One visit to Jackson Hole, Wyoming is all it takes to discover that “sloshie” is a state of mind. The valley is filled with mountain peaks, ski resorts, rivers, wildlife, parks, and a tiny Western town with a big personality—and home to arguably the wo…
One visit to Jackson Hole, Wyoming is all it takes to discover that “sloshie” is a state of mind. The valley is filled with mountain peaks, ski resorts, rivers, wildlife, parks, and a tiny Western town with a big personality—and home to arguably the world’s most exceptional frozen beverage. While it appears to be a fruity, colorful concoction housed in a slushie machine at countless spots around the valley, it isn’t the average, barely boozy, watered-down drink associated with all-inclusive resorts and beach bars. As the name implies, it’ll get you sloshed. I learned that the hard way, many years ago, when I gulped down two sloshies in one sitting before hopping on a raft to float down the Snake River.
The sloshie was conceptualized in 2012 at Creekside Market— they filled a drink machine with freshly squeezed grapefruit juices and a sizable amount of vodka. From there, “The Hound” was born and locals still frequent this spot for a cold, tangy, frozen drink to pair with whatever outdoor adventure they’re up to. Until 2002, you could legally drink while driving in Wyoming (for passengers, until 2007), meaning locals were already accustomed to having a cold one in tow.
Pre-pandemic, coffee shops were basically my office. I’d sit at a corner table with an Earl Grey tea like I owned the joint—essentially becoming the classic, fictional mob boss who takes meetings in the back booth of an Italian restaurant. The only dif…
Pre-pandemic, coffee shops were basically my office. I’d sit at a corner table with an Earl Grey tea like I owned the joint—essentially becoming the classic, fictional mob boss who takes meetings in the back booth of an Italian restaurant. The only difference was that I did a little more “drinking tea,” and slightly less “murdering all my enemies.” But other than that, totally the same.
I’ve spent so much time buying Earl Grey tea at coffee shops that it’s embarrassing. Ellen Degeneres once made fun of me, specifically, for doing so. And when you’re called out for your tea obsession on national television, you know you’re pretty far gone.
Rhubarb can have a fleeting flavour which is mild and often masked easily by others. One of the best ways to get the pure rhubarb flavour out of this lovely fruit is to make a homemade rhubarb gin. This really captures the pure rhubarb flavour and will…
Rhubarb can have a fleeting flavour which is mild and often masked easily by others. One of the best ways to get the pure rhubarb flavour out of this lovely fruit is to make a homemade rhubarb gin. This really captures the pure rhubarb flavour and will take all of your cocktails to the next …
First Things First is a series chronicling the morning beverage routines of some of our favorite people.
What can you learn about a person from their coffee mug collection? If that someone is Aaron Polsky, the Los Angeles–based founder of ready-to-d…
First Things First is a series chronicling the morning beverage routines of some of our favorite people.
What can you learn about a person from their coffee mug collection? If that someone is Aaron Polsky, the Los Angeles–based founder of ready-to-drink cocktail company LiveWire Drinks, you’d rightfully surmise that he’s a loving cat dad with an affinity for rock and roll, Larry David’s bristly sense of humor, and old-school Nintendo games. But then, as you make your way toward the back of the shelf, you may wonder about an outlier cup adorned with ballet slippers and more text than a Dr. Bronner’s soap bottle. Don't worry, there’s a story behind that one, too.
Barrel-aged beers are popular right now: Fans stand outside of some breweries the day before a bottle release for the chance to snag the special, and often limited, liquid. Some collectors may try to buy them online in sales that sell out in seconds. M…
Barrel-aged beers are popular right now: Fans stand outside of some breweries the day before a bottle release for the chance to snag the special, and often limited, liquid. Some collectors may try to buy them online in sales that sell out in seconds. Many breweries require patrons to enter a lottery for a chance to buy releases to make it a little fairer. A majority of these 12- to 25-ounce beers sell for $20 to $100 a bottle, and end up reselling for hundreds or even $1,000 on secondary markets.
But it wasn’t always like this. Back when Chicago’s Goose Island entered one of its first batches of Bourbon County Brand Stout—the beer that kickstarted the barrel-aged stout style—into the Great American Beer Festival in 1995, the competition didn’t even have a category the beer could enter. Since then, it’s grown into a yearly release where everyone is excited to see just what Goose Island does next with its popular series.
The Gingerbread Martini is a creamy and spiced holiday drink! It’s the ideal festive Christmas cocktail for parties.
