Celebrate Christmas With a Cocktail!

It’s Christmas, arguably the most wonderful time of the year and as an added bonus we’ve been allowed to see our families after what feels like forever! Although everyone at H&H Bars is disappointed they won’t get to see any of you this year and be a part of your celebrations, they would LOVE to help make your Christmas that little bit more special by giving you the inside scoop on how they make some of their most famous festive tipples. Helping you gain the elusive and most sort after title of ‘Hostess with the Mostess’ which, let’s face it is the ultimate compliment for any self-respecting party thrower.

White Russian

Now we want you to look like a professional mixologist while you’re strutting your stuff and flaring it up in the kitchen so here’s a few fun facts for you to throw out there, your amazed party goers are about to be blown away. Contrary to popular belief, the White Russian is not from Russia! We know, who’d have thought? It was in fact introduced to us by a Belgian bartender in honour of an American ambassador, zero Russians involved. The drink gained its popularity after making its debut appearance in the 1998 film ‘The Big Lebowski’ and its lesser-known, less attractive cousin from across the big pond is called a ‘White Canadian’ add with goat’s milk of all things. We don’t recommend trying this one at home kids!

What you’ll need:

• Ice
• 50ml Kaluah
• 25ml Vodka
• 75ml Half and Half, Now this one sounds fancy but all you need to do is mix equal parts whole milk and single cream and voila!
• 25ml Gingerbread syrup
• Gingerbread man
• Whipped Cream
• Ground nutmeg, we like the fresh stuff because we get to show off with the grater, but the spice jar version is fine too.

Method:

• Grab yourself a tumbler style glass and fill it with cubed ice.
• Add your Vodka, Kahlua and GB syrup together into the glass and stir, adding a few shavings of fresh nutmeg.
• Next, carefully add your pre mixed half and half combination to the glass, if you want to impress your audience then try to aim the pour onto a flat surface of an ice cube, or on the back of a tea spoon, this will allow the two liquids to remain separated and give it that cool two-toned effect.
• Finally, the piece de resistance take your can of whipped cream and go wild! The higher you can get it the better we say. Shave a little more nutmeg over the top and add your gingerbread biscuit, shape of choice of course, we just could resist this one’s cheeky grin.

Mistletoe Mule

This one is a fun Christmas take on the classic Moscow Mule, you know the one, it comes in a copper mug and a healthy wedge of lime! You got it! This is one of our all-time favourites and we couldn’t resist. But before we get started here is your copper mug full of fun facts. Unlike our last misleading cocktail, this one does have some vague Russian root to its history. Unfortunately still made in the USA, L-A to be precis in a British pub of all places, don’t worry the connection is coming. Word on the street is that the Americans often joked the cocktail to be ‘the Russian drink’ due to its use of vodka. Honestly? We’ve heard better jokes too (and better connections to Russia). The Mule part was used to describe the ‘Kick’ that the ginger beer gave to the drink, hence the name of the original ‘Moscow Mule’.   The cocktail is usually served in the famous copper mugs due to the coppers thermal adapting magic (okay it’s science). Keeping the drink colder for longer, as well as the copper causing the carbonate in the ginger beer to hang around and intensify the spicy flavours. The concoction fell together due to the lack of sales of both Vodka and Ginger beer in America at the time, the liquor and soft drink together revived the popularity of both.

What you’ll need:

• Ice
• 50ml Vodka
• 1 can of ginger beer
• Fresh mint sprigs
• 1 wedge of lime
• Pomegranate seeds
• Candy Canes

Method:

• Fill your tall glass with lots of cubed ice.
• Pour the vodka over ice.
• Add a healthy squeeze of fresh lime juice
• Top with Ginger beer
• Sprinkle a small handful of pomegranates to the drink and let them sink through the ice.
• Next, grab your mint sprig and hit it 2-3 times on the back of your hand (We’ve not gone crazy, this actually helps to release the minty aroma.)
• Slide the mint sprig down the back of the glass alongside the ice and hang your candy cane on the side, and HEY PRESTO!!!!

So, that’s it! We hope you enjoyed making them (and drinking them)!

This article was written by H&H Bars who would LOVE to see you over on their Instagram page @hhbars where you can tag then in your creations!

www.h-hbars.co.uk