let's warm it up this winter!

November 29, 2007 5:21 PM

'tis the season for hot alcoholic drinks. throw your recipes at me!

i usually like a glass of wine after dinner, but i've been craving hot drinks lately. mulled wine is good; what else do you like?

also, i was thinking it would be good to add a shot of something to a cup of lemony herbal tea, but i don't know what would be good. brandy? rum? mead? do they even make mead?

posted by thinkingwoman to food & drink (33 comments total)

Add some Tuaca to lemony herbal tea. Add some peppermint schnapps or peppermint vodka to hot chocolate. Add some Wild Turkey liqueur to regular tea. Add some Buttershots to hot apple cider.
posted by ersatzkat at 5:24 PM on November 29, 2007

Variations on Mexican hot chocolate are winter favorites.
posted by Blazecock Pileon at 5:24 PM on November 29, 2007

Hot chocalate plus rumple minze equals cozy inebriation.
posted by jonmc at 5:26 PM on November 29, 2007

Irish coffee and its disreputable (but yummy) cousins.

Hot toddy.
posted by rdc at 5:37 PM on November 29, 2007

My favorite bar makes an Irish Coffee variation called the KGB Coffee - coffee with Kahlua, Grand Marnier and Baileys. Yummmmm..
posted by radioamy at 5:40 PM on November 29, 2007

Hot Buttered Rum
* Don't stir the melted butter into the drink. It should float on top.
1 cup boiling water
1 teaspoon butter
1 teaspoon sugar (or to taste)
3 tablespoons good rum
Cloves, cinammon and/or nutmeg to taste

Place rum, sugar, and spices in mug.
Pour in boiling water.
Stir.
Drop butter on top.

Delicious and nutritious!
posted by man on the run at 5:42 PM on November 29, 2007

I used to love hot buttered rum, but haven't had one lately. Perhaps that should change. Anyway, it is much better with a nice dark rum like Planter's.
posted by caddis at 5:50 PM on November 29, 2007

Hot cider, Captain Morgan, slice lemon, and a cinnamon stick. Yum!
posted by mkb at 5:57 PM on November 29, 2007

Chip Shot: Coffee & Baileys with a splash of Tuaca

I have a feeling there are many "chip shot" drinks, but this is the one I know.
posted by rhizome at 6:08 PM on November 29, 2007

Love love LOVE mulled wine for this time of year. My favorite mulling spices are from Penzey's; just get a cheap box o' wine, dump some spices and orange slices in and let it simmer for as long as you like.

Also, besides being a festive and delicious drink, it'll make your whole house smell yummy!
posted by non sum qualis eram at 6:16 PM on November 29, 2007

Wassail! I had some at a party last year and it was excellent, I watched it being made and think that this was about the recipe used, or very close (obviously, it's not something you can make just for yourself of an evening since it's pretty complicated and makes a lot, but it's too good to be left out of a list like this):

12 small red apples
3 whole cloves
3 whole allspice
3 cardamom seed, coarsely broken
1 cinnamon stick, broken
2 qt. ale
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
2 cups sugar
4/5 qt. dry sherry
6 eggs, separated


Directions:

Bake apples at 350 degrees for 20 minutes. Set aside. Tie cloves, allspice, cardamom and cinnamon in cheesecloth bag. Place in kettle with 2 cups ale, ginger and nutmeg. Heat slowly 10 minutes; remove spice bag. Add remaining ale, sugar and sherry. Heat slowly 20 minutes. Do not boil. Beat egg whites to firm peaks. Beat yolks and fold in whites. Slowly beat in hot ale mixture until smooth. Carefully pour in punch bowl. Float apples on top. Serve warm in heated mugs or cups.
posted by frobozz at 6:35 PM on November 29, 2007 [1 favorite]

1 part Chartreuse to 2-3 parts Hot Chocolate. so good!
posted by Etta Hollis at 6:43 PM on November 29, 2007

They do indeed make mead! Though they're nowhere near you, as far as I can tell, Trader Joe's has some fantastic mead that's ready to be mulled. I wouldn't think you would want to add it to tea, though; it's only as strong as wine.

My favorite hot alcoholic drink is the hot toddy. I make mine with a very large mug of fresh-brewed tea, a lot of honey, lemon juice, and a healthy jigger of bourbon.

I also like to cheat when I'm mulling wine or mead and just warm it on the stove with a couple shakes of pre-mixed pumpkin pie spices. Quick, easy, delicious!
posted by J-Train at 6:58 PM on November 29, 2007

Yes, they still make mead. I've never tried it, but I hear it's pretty great hot. And it makes me think of vikings and other northern-dwelling manly men.
posted by phrontist at 6:59 PM on November 29, 2007

Scandinavian Glogg will keep you warm.
posted by Fins at 7:19 PM on November 29, 2007

Irish Hot Wiskey:

1 spoon sugar (to taste)
1 shot Irish Wiskey
1 slice lemon
3 whole cloves

Dissolve sugar in a bit of hot water in your coffee/tea mug. Stick the cloves into the lemon slice so they won't fall out. Place lemon/cloves into mug. Cover lemon slice with water and let steep for a minute or so. Fish out lemon slice (if you did it right, the cloves should come with it). Add shot of whiskey. Fill mug with hot water as needed. Enjoy!
posted by falconred at 7:25 PM on November 29, 2007

I'm not a viking at mead but if you can work your way up to southern Indiana there is a nice winery (Oliver) that makes what I am assuming is a decent mead. It's almost cloyingly sweet, but can be nice chilled in small amounts. Judging by the response here there may not be a whole lot of awesome recipes for mead. That just means that some one needs to get on the ball and make some.