Need a festive Christmas cocktail? Try this Gingerbread Martini! This creamy cocktail is absolutely irresistible: just sweet enough and packed with cozy cinnamon, allspice and ginger. It tastes like a gingerbread cookie, but even better: with a little intrigue on the finish. It’s only 3 ingredients and the perfect festive cocktail for holiday entertaining. Here’s how to make it!
What’s in a Gingerbread Martini?
The Gingerbread Martini is an festive spin on the flavored vodka martini. It’s infused with big flavor from one homemade ingredient: Gingerbread Syrup! It’s an ideal Christmas cocktail or holiday drink anytime in December. You’ll need just three ingredients for this Gingerbread Martini recipe:
Vodka
Half and half (or heavy cream)
Gingerbread syrup
These three simple ingredients make magic in the glass: mostly because of the heavily spiced syrup! But it’s easy to make at home: here’s how!
Making homemade gingerbread syrup (and a substitute)
This Gingerbread Martini has the best cozy flavor because of the homemade gingerbread syrup! It’s a brown sugar syrup infused with fresh ginger, allspice berries, and cinnamon sticks. All you do is simmer the ingredients for 20 minutes. Give it a taste, and the flavor pops with an intensely spiced kick!
Homemade gingerbread syrup has the best flavor here! It takes just 20 minutes and we highly recommend it. Go to Gingerbread Syrup.
Purchased gingerbread syrup also works, but every brand has a different flavor and sweetness. Here’s a link to buy gingerbread syrup online.
Rimming the glass: a few options!
The most fun part of a signature martini? The glass rim! Aside from a festive look, they also add a hint of flavor and texture to the beginning of each sip. For this Gingerbread Martini we decided to rim the glass in festive sprinkles, which almost make it look like a wreath! Here are a few options for the glass rim:
Festive sprinkles: we used a mix of red and green Christmas sprinkles
Brown sugar: looks beautiful with a lovely golden brown color
Crushed graham crackers or gingerbread cookies: For these you’ll need a heavier bonder than water to get them to stick to the glass. Pour a bit of gingerbread syrup on a plate and dip the glass rim in that, then into a plate of finely crushed cookies.
Gingerbread martinis for a crowd
Are you making this Gingerbread Martini for a party? You’re in luck! You can make up to 4 martinis at once in a cocktail shaker. Simply prep all the glasses first, then shake up 4 drinks at a time. It works like a charm (no need to shake them each individually).
Make it dairy free or vegan
Want to make this Gingerbread Martini dairy free? Substitute full-fat coconut milk for the heavy cream! The coconut fat stands in beautifully for the dairy fat. It does lend a coconut flavor, but it’s not overwhelming.
And that’s it! Let us know what you think of this Gingerbread Martini in the comments below.
More festive Christmas cocktails
This Gingerbread Martini is one of our favorite Christmas cocktails for the holiday season! Here are a few more that work well as signature holiday drinks:
Prepare the rim: Place the sprinkles or sugar on a plate. Wet the rim of the glass, then roll the rim in the sprinkles or sugar until evenly coated.
Shake the drink: Place the gingerbread syrup, vodka, and half and half in a cocktail shaker. Add a handful of ice and shake until cold. Strain the drink into the prepared martini glass.
Notes
*To convert to tablespoons, 1 ounce = 2 tablespoons. You can make up to 4 martinis at once in a cocktail shaker.
**Or, use crushed graham crackers or gingerbread cookies for the rim (dip the rim in a plate of gingerbread syrup to adhere them).
Here’s the very best homemade hot chocolate recipe: full of rich chocolaty flavor and easy to whip up in 5 minutes. Never buy the mix again!
Sure, you can buy the premade packets with pictures of snow covered ski chalets. But did you know the absolute best hot chocolate is homemade in just 5 minutes? After years of tinkering, we’ve got a master recipe for you. Here’s our very best homemade hot chocolate recipe: it’s creamy, rich, chocolaty, and tastes like a dream. All you need are a few ingredients, and you might already have them on hand. And if you’ve got chocolate chips…well, they make all the difference.
Hot cocoa vs hot chocolate
First though: what’s the difference between these two similar terms? Is there even a difference?
Hot cocoaand hot chocolate are commonly used as synonyms, especially in the US. So you’ll find people using them interchangeably.
The technical definitions are hot cocoa is made with cocoa powder, milk and sugar: it has a thinner consistency and is very sweet. Hot chocolate is made with real chocolate, and may be thicker and less sweet.
