Christmas Cocktails

The holidays are a special time, and they call out for special food and drink. Here are two cranberry-based cocktails that answer the call with a tangy sweetness that will bring a smile to grown-up lips. A virgin version made with club soda and ice would be just as lovely for the kids. Happy sipping, and happy holidays!

So much flavorful deliciousness is trapped inside citrus peel, which is often used as a mere garnish or, worse yet, discarded. This recipe will take your cranberry based cocktail to the next level with the citrus punch of oils extracted from the rinds. Prepare at least a day before, because the Oleo Sacchrum, the proper term for the oils extracted from the citrus, will need to sit overnight.

First, remove the rind from 2 lemons, and muddle a handful of cranberries and a sprig of fresh rosemary and place in a small bowl with a 1/4 cup of sugar. Use your muddler to press down on the ingredients into the sugar to "bruise" the ingredients. Allow to sit overnight to allow the sugar to pull the oils from the citrus and absorb the fresh cranberry and rosemary flavors. Your Oleo Sacchrum can be made one week ahead.

Ingredients

Oleo Sacchrum

1/4 cup of sugar

2 lemon rinds

2 sprigs of rosemary

handful of fresh cranberries

Cocktail

1.5 oz Oil from your oleo saccharum

4 ounces of gin

1 ounce of lemon juice

1 ounce of simple syrup

4 ounces cranberry juice

Sprig of Rosemarry

Few whole cranberries

Remove the oil extract and discard the rinds, fruit and herbs. Combine the citrus rosemary and cranberry infused oil, 4 ounces of gin, 1 ounce of lemon juice, 1 ounce of simple syrup, 4 ounces of cranberry juice. Shake on ice to combine and pour over a Collins glass topped with ice. Garnish with sprig of rosemary and cranberry.

White Cranberry Pisco Collins

1 1/2 ounces of pisco

3/4 ounces of lemon juice

1/2 ounce spiced white cranberry simple syrup

1 ounce of ginger beer

Combine pisco, lemon juice, spiced simple and shake on ice. Pour over a Collins glass with ice and top with ginger beer. Garnish with cranberries.

This also makes a great punch bowl - measurements adjust for 8-10 servings below:

1 3/4 cups of pisco

1 cup of lemon juice

1/2 cup of spiced white cranberry simple syrup

1 1/4 of ginger beer

2 cups of ice in punch bowl for dilution