So let's knock back a couple and make some noise.

Oscar Wilde

Happy Holidays!

It's the most flutterby time of the year! Time to gather and host, be merry and toast. The Holidays are a time to heap love, pressies and good cheer on those in our circle. It's also a time to find something fancy to wear and festive to drink. Hot chocolate, spiced apple cider and a frosty Orangina are all brilliant yuletide bevvies. Yet, these are the months  to try summat new, summat boozy and new. Maybe a Kir Royale, or a bold, winter cocktail crafted of George Washington's own rye whiskey, or a classic, all-American, Bostonian egg nog is just the sippy-sippy you need to make those holiday gatherings a tad more festive, or barely bearable. Look no further! JennyPop has your Holiday cocktail menu. Be safe, be savvy and never drink and drive. Thank Baby Jebus for Uber! Glad tidings, kittens!

Holiday Cocktail Reipes!

Dust off your hipster mixology set, or simply polish your phone screen - fingerprints are nasty - and show your bartender your favourite JennyPop Holiday cocktails. Of course, when in doubt ... Champagne. Always, Champagne.
"There can be nothing more frequent than the occasional drink."
- Oscar Wilde
Holiday party animation, hands up, raise  glass

Sterling's Snow Queen


Ingredients

  • 1.5oz of Empress 1908 gin
  • 1oz rosemary simple syrup
  • juice of 1/2 lime
  • pure cane sugar

To Craft


Before you start, go to your hat boxes and find your prettiest, pink. fluffy earmuffs, the ones that look like tufts of cotton candy. Then, put your hat boxes back where they belong, so your room's not a mess.

Next, fill a martini glass, or a vintage Champagne coupe glass, with artisan, filtered ice. Let it sit whilst you gather your ingredients. Empress 1908 gin is pricey, but the bottle is lovely, will make a fabulous soap dispenser when you've drained it of it's wintry, juniper goodness and, most of all, you are an empress and deserve it.

Empty the ice from your glass into a cocktail shaker. Add your gin, lime juice and rosemary simple syrup. Set aside.

Turn your martini glass upside-down into a, preferably Sterling silver, dish of pure cane sugar: Barbados or Hawaiian is preferable. Turn back rightside-up, duh.

Pour your shaker's mixture into sugar-rimmed martini glass and garnish with a slice of lime, curl of lime peel or even mint, for the festive season. A candy cane is always an extra nice touch at Christmas.

Finally, put on your pretty, pink earmuffs and some light pink lipstick - not too pink, too tacky. Look up some pictures of Kentucky or Virginia in the snowy Winter and enjoy Sterling's Snow Queen as you recall fond, Winter, pub times with dear friends you miss, from a distant life, many moons ago. 

"Thank you, mes chères. Y'all are welcome to Kentucky; I, too, miss Virginia this time of year. I may come West someday. We'll see."

Sterling Fry
Sterling's Harper House Snow Queen: Empress 1908 gin, rosemary simple syrup and lime jiuce in a martini glass with a sugar rim. Photo by Africa Studio, lic. Adobe Stock # 173682162

Dante's Rapier

Ingredients

  • 2oz George Washington's Rye Whiskey
  • 1oz Sweet Vermouth
  • 2dsh Angostura Bitters
  • Ginger Beer
  • Orange Twist

To Craft


First and foremost, polish your fave large, martini glass and chill in the freezer, briefly. A Tiffany's glass offers lovely light-play and makes the most elegant "clink" when cheered with another.

Second, go to Virginia. Geo. Washington rye whiskey is only avail at The Shops at Mount Vernon. If you can't make it to the Old Dominion, maybe a friend is going; ask them to bring you a bottle. It's pricey, so send them Earth monies via PayPal or Venmo or whatever you use, beofre they go. If no way you're getting George's recipe, any rye whiskey you love will do. It just wont be a Dante's Rapier.

Now, mix your rye, vermouth and bitters in a shaker with ice: quality ice preferably untouched by human hands. Pour mixture into your chilled glass and garnish with an orange twist.

Sip leisurely, cross-legged and with a slight air of haughtiness. This is a cocktail for fireside, erudite chats about public history and museums, Revolutionary War myths and stories about bridges. Remember, if you hear a joke about a Welshman, simply nod and chortle mouth closed, lips taught; never knee-slap and guffaw. Save that action for your Black and Tan.            
"Associate yourself with men of good quality, if you esteem your own reputation; for ‘tis better to be alone than in bad company.”
George Washington
Dante's Rapier cocktail: George Washington rye whiskey, sweet vermouth, Angostura bitters and an orange peel in a martini glass. Image: lic. Adobe Stock

Mr. Micawber's Hot Gin Punch

 Ingredients

  • 4 parts Hendrick's Gin
  • 4 parts Madeira Wine
  • 2 tsp brown sugar
  • 6 lg lemon and orange twists
  • 1 sm slice of orange
  • 1 fresh pineapple
  • 4 tsp organic honey

To Craft

Procure your finest, French copper simmering pot. Combine all ingredients in said-pot and simmer gently for 30 minutes. As mélange simmers, find your favourite teapot and teacups: likely your Royal Daulton with the hanid-painted periwinkles.

