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A Warm Holiday Toast

by Arleen M. Kaptur

Winter winds, crunchy snow, sledding, skiing, or whatever your cold weather activities are - nothing warms you and gives your body a lift like an aromatic hot beverage - sipped by an open fire, sitting in a cozy chair near the fireplace, or by a window watching the snow fall.

 Boilo Holiday Coffee    Hot Buttered Rum     Wassail     Supreme Hot Chocolate   Irish Coffee 

Holiday Coffee

2/3 cup cocoa, 2 tsp. ground cinnamon
1 tsp. salt
2 14-oz. cans sweetened condensed milk
8 cups water
3 cups strong coffee
cinnamon sticks
ground nutmeg

Combine cocoa, cinnamon and salt in a large pot. Add sweetened condensed milk, stirring until smooth. Place pan over medium heat; gradually stir in water and coffee.

Heat thoroughly but do not boil or the milk will curdle.

Garnish each serving with a cinnamon stick, and sprinkle with nutmeg.

Refrigerate leftovers.

Variation: Add 1 cup brandy and 1/2 cup light rum along with water and coffee for a touch of warmth and a bit of spice!

Ahead of Time: Combine butter, sugar, and cinnamon; beat until light and fluffy. Add ice cream, stirring until well blended. Spoon mixture into a freezer container; and freeze until firm.

Serving Time: Thaw mixture slightly. Combine butter mixture, rum, and boiling water; stir well. Top each serving with whipped cream, and sprinkle with nutmeg. Serve with cinnamon stick stirrers, if desired.

An old-fashioned trip to flavor!

Wassail

Peel of 1 lemon
3 slices peeled fresh gingerroot
1 stick cinnamon
6 cups dry red wine or cranberry juice
6 cups apple cider
1/2 cup sugar
2 oranges, unpeeled, cut into 6 wedges each
36 whole cloves

Make sachet of lemon peel, gingerroot, cinnamon and allspice by placing on a small piece of cheesecloth or in a paper coffee filter. Bundle up the corners and tie top with kitchen string, leaving excess string to hang out of pot for easy retrieval. Set sachet aside.

In a large pot, combine wine, apple cider, and sugar. Add sachet. Bring to boil over high heat stirring until sugar is dissolved. Cover. Reduce heat to medium-low. Simmer for 15 mins. Remove sachet.

Keep wassail warm over low heat.

While wassail simmers, stick 3 whole cloves into peel side of each orange wedge. Place one wedge in each serving cup and ladle hot wassail over top.

Serve hot. A Charles Dickens memory!

If you like Wassail, learn How to Make Boilo - a warm holiday beverage from Northeastern Pennsylvania

Hot Chocolate Supreme

1 cup sugar
1-1/2 cup unsweetened Dutch-process cocoa
1/4 tsp. salt
5 cups water
2 cups milk
1 cup heavy cream

In a pan, combine sugar, cocoa, and salt. Whisk in water.
Bring to a boil over high heat, stirring until sugar is
completely dissolved. Reduce heat to medium.

Add milk and cream. Heat through. Keep warm over low heat.

Serve chocolate topped with marshmallows or whipped cream sprinkled with crushed peppermint candies.

To your delight - a toast!

Warm up to these wonderful Holiday beverages and toast your family, friends, and guests - ENJOY!

More DIY Holiday Beverage Recipes

© 2002 November Arleen M. Kaptur

ABOUT THE AUTHOR Wishing you and all your loved ones a truly Memorable, Enchanting, and totally wonderful Holiday Season. Please subscribe to our free Holiday newsletters. E-mail : akaptur@centurytel.net to subscribe or visit:
http://www.arleenssite.com
http://www.Arleens-RusticLiving.com
http://www.topica.com/lists/simpleliving

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