The Cocktail Napkin – Naughty or Nice?

by Jo Petteruti, Mixologist and Owner, Jo's Stillwater Tea Room It's Christmas!  Have you been naughty or nice this year?  Depending on how you have been can affect how Santa treats you and it can also influence your choice of beverages. Christmas is a time of sharing and enjoying.  Family and friends come together to share food, beverages and each other's company.  Sharing extends beyond the family-friends circles as well, by helping others that are less fortunate and whom we may not even know.  It's that time of year when gifts of the heart can mean so much as well. Cocktail recipes can come from the heart too, as they are expressions of some of your passions.  This holds true for many others who create tantalizing treats with food and beverages – chefs, bakers, candy-makers, they all create from the heart. Some of the most popular Christmas cocktails include Eggnog (spiked or not),  Hot Buttered Rum, Hot Toddy, Mulled Wine and a Brandy Alexander and we serve them at the Tea Room.  Interestingly, Hot Cocoa drinks don't always make the “top ten Christmas drinks” list, but they do have a place at the Tea Room and we make them both ways - naughty and nice. Hot Cocoa drinks at the Tea Room start with a base of Nestles Dark Chocolate Cocoa mix which is rich and creamy without being too sweet.  It is also caffeine free but is not dairy-free.  All hot drinks are served in 12 oz mugs.  Today's column includes the three Hot Cocoa drinks we have on our Fall/Winter menu.  But we've made up a number of other concoctions with our customers too - suggestions are always welcome. Naughty Hot Cocoa:

• 1 package of Hot Cocoa mix
• 6 oz. Hot Water
• 1 ½ oz. Baileys Irish Cream
• 1 ½ oz. Ciroc Amaretto Vodka
• Whipped Cream and Cinnamon

Preparation:

• Add the cocoa mix to the cup, then the hot water. Stir well to mix.
• Add the spirits to the cup and stir again.
• Top with whipped cream and a sprinkle of cinnamon.

And, here's a couple of versions that can be nice.  But beware, having a couple of any of these hot cocoa drinks may have you feeling a little naughty, which could be nice... Double Dark Hot Cocoa:

• 1 package of Hot Cocoa mix
• 6 oz. Hot Water
• 1 ½ oz. Godiva Dark Chocolate Liqueur
• 1 ½ oz. White Creme de Cacao
• Whipped Cream and Dark Chocolate Sprinkles

Preparation:

• Add the cocoa mix to the cup, then the hot water. Stir well to mix.
• Add the spirits to the cup and stir again.
• Top with whipped cream and the sprinkles.

Peppermint Patty Hot Cocoa:

• 1 package of Hot Cocoa mix
• 6 oz. Hot Water
• 1 ½ oz. Godiva Dark Chocolate Liqueur
• 1 ½ oz. Peppermint Schnapps
• Whipped Cream, Dark Chocolate and Sparkly Green Sprinkles

Preparation:

• Add the cocoa mix to the cup, then the hot water. Stir well to mix.
• Add the spirits to the cup and stir again.
• Top with whipped cream and a little of each of the sprinkles.

Sip and enjoy them all responsibly... Ciao!       Sign up to receive updates and the Friday File email notices. Support local, independent news – contribute to The Fallon Post, your non-profit (501c3) online news source for all things Fallon.