava, such as Segura Viudas Brut Reserva; or as needed Lemon twist, for garnish Combine the orange liqueur and Cognac in a coupe or Champagne flute. Top with the cava, squeeze a lemon twist over the glass, drop it in, and serve. BOURBON HOT TODDY While a hot toddy can’t cure a cold or the flu—as it was thought to do when the drink was invented in the late 19th century—it sure can soothe the soul. Serves one. 2-1/2 fl. oz. (5 Tbs.) bourbon 1 fl. oz. (2 Tbs.) honey 3 small lemon wedges 3 whole cloves Put a kettle of water on the stove to boil. Put the bourbon and honey in a coffee mug. Squeeze the juice from two wedges of lemon into the mug. With a knife, poke 3 holes in the rind of the remaining lemon wedge and push the cloves into the holes. Pour 4 fl. oz. (1/2 cup) boiling water into the mug and stir well to dissolve the honey. Add the clove-studded lemon wedge and let steep for a couple of minutes before drinking. SWEET RUBY Ruby port and amaretto liqueur make this a great post-meal warmer: It’s sweet, complex, and rich, but very easy to make. Serves one. 1 fl. oz. (2 Tbs.) ruby port, such as Warre’s Warrior Special Reserve 3/4 fl. oz. (1-1/2Tbs.) Amaretto di Saronno 2 dashes Angostura bitters Combine the port, amaretto, and bitters in a chilled mixing glass or cocktail shaker. Fill the glass almost to the top with ice. Stir with a long spoon until well combined, about 10 seconds. Strain into a chilled rocks glass over fresh ice and serve. Originally published in Fine Cooking 102, pp. 44 October 29, 2009 |