Spreading good cheer is easy -- greet guests with a citrusy twist on punch, a brandied eggnog, or a fashionable wine sparkler.
Holiday Citrus Punch
Eggnog Martini
Ginger Sparkler
More holiday cocktails, punches, and drinks
This is the dawning of the age of bourbon. The spirit is having its moment, thanks to the rise of small distilleries producing top-notch, well-aged bourbon. This month, instead of a cocktail, our birthday drink consists of one special ingredient: smooth, handcrafted Woodford Reserve. "I don't like to mix this with anything," says Jennifer Aaronson, Living's food editorial director. "You could -- it would make a killer Manhattan. But it's ideal for sipping."
Classic mimosas get a fresh twist -- and a pretty, rosy hue -- when they're mixed with pink grapefruit juice instead of the usual orange juice. For each serving, pour equal parts of Champagne (or any other sparkling wine) and fruit juice (either store-bought or freshly squeezed). One bottle of Champagne will yield about eight cocktails.
Mint-packed mojitos and juleps might be the most famous examples, but all kinds of cocktails will perk up when herbs are added to the mix. Muddling is the key to extracting the herbs' flavors and fragrant oils, done with a traditional bar tool similar to a mortar and pestle but gentler on delicate leaves, or the end of a wooden spoon. Here are four herbalicious drinks from our test kitchen.
Here's a potion kids are sure to love. Among the ingredients are cinnamon candies that give it zing. Stir 1 quart apple cider and 1/4 cup hard cinnamon candies in a medium saucepan over low heat. Bring to a simmer, stirring constantly, until heated through and candies have melted completely, about 8 minutes. Serve warm.
Fragrant floral teas find a handsome home in glass canisters, where their soft hues are on full display.
Simply fill your favorite jars with colorful varieties of loose tea petals -- we like chamomile, violet, red rose, jasmine, jasmine-scented flowering, and plum berry teas -- and arrange together for a striking counter adornment.
It's not only an attractive display, but also a convenient reminder of the varieties you have on hand.