It's not very vikiny.

They recently have branched out into Melon thingies and other odd things. I haven't tried yet.

Spiced rum works well in tea. I think. I only do this while sick and with Theraflu.

Cheers!
posted by xorry at 7:30 PM on November 29, 2007

flip.

any colonial drink that involves masses of stout and rum and a hot poker is ok with me.
posted by soi-disant at 7:35 PM on November 29, 2007

Mulled cider and whiskey has gotten me through many a holiday with an appropriate looking beverage.
posted by munchingzombie at 7:40 PM on November 29, 2007

My three favorite hot winter drinks are Mexican hot chocolate (I grew up on it... and it's great to make mochas with too), glühwein & my special alcoholic apple cider.

Instead of doing glühwein from scratch all the time, a lot of times I'll just save time by using bottles of Glögg concentrate I buy at Ikea (It's in their swedish food section & it's great. I swear!) and heat that up with some red wine.

I got my apple cider recipe from Boxer restaurant in NYC. I liked their cider so much that I kinda stole the recipe and then upgraded it. Basically it's heated apple juice/cider, mulling spices, cinnamon stick, cloves, Applejack brandy and cinnamon schnapps. All mixed to taste, you'll have to experiment with how strong you want it and whether you want it really strong, and whether you prefer it more cinnamony or apple-y. Either way? Yum.
posted by miss lynnster at 8:05 PM on November 29, 2007

My Nana's winter cold cure all: hot black tea or hot raspberry cordial with a slice of lemon and a dash of brandy (you don't need to be sick to want to drink it :)
posted by prettypretty at 8:07 PM on November 29, 2007

Feuerzangenbowle

posted by yoyo_nyc at 8:08 PM on November 29, 2007

Oh, you need the Happy Coffee.

I'm not sure of the proportions--the waiter at my fave restaurant is always very cagey about that.

You'll need 1 large (LARGE) mug of black coffee.

Add some Amaretto, Malibu, and Baileys. Heavy on the first and third, light on the second.

Top with whipped cream.

Drink. Have another. Why not a third? It's the holidays.
posted by dirtynumbangelboy at 8:24 PM on November 29, 2007

yoyo_nyc beat me to it, but here's seconding Feuerzangenbowle. If you can get the necessary instruments, you can invite your chums and make a night of it. Excellent reason for a party, imho.
posted by liverbisque at 12:13 AM on November 30, 2007

these all sound amazing. can anyone recommend a good brandy to buy?
posted by thinkingwoman at 4:19 AM on November 30, 2007

I love J. Nismes-Delclou armagnac, but it's vintage and a bit towards the pricey end of the spectrum.

My favourite mulled wine tip is to saute some chopped apple in butter in the pot, then add your wine and spices - yummy! Strain through cheesecloth or fine pantyhose when it's simmered long enough.
posted by goo at 5:04 AM on November 30, 2007

Mead now a days is more or less just sweet wine which would work really well hot & mulled.

But the mead you can buy in the US is not real mead, just a heads up. Unless it looks like orange juice and has almost the same consistency as the pulp-free, its not true mead. It was a bit of a culture shock after spending time in Ethiopian, Tej houses (basically mead), and then coming back to NYC for Ethiopian and ordering Tej/Mead. I don't think the real stuff would be good at all warm or spiced.
posted by Black_Umbrella at 7:13 AM on November 30, 2007

Not exactly a recipe, but following up on your lemon-tea idea...my parents used to make "Special Lemonade" in the winter whenever they were coming down with the sniffles. Just hot lemonade (made from the frozen concentrate, I think, always pulpy) with some rum. Simple, but delicious.

I'm also a fan of the glogg mentioned above.
posted by tigerbelly at 8:24 AM on November 30, 2007

It's kinda been mentioned, but I'm a fan of hot toddies, especially when coming down with a winter cold/sore throat.

My method: while heating some water in the microwave, I take a mug and add a shot of whiskey (I've used bourbon, Irish, and Scotch whiskeys - whatever I have handy), a couple tablespoons of honey, a few cloves, chunks of cinnamon stick (breaking it up a bit helps), and the fresh juice of half a lemon. When the water is hot I fill the mug with it the rest of the way and stir it up.

It's just awesome right before going to bed. Makes you all warm and woozy and you drop right off to sleep.
posted by dnash at 9:05 AM on November 30, 2007 [1 favorite]

1/3 cup half & half
2/3 cup water
2 rounded teaspoons cocoa
large pinch cayenne pepper
salt to taste
2 drops vanilla
2 tablespoons maple syrup (or to taste)
1/2 - 1 shot Lagavulin
posted by lastobelus at 11:11 PM on November 30, 2007

Line a martini glass with chocolate syrup, add vodka and Starbucks/Kahlua, a shot of espresso, and steamed milk.

It's a hit with the ladies.
posted by Mr. Gunn at 12:02 PM on December 1, 2007

Couple people mentioned mead. Don't know if that's ever served warm/hot, but I can comment on the stuff itself / sources. Honey wine can range anywhere on the sweet/dry scale, like wine made from anything else. What you normally find here tends to be very sweet, while Ethiopian "Tej" is on the drier end. I know of a winery in Maryland called Linganore that carries both Mead and Tej, if you're curious. Mead is also one of the easier wines to make yourself.
posted by madmethods at 8:45 PM on December 1, 2007

Mix a little Strawberry Passion Fruitopia with some Absolut Apeach vodka and.....YUMMM!
posted by jenniferwalker at 9:32 AM on December 5, 2007