About Cocktails: Classic & Cold Weather Cocktails

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From Colleen Graham, your Guide to Cocktails

The year is almost over, but we still have a lot going on. I thought that we would spend this week looking at some of the best winter cocktails and the many, many ways that they can be adapted to fit our personal taste.

Also, look for the announcement early next week about the new cocktail contest. We're taking on New Year's for the theme and it will have a tighter deadline so I can get the results out before the big party. Enjoy your weekend and stay safe, Cheers!

Cocktail of the Week: Habanero Blood Orange Margarita

We are going a little spicy this week and celebrating the start to the fresh blood orange season. The sweet little citrus is just coming out and this very fun cocktail from La Sandia in Santa Monica, California pairs it with the spice of habanero in a puree that is added to a shaker filled with sour mix and tequila. It is a cocktail that is anything but boring. Get the recipe...

The Hot Toddy Collection

The Hot Toddy is one of those must-have drinks when the weather turns chilly and it is so easy to make that it's almost a shame not to have one. The other great thing is that you can use any base spirit you like and go with straight water or use your favorite tea.

A bourbon toddy is my favorite, though every now and then I get in the mood for a little brandy. Also, if you have yet to enjoy the wonders of a Scotch toddy, I recommend giving that one a try. Then again, few drinks can calm the icky symptoms of a head cold like a warm, aromatic gin toddy. Ah, I do love toddy season!

Explore the Hot Toddy Collection...

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An Eggnog for Everyone

The other essential drink of this season is eggnog. Love it or hate it, you have to admit that it is a classic. For those who love the nog, there are just as many ways to enjoy this holiday favorite as there are for the toddy.

Rum, whiskey, brandy, which makes the better eggnog? I did a side by side tasting a few years ago and decided that for my taste, brandy is the way to go. Just the other day a reader suggested amaretto and I do believe that is a great idea.

The options for eggnog go far beyond that simple decision, though. There are tequila, low fat and carb, even vegan recipes available. There is truly an eggnog for everyone and maybe, just maybe, you can find a nog that you do like.

Explore the Eggnog Collection...

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The Martini Recipe Collection

There is the Martini and then there are martinis. I have recently revised the collection of cocktails that has martini recipes of every variety. It includes the classic Gin Martini and other classic cocktails that are very similar to it, the liquor-vermouth variations.

On the second page you will find martinis grouped by their flavor profiles, including Fruity Martinis, Sweet Treat Martinis, Spiced Martinis, and Herbal Martinis. That is a fun list to explore, especially when you're in the mood for a certain taste.

Page three is useful when you want to mix a martini with a certain spirit. Have leftover gin or feel like a Manhattan that isn't so Manhattan-y? This is where you can explore the collection's recipes grouped by base spirit.

Browse the Martini Collection...

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Three More New Cinnamon Spirits

The flavor of 2013 may very well be cinnamon. I recently raved about the new Peligroso Cinnamon Tequila and today I have three more spirits to share that take on the flavor.

The cinnamon liquors in this article are: Jose Cuervo Cinge Tequila, Pinnacle Cinnabon Vodka, and Baileys Vanilla Cinnamon.

All are very tempting, particularly for those of us who have a cinnamon obsession. Read more about these new releases...

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