THANKSGIVING COCKTAILS for a Cheery Holiday Toast

With Thanksgiving just about a week away, we have cocktail recipes that can be key to making the holiday feel a little more festive and fun. These six drinks are ideal for your well-planned gathering, relaxing day at home or for a virtual toast with family and friends. And they are not just for Thanksgiving. Think Friendsgiving, a drink to pair with your next fall meal, and cool evenings around the fire pit. We appreciate that experts who are admired far and wide in the beverage industry have shared their favorite recipes. These are ones that will make you feel like a talented mixologist. Gather your ingredients and check out the fine brands and the venues that are being highlighted for our readers. Cheers!

Pear + Pomegranate Punch

By Cassandra Rosen, Wine Educator of Tussock Jumper Wines

-1 750ml bottle Tussock Jumper Riesling
-1 cup pomegranate arils
-2 limes, sliced
-4 oz pear juice
-1 oz orange liqueur
-1 oz cranberry vodka
-sparkling water

-Garnish: thyme sprigs

Method: Combine all ingredients except the sparkling water in a pitcher and chill, at least 4 hours. When ready to serve, top with sparkling water and garnish.

About Tussock Jumper: As a gold medal award winning wine portfolio, Tussock Jumper Wines sources only the best limited production vintages each growing season from producers around the globe.

For the US market, the Tussock Jumper portfolio includes 24 wines from eleven different winemaking regions. Each of their wines are bottled at the source, capturing the best flavors and aromas from grape to glass.

To 'bring your wine to life®', Tussock Jumper has also developed an augmented reality app, with each regional ambassador 'jumping' off the bottle to help with wine pairings and recommendations. Download it free on the Play Store or iTunes. For more information about the portfolio of Tussock Jumper Wines, visit https://www.tussockjumperwines.com/.

Apple Cider Margarita

By Marc Daley, Beverage Director of Lola 42 - Boston, Mass.

-2 oz Casamigos Reposado

-2 oz Apple Cider

-.5 oz fresh lime juice

-.5 oz cinnamon simple syrup

Method: Shake in a cocktail shaker. Serve over ice and finish with a cinnamon sugar rim.

About Lola 42: Named for its latitudinal location, Lola 42 is the sister restaurant to flagship LoLa 41 - a concept that opened on Nantucket in 2006 transforming the island's dining and nightlife scene with its swanky interiors, rhythmic soundtrack and global bistro cuisine inspired by countries along the 41st parallel. In 2017, at the behest of the building's developer, LoLa 42 opened in Boston's bustling Seaport District where well-to-do crowds gather for everything from Japanese kushiyaki (removed snacks) and sushi rolls to macaroni and cheese - all complemented by A-List wines, beers, and craft cocktails. In early 2020, Lola 41 headed south opening a location in tony Palm Beach, FL at newly opened luxury boutique hotel White Elephant. For more information, visit https://www.lola42.com/.

Spiced Sour

By Egan's Irish Whiskey

-1.5 oz Egan's Vintage Grain

-.5 oz fresh lemon juice

-.5 oz fresh blood orange juice

-.5 oz Cinnamon/Clove Rich Simple*

-The white of one egg

Method: Combine all ingredients in a shaker. Dry shake until pressure changes, add ice and hard shake until fluffy. Double strain into a large coupe. Garnish with chocolate bitters in a pretty design andor a dried blood orange round balanced on the rim.

*Make a rich infused syrup by dissolving 16 oz sugar in 8 oz water and adding 2 cinnamon sticks and 4-6 whole cloves to the mix. Leave them in until the finished syrup comes to room temperature.

About Egan's Irish Whiskey: Egan's Irish Whiskey has a long family history. In 1852, Patrick Egan Sr. established P. & H. Egan Ltd in Tullamore, County Offaly, in the heart of 19th century Ireland. The spirited enterprise quickly became one of Ireland's foremost merchant houses, spanning a range of commercial endeavors that included malting, brewing and bottling. Today, the Egan legacy and time-honored traditions continue to be carried forward by the family that has Irish Whiskey in their blood. For more information, visit https://www.eganswhiskey.com/.

