TINSEL & TINIS!

[From the 2023 Holiday Magazine]

Here in Toga we love to make merry during this “tinselly” season, so it’s likely you are planning your own holiday get-together. If you are like me, (probably are if you’re reading this article!) you’ll want to amaze your guests with some dazzling seasonal cocktails. Well I have four incredible recipes to share so get ready for some holiday cocktail fun!

First up is the Pink Tinsel Martini, an elegant gin-based peppermint cocktail that starts off silver in color but ends up pink. For vodka lovers my version of the classic Blue Christmas Martini will festively fit the bill. And you can impress your tequila loving friends with a frosty Holiday Blizzard Tequini.

To stay with tradition my friend Heather Hamilton – hairstylist extraordinaire and fellow cocktail enthusiast, is making her annual holiday appearance with another delish libation creation. This year it’s her Pecan Pie Martini. This sweet creamy drink tastes like its namesake, but has a kick like a Saratoga pony! And rimming the glass with maple syrup and pecans makes this cocktail look as fabulous as it tastes.

I hope you enjoy these holiday drink recipes. Whatever the occasion, have fun in your kitchen cooking and crafting cocktails for the people you love and remember…

It doesn’t have to be perfect, it just has to taste good!

Happy Holidays!

The Pink Tinsel Martini

Ingredients:

• 2 ounces of premium gin (my fave for this drink is Beefeater London Dry Gin)
• 1 ounce of peppermint schnapps
• 1 Starlight peppermint candy

Directions:

Pour the gin and peppermint schnapps into an ice filled shaker, pop the lid on and shake like crazy until chilled. Strain into a chilled martini or coupe glass and drop the starlight mint into the drink. The color will gradually change from silver to pink as the mint dissolves. This is a sweet cocktail but it does pack a punch so sip slowly.

The Blue Christmas Martini

Ingredients:

• 1 ounce of premium vodka
• 1 ounce of white cranberry juice
• 1 ounce of blue Curacao
• 1 tablespoon of lemon juice

Directions:

Pour all ingredients into an ice filled shaker, pop on the lid and shake like crazy until chilled. Strain into a chilled martini or coupe glass and sip away. This one is so pretty it doesn’t need a garnish!

The Holiday Blizzard Tequini

Ingredients

• 1.5 ounces of silver tequila
• 1 ounce of white cranberry juice
• ½ ounce of lime juice
• Frozen cranberries for garnish

Directions:

Pour all ingredients into an ice filled shaker, pop on the lid and shake like crazy until chilled. Strain into a chilled martini or coupe glass and garnish with a few frozen cranberries.

Heather’s Pecan Pie Martini

Ingredients

• 2 ounces of RumChata Cream Liquor
• 2 ounces of crème de cocoa
• 1 ounce of bourbon
• ½ cup of pecans ground in a food processor for rimming the cocktail glass
• ¼ cup of pure maple syrup

Directions:

To prepare the cocktail glasses pour some of the maple syrup onto a small plate. Cover the surface of another small plate with some of the ground pecans. Tip the glass upside down and swirl the rim in the maple syrup, then gently swirl the rim in the ground pecans. You can rim the glassed ahead of time and chill them in the fridge.

Pour the first three ingredients into an ice filled shaker, pop on the lid and shake like crazy until chilled. Strain into a rimmed martini or coupe glass.

Cheers from Heather!