Cheers to Cocktails

by Michael Vyskocil, photography by Kelly Heck

Greet the holiday season with good cheer in your heart — and a homemade cocktail in your hand. This collection of libations offers a festive blend of flavors for the season: the taste of tart fall cranberries in the Cranberry Mojitos and Cranberry Sunset, the refreshing flavors of apples and pears in the Sparkling Cider Cocktail and Pear Spritzes, and Warm Spiced Punch to ease the chill of a late autumn day. Raise your glass to this season of celebration with family, friends and cocktails you can make yourself.

Cranberry Mojitos

1½ cups granulated sugar
1½ cups water
⅔ cup freshly squeezed orange juice
2 cups fresh or thawed frozen cranberries
1 cup fresh mint leaves, plus garnish
32 ounces (about 4 cups) vodka

1. Heat sugar and water in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Stir occasionally until the sugar dissolves. Let simple syrup cool.
2. Combine orange juice, cranberries and mint leaves.
3. Add simple syrup, and mash cranberries lightly to release the juices.
4. Refrigerate mixture overnight or up to 4 days.
5. Combine cranberry mixture and vodka in a pitcher; ladle about ⅓ cup into a glass. Garnish with fresh mint and serve. Makes about 14 servings.

Cranberry Sunset

2 cups fresh or thawed frozen cranberries
1 cup granulated sugar
1 cup white rum
1 .750 mL bottle sparkling wine/champagne

1. In a blender, combine cranberries, sugar and white rum. Puree mixture until smooth; then strain and chill mixture.
2. Fill flutes one quarter with pureed cranberry mixture.
3. Tilt flutes and gently pour sparkling wine or champagne down the sides of the flutes to create a layered effect. Serve immediately. Makes 10.

Pear Spritzes

½ cup granulated sugar
½ cup water
1 cup plus 2 tablespoons chilled pear nectar
6 ounces (about ¾ cup) chilled pisco
3 dashes Angostura bitters
1 750-mL bottle white Zinfandel
Fresh rosemary sprigs, for garnish

1. Heat sugar and water in a medium saucepan over medium heat, stirring until sugar dissolves.
2. In a pitcher, stir together pear nectar, pisco, Angostura bitters and white wine.
3. Divide mixture among ice-filled glasses. Garnish with fresh rosemary sprigs and serve immediately. Makes 6.

Sparkling Cider Cocktail

2 cups sparkling apple cider, chilled
2 cups seltzer, chilled
½ cup vodka
1 apple, unpeeled, cored,
and cut lengthwise into 8 slices
Ground cinnamon, for garnishing
tips of apple slices

1. Stir together apple cider, seltzer and vodka in a pitcher.
2. Divide mixture among ice-filled glasses.
3. Dip tips of apple slices in ground cinnamon and place in glasses with the cinnamon tips facing up. Serve immediately. Makes 8.

Warm Spiced Punch

4 cups apple cider
1 apple, thinly sliced crosswise
1 orange, thinly sliced crosswise
2 cinnamon sticks
1½ cups dark rum
½ cup bourbon or whiskey

1. In a large pot, combine apple cider, apple and orange slices, and cinnamon sticks.
2. Bring mixture to a boil; reduce the heat to a simmer and cook 5 minutes.
3. Keep warm over low heat for up to 2 hours.
4. Remove from heat and stir in dark rum and bourbon or whiskey.
5. Transfer to a punch bowl or serving container; serve warm. Makes 5 servings.