Keep it festive with these holiday cocktails

Whether you're toasting on New Year's Eve or hiding from a political debate in your in-laws' garage, one thing is for certain: cocktails make everything better. A festive drink with seasonal flavors heightens the mood, and with 2020 nearing an end, it's not too soon to start celebrating!

Here are a few of my top picks:

Eggnog: Give this creamy classic a kick with with bourbon and rum!

Ingredients:

• 4 large eggs, separated
• 1/3 cup plus 1 tablespoon sugar
• 1 pint whole milk
• 1 cup heavy cream
• 1 1/4 fluid ounces bourbon
• 1 1/4 fluid ounces dark rum
• 1 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg

Directions:

• With a stand mixer, beat together the egg yolks and 1/3 cup sugar until the yolks lighten in color and the sugar is dissolved. Add milk, cream, bourbon, rum, and nutmeg, then stir to combine. 
• Place in a separate bowl and set aside.
• Put the egg whites in the bowl of the stand mixer and beat to soft peaks. While the mixer is still running, gradually add the remaining 1 tablespoon of sugar and beat until stiff peaks form.
• Gently fold the egg whites into the mixture. Chill and serve.

Citrus & Cardamom Gin Fizz - Woodsy, Sparkly and worth the prep! 

Ingredients:

• 2 oz rosemary syrup (recipe below)
• 3 oz cardamom-infused gin (recipe below)
• 1/2 cup grapefruit juice
• Splash of prosecco, chilled
• Rosemary sprigs

Directions:

• To make the cardamom gin, simply combine gin and whole cardamom pods in a jar, and let sit for about 24 hours. The gin will soak up the cardamom flavor. Then, strain out the pods and your infused gin is ready to go!
• Simple syrup is exactly as it's described: simple. The ratio for sugar to water  is 1:1 - equal parts. Just pop a couple of rosemary sprigs into the sugar and water as they simmer. When the syrup is done, strain out the rosemary and you’ve got a nice woodsy, wintery simple syrup.
• Shake up some ice in a cocktail shaker.
• Pour in the rosemary syrup, gin and grapefruit juice. Shake vigorously for around 30 seconds. Give it that frothy, gin fizz look.
• Strain the cocktail into a glass filled with fresh ice.
• Top with a splash of prosecco, a sprig of rosemary, et voila!

Snow Falling Cocktail - A refreshing peppermint dream - by none other than Ladles' own Sarah!

Head on over to the Ladles and Linens Cooking School on Facebook, and watch her whip up a batch. Even better, grab the ingredients ahead of time, and make the drink in real time with the video.

The fact that we've made it this far with all the curveballs 2020 threw at us, really says something. When I toast, it may be for better days ahead, but it will also be a pat on the back. We should all be proud of our preserverence in these uncertain times. Cheers!