The Spirit World

Cinnamon Punch
Bringing Christmas cheer to all who taste it, this delicious cinnamon punch is perfect for those cold winter evenings.
Shake together 25ml of Goldschlager, 12.5ml of Cranberry Juice, 25ml of Amaretto, and a dash of triple sec orange liqueur in a Boston shaker. Then simply pour over ice into a highball glass, top with the […]

A hot punch like this is perfect for the holidays for a few reasons. First, it is an easy way to serve a crowd - in this case it fills 27 white wine glasses. Second, it is obviously warm so it’s perfect for the coldest days. And lastly, anytime you light a punch bowl on […]

Invented by the inimitable Gary Regan, this cocktail’s combination of ginger and smoke always feels very festive to me, like pies and roaring fires and flushed cheeks and getting way smashed at your parents’ house. Be warned: this baby’s pretty potent, so be careful not to end up face-down in the Yorkshire pudding. Maybe best […]

Snooth, the cellar management/wine tasting note resource, has just introduced Group Pages where you can find in-depth information about your favorite wines. Explore the Grapes, Regions and Wineries as well as the Stores they are available in. Individual Group Pages offer detailed information you can rely on to help guide your purchasing decisions. As their tag line explains […]

If you’re looking for something wintry and warming to sip in one of those big old heavy double rocks glasses, but are tired of the old standbys, try this Apple Old Fashioned a la Misty Kalkofen. I realize that those of a non-NE USian bent might be tempted to lean toward a calvados or the […]

After a full meal of turkey, stuffing, cranberry sauce and everything else that makes up our holiday table traditions, we don’t really need to eat another bite. But, sooner or later, most of us crave something sweet to end our meal. This year, instead of being seduced by the siren call of those perennial favorites […]

What is winter if not Manhattan season? This variation, named for a neighborhood in Brooklyn, is similar to the Red Hook, another Manhattan variation named for another neighborhood in Brooklyn. It’s just different enough from the classic recipe to keep things interesting.
The Park Slope
2.5 oz rye
.75 oz Punt e Mes
.25 oz apricot brandy (the sweet […]

The best part of the holiday season is all the sweet treats and one of those classics is gingerbread, whether that be a house or the much easier gingerbread man. The Gingerbread Man-tini takes that flavor and turns it into a cocktail. The key ingredient to make this cocktail considerably easier than many gingerbread-flavored drinks […]

Brandy milk punch is like a lighter (and boozier!) version of egg nog, with the added bonus of being notoriously good in a fog-cutting (hangover-curing) capacity. Absolutely vital in these festive times.
Brandy Milk Punch
2 oz brandy (cognac, really–treat yourself to the nice stuff)
1 oz simple syrup
4 oz whole milk
shake and strain, serve on ice or […]

What would you drink with the classic Thanksgiving Day turkey? Myself and two of my colleagues at About.com asked ourselves just that question and came up with a few answers.
For cocktails I’m inclined to suggest the perfectly titled drink for the occasion, the Thanksgiving Cocktail. The combination of dry, sweet and sour is perfect alongside […]