After thirty minutes - remember to turn off your burner! - pour the steamy, oh-so-proper, English libation into your teapot and serve hot in (previously warmed) teacups. Serve with happy gingerbread men on the side. Hyacinth Bucket would approve.

Did You Know?

Gin blossomed in England, in the late-16thC., after the introduction of the Dutch spirit, Genever. English sailors and merchants, returning from The Netherlands, brought home Genever, much as today we bring home duty-free booze returning from trips abroad. It was the rise of Dutch-born King William III of Orange to the English throne in 1689 (and war with France in The Glorious Revolution) when William banned all French brandy, that Genever, and eventually gin, became an English mainstay.
Mr. Micawber's Hot Gin Punch: Hendrick's gin, Madeira wine, brown sugar, honey orange and pineapple in a colonial, pewter mug.

The True American Egg Nog

Ingredients

  • Privateer True American Rum
  • Horizon Organic Egg Nog
  • 1 orange
  • cloves
  • nutmeg

To Craft

Some of you might make craft your egg nog from scratch. This recipe isn't for you; this is for carton-folk. Although, we at JennyPop applaud your dedication and skill. For instantly festive egg nog, nothing could be easier. 

Ratio of rum:eggnog is 1:5. So, a 1qt carton of Horizon eggnog requires 6.5 ounces of Privateer rum. Mix directly in a lovely, serving bowl and garnish with nutmeg, cloves and grated orange peel. Tie a pretty bow on your ladle and have plenty of Marty Moose cups nearby. 


"Can I refill your eggnog for you? Get you something to eat? Drive you out to the middle of nowhere and leave you for dead?"
                                                   - Clark Griswold, Christmas Vacation
The True American Egg Nog: Privateer True American rum, Horizon organic egg nog, orange, cloves and nutmeg in a vintage, Champagne coupe glass. Topped with a yummy Pirouline!

By The Fireside

Ingredients

  • 4 parts Grey Goose vodka
  • 5 parts grapefruit juice
  • 1 part no. 2 amber maple syrup
  • 1 sprig rosemary
  • 1 pinch salt

To Craft

Coat a dry, highball glass with your yummy maple syrup and sprinkle coating with crushed rosemary and salt. Fill with quality ice. Add Grey Goose, top with grapefruit juice and stir with a silver spoon. Garnish with a full sprig of rosemary and serve with a dark chocolate truffle: See's Candies or Trader Joe's truffles, you can't go wrong.

Did You Know?

La vodka è italiana! Whilst popularly identified with Russian culture, the eariest iteration of vodka was imported to Russia by Italians, in the early-15thC. Molto interessante!
By the Fireside: Grey Goose vodka, grapefruit juice, number 2 amber maple syrup, rosemary and salt in a crystal highball glass.

JennyPop's Vintage Kir Royale

Ingredients

  • 1/4oz Chambord
  • Veuve Cliquot Champagne
  • mint leaves
  • 3-4 raspberries
  • 3-4 blueberries



To Craft

Muddle your fresh raspberries - no frozen allowed - in the bottom of a Champage flute. Coat your flute with Chambord, swirling your glass slowly to cover prettily. Add Veuve Ciquot to finish. Garnish with a fresh mint leaf and fresh blueberries.
 
Whilst short, vintage, coupe, Champagne glasses are more romantic and stylish, the flute glass is preferred if adding garnish and liqueurs. The glass might be modern, but you bring the vintage flair! 
“Ignore the critics. Only mediocrity is safe from ridicule. Dare to be different!”
                                                    ― Dita Von Teese
JennyPop's Vintage Kir Royale: Chambord, Veuve Cliquot Champagne, mint, raspberries and blueberries in a Champagne flute.
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About Author

Jennifer Susannah Devore (a.k.a. JennyPop) authors the 18th C. historical-fiction series Savannah of Williamsburg. She is a regular contributor - 10 years running - to the Official San Diego Comic-Con Souvenir Book; as well, she writes and researches all content for JennyPop.com. Occasionally, JennyPop writes under the pseudonym Miss Hannah Hart, ghostdame of The Hotel del Coronado.

JennyPop has been cited by TIME magazine as a Peanuts and Charlie Brown expert. Her latest novel is The Darlings of Orange County, a sexy, posh and deadly romp through Hollywood, San Diego and Orange County. Book IV in the Savannah of Williamsburg Series is completed and awaits publication. She is currently researching Book V for the series. She resides at the beach with her husband, a tiny dog, a vast wardrobe and a closet that simply shan't do.

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