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Seegin that it is Firday – and the holidays have arrived, here are a few of my favorite cocktail recipes to help welcome in the season!

Cinnamon Spice Champagne Cocktail

Yield: Makes 16 servings

Ingredients

• 2  quarts cranberry juice cocktail
• 8  slices (quarter size and about 1/8 in. thick) peeled fresh ginger
• 2  cinnamon sticks (about 3 in. long)
• 2  whole star anise
• 1/3  cup  cognac or brandy
• 8  cups  Champagne or other sparkling wine (about 2 2/3 bottles, 750 ml. each), chilled
• 32  to 48 fresh cranberries, rinsed, or frozen cranberries (optional)

Preparation

1. In a 3 1/2- to 4-quart pan, combine cranberry juice, ginger, cinnamon sticks, and star anise. Boil over high heat until reduced to 2 cups, about 1 hour. Let cool about 30 minutes, then pour through a fine strainer into a small pitcher. Chill syrup until cold, at least 1 1/2 hours.

2. For each serving, pour 2 tablespoons of the cranberry syrup and 1 teaspoon cognac into a Champagne flute (6 to 8 oz.). Add 1/2 cup (4 oz.) Champagne. Garnish with 2 or 3 cranberries if desired.

Mulled Cranberry Wine Punch

Yield: Makes 12 to 14 servings

Ingredients

• 1  cup  fresh or frozen cranberries
• 1  bottle (48 oz., 6 cups) cranberry juice cocktail
• 1/2  cup  raisins
• 4  to 6 cinnamon sticks (about 3 in.)
• 2  bottles (750 ml.) fruity dry red wine such as Gamay Beaujolais, or 6 cups apple juice and 2 to 4 tablespoons lemon juice, to taste
• 1/4  to 1/2 cup sugar
• 1  teaspoon  almond extract
• About 3/4 cup orange-flavor liqueur such as Cointreau or triple sec (optional)

Preparation

1. Sort cranberries, discarding bruised and decayed fruit. Rinse berries and put in a 5- to 6-quart pan; add cranberry juice cocktail, raisins, and cinnamon sticks. Bring to a boil over high heat; cover and simmer on low heat to blend flavors, about 20 minutes.

2. Add wine and 1/4 to 1/2 cup sugar, to taste. Heat until steaming, 5 to 8 minutes; do not boil.

3. Add almond extract and orange liqueur; keep punch warm over lowest heat and ladle into cups or stemmed glasses.

Photo James Carrier

Recipes cuurtesy of Sunset Magazine

True Bliss Events has always been a huge fan (thumbs up on facebook) of  hosting a cocktail hour to jump start your wedding reception. We are even bigger fans if  the cocktail hour has  a signature drink dedicated to both the bride and the groom. For many couples, it may seem hard to narrow down the specific combination of spirits to servce on your big day. Who better to take cocktail advice from then the Cocktail Gura Johnatan Pogash! Jonathan is a New York City-based cocktail developer and mixologist specializing in bars, restaurants, and liquor brands. He consults for fine dining and cocktail establishments across the U.S. Jonathan creates signature drinks for liquor companies, as well as private and corporate events.

He has some fabulous suggestions for a succesful cocktail hour at your wedding reception!

1. The theme of your day – Whether it’s ‘Hamptons beach party’ or ‘70’s retro-disco’, align your specialty libation with what your day will hold forth.
2. Color – If this is a large part of your theme, consider it for your cocktails: Purple, pink, yellow, green, silver – all colors can be recreated in the liquid form.
3. What liquor do I use? – Ask yourselves what your favorite spirits are, and decide from there.  The possibilities are endless.  A trend nowadays is back towards classic cocktails, so if you’re lovers of Gin, Rum, and Rye or Bourbon, think about using those as your base spirits.
4. Garnish – Maybe it’s your favorite fruit or flower (make sure it’s edible!), or just simply maraschino cherries (because on your first date you impressed your partner by tying a knot with the stem using only your tongue), make it meaningful and always keep in mind what flavor your garnish will add to your cocktail.  A garnish serves dual purposes – to look pretty and to add flavor to a drink.  Remember – we taste with our eyes first.
5. Save $$$ – By offering one or two specialty cocktails, you can limit your guests’ drinking habits.  Even better, offer only your specialty cocktails during cocktail hour, and beer and wine during dinner.
6. Ease of preparation – If you’re fortunate enough to have caterers who are experienced in fine dining, you may not have an issue with this.  But for the most part, catering bartenders don’t have much experience with specialty cocktails, let alone custom-made specialty cocktails.  Think about using simple, ready-made and easily accessible ingredients.  Even submitting a recipe for a batched or pitcher version of your drink would ease the bartender’s nerves, and ensure a perfect, consistent cocktail every time.
7. What about Uncle Frank who doesn’t drink, or Cousin Susie who just graduated 5th grade? – Always have non-alcoholic versions of your alcoholic cocktails readily available for your guests.  It usually just entails eliminating the alcoholic portion of the drink, and adding in a bit more of the mixers.
8. f you’re too stressed and can’t even think about adding this to your long list of to-do’s  – Hire a professional!  Nowadays, specialty wedding cocktails are almost the norm, and there is a slew of catering companies that offer this service.  Independent and special event ‘mixologists’ are also another good option (yours truly, wink, wink).  The service is personal and special, and you can be assured that nobody else in the world will have the same cocktail that’s being served at your wedding (unless, of course, you choose to serve a classic).