NerdSmurf

I heard of this combination from the show How I Met Your Mother. I really want to try it.

serves 1

Ingredients

• ice
• 1 1/2 ounces reposado tequila
• 1/2 ounce Averna
• 1/2 ounce ruby port (we like Noval Black)
• 1/2 teaspoon honey
• 1 ounce freshly squeezed lemon juice
• 1 to 2 ounces ginger beer (we like Fever Tree)
• For garnish: 1 paper-thin slice fresh ginger, 2 blackberries (optional)

Procedure

Combine the tequila, Averna, port, honey, and lemon juice in a cocktail shaker filled with ice. Cover and shake for 10 seconds.

Fill a Collins glass with ice. Simultaneously strain the mixture and pour the ginger beer into the glass. (Or strain mixture into glass, top off with ginger beer, and stir gently.) Garnish with ginger slice and blackberries. Serve immediately.

serves 2

Ingredients

• 1 cup vanilla ice cream, softened
• 1 cup orange sherbet, softened
• 3/4 cup milk
• 3/4 cup orange juice
• 2 orange slices for garnish, optional


Procedure

Add all ingredients to blender and mix until thoroughly combined.

Pour into serving glasses and garnish with orange slices.

serves 1

Ingredients

4 parts bourbon (2 oz)
1 part Cointreau (1/2 oz)
1 part fresh grapefruit juice (1/2 oz)

Procedure

Add all the ingredients to a shaker filled with ice.

Shake well (using the hard shake) and strain into a cocktail glass. Serve.

Ingredients

• 6 1/2 cups water, divided
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 1/2 vanilla bean
• 3 good quality black tea bags

Procedure

In a small saucepot, heat 1/2 cup water and sugar over medium heat. Slit vanilla bean down the center lengthwise with a paring knife, and use the tip of the knife to scrape the seeds from the inside of the vanilla beans. Add seeds and whole bean to sugar mixture. Continue to cook until the sugar has dissolved and the mixture is clear. Set aside to cool completely.

Meanwhile, heat remaining 6 cups water in a large saucepot until just before boiling. Shut off heat, and add tea bags. Allow to steep until completely cool.

Remove tea bags and vanilla beans, and discard. Mix vanilla syrup into tea, stir with a large whisk or wooden spoon. Pour into a pitcher filled with ice. Serve immediately.

Ingredients

• 1½ oz bourbon
• 1½ oz peppermint schnapps (Rumpleminze)

Procedure

Add both spirits to a double old-fashioned glass filled with crushed ice. Stir to combine, top off with more crushed ice to fill and garnish with a mint sprig sprinkled with bar or powdered sugar.

serves 1-2

Ingredients

• 2 oz sloe gin
• 1 oz sweet vermouth
• dash Angostura bitters
• lemon peel for garnish


Procedure

Fill a mixing glass or shaker tin with ice and add the sloe gin, vermouth, and bitters.

Stir well until very cold. Strain into a chilled cocktail glass or two cordial glasses.

Squeeze a lemon peel over the top and drop the peel into the drink. Serve.

Ingredients

• 6 small oranges
• approximately 1/2 cup whole cloves
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon ground allspice
• 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1/4 cup sugar, to taste
• 1 750ml bottle aged rum
• 1/2 gallon unfiltered apple cider
• 1 pint boiling water (optional, should you wish for further dilution)

Procedure

Preheat oven to 350. Stud an orange with whole cloves by inserting the pointed end of the clove through the orange peel, pushing until only the bud protrudes. Repeat with remaining oranges; bake oranges until soft, about 30 minutes. Once the oranges have cooled slightly, place them in a heatproof punch bowl.

Warm the rum by placing the bottle in a pot of hot (not boiling) water for 10 minutes or so. While the rum warms, heat the cider in a large saucepan until steamy; pour into a pitcher and have ready for use.

Pour the rum into the punch bowl, and add sugar. Lower the lights.

Using a heatproof ladle, scoop a up a small amount of the rum. Holding the ladle away from the punch bowl (and your face, and the curtains, and the dog), light the scoop of rum using a kitchen match — if necessary, add a little high-proof rum to aid in ignition.

Carefully drizzle the flaming rum into the punch bowl, which should ignite the rest of the rum. Sprinkle pinches of the spices into the flames.

After a minute or two, or whenever you’re tired of the spectacle, douse the flames by gently adding the hot cider (and hot water if using), stirring with the ladle as you go. The flames may not immediately go out, but keep stirring and as the alcohol is diluted, they’ll soon flicker and die.

Serve in punch cups.

serves 4

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup plus 1 tablespoon sugar, divided
• 1 (12-ounce) bag cranberries
• 1 sprig rosemary
• 1 cup toasted walnuts
• London Dry Gin

Procedure

Combine 1/2 cup sugar, cranberries, rosemary, and 2 cups water in small saucepan over medium-high heat. Cover and cook until cranberries are mostly popped, about 10 minutes. Uncover, reduce to a simmer, and cook until slightly thickened, about 10 minutes longer. Strain through fine mesh strainer, reserving syrup and solids.

Meanwhile, grind walnuts and remaining tablespoon sugar in food processor, blender, or mortar and pestle until roughly powdered. Transfer to plate.

For each drink, combine 2 ounces gin, 1 ounce cranberry syrup, and 1/4 cup strained cranberries in ice-filled cocktail shaker. Shake vigorously. Dip rim of chilled martini glass in water, then into walnut-sugar mixture. Strain drink into glass and serve immediately.

serves 2

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 ounces rye whiskey
• 1 1/2 ounces Benedictine
• 1 1/2 ounces green Chartreuse
• 1 very fresh egg
• 1 teaspoon sugar, to taste
• nutmeg and ground cinnamon, for garnish

Procedure

Combine ingredients in a cocktail shaker. Shake very hard, without ice, until the egg is well mixed with the other ingredients, about 10 seconds. Add ice and shake again for about 10 seconds. Strain into chilled cocktail glasses; garnish with a grating of fresh nutmeg and ground cinnamon.