Glühberry

By Ute Londrigan of Heimat New York

-2oz Heimat New York Cranberry *Available at HaimatNY.com

-4oz Fresh apple cider

-2oz Dark rum

-0.5oz Lemon juice

Method: Mix all ingredients and heat until just before boiling. Experiment with various spices for your own fun version.

About Heimat New York: Traditionally crafted by founder Ute Londrigan, just as her grandmother did 100 years ago, these not overly sweet liqueurs are 100% natural and only produced once a year with whole fruit, sourced from all Upstate New York farms, at the height of flavor and ripeness. Crafted in small batches, fruits are then naturally filtered for full body and expression. Now in its third season, the company features Rhubarb, Raspberry, Blackberry, White Peach, Bosc Pear and Cranberry. Available online at https://www.heimatny.com/.

Tiki Toddy

By Alexander Hauck and Stephan Berg of The Bitter Truth

-1 oz Tiki Lovers White or Dark Rum

-1 oz The Bitter Truth - Golden Falernum

-3 dashes The Bitter Truth - Aromatic Bitters

-1/2 oz Lime Juice

-2 oz Orange Juice

Method: Heat all ingredients in a pot (don't boil) and pour into a warmed glass or mug. Garnish with cinnamon and orange.

About The Bitter Truth: Founded in 2006 by professional bartenders Alexander Hauck and Stephan Berg in answer to a lack of high-quality bitters available in the market, The Bitter Truth is now distributed globally through its worldwide distribution partner Haromex Development GmbH and includes a portfolio of over 20 different products. The Munich-based company also produces Berg & Hauck and Tiki Lover's brands, all available in the U.S. through Worldwide Libations, LLC in New Jersey. Visit: https://the-bitter-truth.com/.

About Tiki Lovers Rum: TIKI LOVERS is the Rum brand created by Stephan Berg and Alexander Hauck, who are also the makers of The Bitter Truth products. The portfolio consists of three flavors-White, Dark and Pineapple-all meticulously crafted blends of Caribbean rums hand-selected by Berg and Hauck themselves. Each is slightly over-proofed and the perfect spirit to add the appropriate depth and flavor to any Tiki cocktail. Tiki Lovers is available in White Rum, Dark Rum and Pineapple Rum. Visit: https://www.tiki-lovers.com/.

Spiked Hazelnut Coffee Affogato

By Melissa Tavss of Tipsy Scoop

-2 scoops Spiked Hazelnut Coffee Ice Cream
-1 oz hazelnut liqueur
-2 oz freshly brewed espresso

Method: Put 2 small scoops Spiked Hazelnut Coffee ice cream into a small coffee mug. Pour over 1 ounce hazelnut liqueur and 2 ounces espresso. Serve immediately.

About Tipsy Scoop® Liquor Infused Ice Cream: Inspired by a family tradition six generations in the making, founder Melissa Tavss created Tipsy Scoop to bring together artisanal cocktails and the fond memories that come with ice cream, sundaes, and sweet treats. The result was a boozy brand that sweetens any adult celebration. Since 2013, Tipsy Scoop has rapidly made a name for itself with its on-trend boozy scoops and highly Instagrammable ice cream creations. Tipsy has also expanded into the retail freezer space, with locations like Whole Foods, ItSugar, Food Bazaar, Metropolitan Market, and Morton Williams and others putting the brand on the shelf. To date, the brand has sold boozy scoops, sundaes, pints, and flights to over 500,000 customers. In May of 2020, Melissa released her first ever cookbook, Tipsy Scoop Latest and Greatest Recipes, to share both secret recipes and teach readers how to create highly photogenic desserts. For more information, visit: https://tipsyscoop.com/.

Photo Credit: Pear + Pomegranate Punch, Courtesy of Tussock Jumper Wines

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