Mistletoe Mocktail

                                                   

Mistletoe Mocktail

A big cube studded with cranberries and a fragrant sprig of rosemary turns a glass of de- alcoholized sparkling wine into a festive mocktail. Instead of wine, you could use Toe Cocktail ginger ale, ginger beer or sparkling cranberry juice, and if you don’t have big enough coupes, use lowball glasses.

Ingredients:

1 1/3 cups (330 mL) frozen cranberries1 

1/2 cups (375 mL) cranberry cocktail

1 bottle (750 mL) de-alcoholized sparkling wine, chilled

6 bushy rosemary sprigs, trimmed to fit glass

Directions:
Divide cranberries evenly between moulds of a 2 × 3 silicone tray for making jumbo 2-inch (5-cm) ice cubes. Divide cranberry cocktail between moulds, so that it comes no higher than 1/3 inch (8 mm) from top. Freeze overnight.

To serve, place one cranberry cube in an 8- to 10-oz coupe. Pour about 4 oz of dealcoholized sparkling wine over cube. Garnish with rosemary and serve immediately.  Serves 6

Pear Tree Cocktail

Pear Tree Cocktail

Pear brandy with lemon, gin and rosemary simple syrup – a cocktail that is both unique, and utterly evocative of the winter holidays!

Ingredients:
(for 2 drinks)

1 ounce Pear Brandy 
1 ounce rosemary simple syrup
1 ounce lemon juice
3 ounces dry gin
Sugar–Salt (for rims)

Rosemary Simple Syrup

1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup water
3–4 sprigs rosemary (each 4–5 inches long)

Sugar–Salt 

1/2 teaspoon cane sugar
1/4 kosher salt  

Directions
Make the Rosemary Simple Syrup. Pinch off a small tip of rosemary for each drink, and reserve for garnishes. Bring 1/2 cup of sugar and 1/2 cup of water to boil in a small saucepan, stirring until sugar is dissolved. Add rosemary sprigs, and simmer for 2-3 minutes. Remove from heat, discard rosemary, and allow syrup to cool completely.

Salt the rims. Sprinkle 1/2 teaspoon cane sugar and 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt evenly onto a small plate. Twirl the rim of a glass against the cut face of a lemon, and invert it onto the plate, making small circular motions until it’s well-coated. Repeat with the other glass.

Fill a shaker 2/3 full with ice, and give it a quick rinse to remove any freezer burn.

Add 1 ounce Pear Brandy, 1 ounce Rosemary Simple Syrup, 1-ounce lemon juice, and 3 ounces dry gin to the shaker – then shake vigorously (about 12 seconds) until well-chilled.
Strain into cocktail glasses, and top each drink with a tip of rosemary.

Christmas Cheese Log

Ingredients

Cheese Log:
1 lb cream cheese, softened
1/3 cup sour cream
1/2 tsp each thyme, oregano, basil, rosemary, black 

    pepper or 1 tsp. Italian seasoning
1 tsp EACH garlic powder, salt, red pepper/chili  

    flakes, adjust to taste
2 cup cheddar or other cheese, freshly grated
9 oz roasted peppers, drained and finely chopped
6 oz salami, finely chopped
3/4 cup green olives, finely chopped
1/3 cup green onion, finely minced

TOPPING/SERVING:
7 oz sun-dried tomato strips with oil, rough chopped
1/4 cup parsley, finely chopped (or chives)
Rosemary sprigs (decoration)Crackers, for serving

Directions:

Spray a loaf pan with oil then line with cling wrap with overhang.
Mix Cheese Log ingredients together. Taste and adjust salt if needed (bear in mind saltiness of crackers you are serving with).
Scrape into loaf pan and level surface, pressing to remove air pockets. Smaller pan = taller loaf.
Cover with cling wrap overhang and refrigerate for 4 hours+ (up to 1 week).
Turn out onto a platter, peel off cling wrap.
Top with sun-dried tomato and pour over the oil. Garnish with parsley and rosemary sprigs to give it a festive look.
Best to serve closer to room temp than fridge cold. Serve with crackers! Knives for smearing optional - it's soft enough to scoop with crackers.