Some Like It Hot…Cocktails That Is!

With the holidays just around the corner, it’s time to start planning special parties and events that capitalize on all those good tidings and feelings of joy. If you will having your own holiday get-together, you will certainly want to present the perfect cocktails – drinks your guests will be talking about long after the party is over. And what says “Holidays” better than a steaming hot beverage laced with alcohol? Here is the information you need to know to make the perfect hot cocktails for your Christmas, Hanukkah or New Year’s Eve party.

The Right Combination of Ingredients

There’s an art to making the perfect hot cocktail and it involves blending together just the right amount of ingredients. You don’t want drinks that are too strong with alcohol nor should they be overpowered by sweet ingredients as that will tend to make your concoction syrupy over time. Particularly for the holiday season, a blend of sweet and spicy is perfect (think hot buttered rum or spiced apple cider).

The Right Amount of Heat

As you may know, alcohol burns off if it is heated to the boiling point. This often happens if you use a kettle on the stove to warm up your cocktails. A better way to get them to just the right temperature without boiling is to use an electric tea kettle with a warm setting or a slow cooker with a low heat seating. Either of these appliances help you get the drinks hot then keep them at just the right temperature so guests can partake as often as they wish throughout the night.

The Right Presentation

When it comes to hosting fantastic holiday parties with hot cocktails, presentation is everything.

While the drinks are keeping warm in your vessel of choice, float a few slices of lemons or oranges on top (great with spiced cider). You may want to add a handful of cloves, a few sticks of cinnamon or a couple star anise pods (perfect for hot buttered rum). Fresh cranberries are a great addition to a hot, fruity drink. Serve any of these choices in a tall glass mug; for extra embellishment, glue a sprig of holly and tie a tartan plaid ribbon to the base.

If your specialty party drink is based on hot cocoa, try serving it in solid white mugs. Top the alcohol-infused cocoa with a pretty dollop of whipped cream and dust it with more chocolate or cinnamon or a sprinkling of peppermint candy pieces. Add a cinnamon stick or candy cane as an edible stirring stick.

Holiday parties cry out for special cocktails. Warm up your party drinks and warm up your guests so they are fortified to face a cold winter night.

Featured images:

•  License: Creative Commons image source

Damien writes for Social and Cocktails, the perfect place to find recipes for hot cocktails.