Either way, you can generally use these two as synonyms. So this recipe is both a homemade hot chocolate recipe and a hot cocoa recipe! Score.
Ingredients for the best hot chocolate recipe
There’s a bit of a debate in the culinary community about what makes the best homemade hot chocolate recipe. Some claim it’s chopped melted chocolate. Others claim cocoa powder is the way to go. After numerous tests, we found cocoa powder plus real chocolate is the real winner. But you can omit the chocolate if you don’t have it on hand! Here’s what you’ll need:
Cocoa powder
2% milk (or oat milk)
Sugar
Vanilla extract
Cinnamon
Semi sweet or dark chocolate chips (optional but recommended)
How to make homemade hot chocolate: a few tips
There’s not much to a homemade recipe: it’s pretty much dump and whisk! But we’ve got a couple tips before you scroll down to the recipe:
First, whisk a little milk with the cocoa powder. This helps to make a paste and dissolve most of the powder, which can get lumpy.
A pinch of cinnamon adds complexity. You can add even more if you’d like a stronger flavor.
Real chocolate adds richness, body, and depth in flavor. You can make it with just cocoa powder, but the real chocolate takes it to a whole new level.
Add toppings to serve
This homemade hot chocolate recipe tastes absolutely amazing as is. Honestly, we rarely add anything else. But if you’d like, add toppings to make it next level cozy! You can use it as part of a hot chocolate bar and let guests top their drinks as desired. Try these toppings:
There are so many ways to vary this hot chocolate recipe! Add flavors or mix it up by spiking it with booze. Or, go for a healthier spin with less sugar and richness. Here are the best variations on this cozy drink (add the quantities to the 2 serving recipe below):
Once the weather gets a chill, it’s time to cup your hands around a cozy mug. Outside of this homemade hot cocoa, here are some other hot beverages to take off the chill:
Here’s the very best homemade hot chocolate recipe: full of rich chocolaty flavor and easy to whip up in 5 minutes. Never buy the mix again!
Ingredients
3 tablespoons cocoa powder
2 cups 2% milk (or oat milk)
3 tablespoons sugar
¼ teaspoon vanilla extract
1 pinch cinnamon
¼ cup (1 ½ ounces) semisweet or dark chocolate chips*
Instructions
Place a saucepan over medium heat. Add the cocoa powder and ¼ cup of the milk and whisk until the cocoa powder is mostly integrated. Whisk in the remaining milk until smooth.
Add the remaining ingredients and heat over medium heat until the chocolate is melted, about 2 minutes. Do not boil. Serve immediately, garnished with whipped cream or marshmallows.
Notes
*You can omit for a great cup of hot cocoa with a lighter flavor (and less calories). But the chocolate really adds richness in flavor. We highly recommend it!
Category:Drink
Method:Stovetop
Cuisine:American
Keywords: Hot chocolate, Hot chocolate recipe, Homemade hot chocolate, Hot cocoa
Thanksgiving is exhausting. Whether you’re traveling in the morning to get to your uncle’s house in time, getting up early to make sure everything is adequately prepped, or staying up late doing all the dishes, Thanksgiving is a marathon, not a sprint….
Thanksgiving is exhausting. Whether you’re traveling in the morning to get to your uncle’s house in time, getting up early to make sure everything is adequately prepped, or staying up late doing all the dishes, Thanksgiving is a marathon, not a sprint.
For me, anything that can take the guesswork and in-the-moment decision making out of big, chaotic events like Thanksgiving is a blessing. Which is why I’ve put together this handy hour-by-hour guide to Thanksgiving drinking. Based on my years behind the bar (and pulling off my fair share of holiday dinners), I feel like I have a pretty good sense of what constitutes a fulfilling and fun night of imbibing, and I’m glad to share that with you all here.
I stopped drinking in late 2018, the part of the year that leans toward Thanksgiving and the downhill cascade of holidays that follow it. I wasn’t dealing with an addiction, exactly, and therefore my experience of quitting alcohol was much easier than …
I stopped drinking in late 2018, the part of the year that leans toward Thanksgiving and the downhill cascade of holidays that follow it. I wasn’t dealing with an addiction, exactly, and therefore my experience of quitting alcohol was much easier than it is for many people: I didn’t like how alcohol made me feel anymore, and I was no longer getting any enjoyment from it to counterbalance its negative effects in my life. In short, I didn’t like drinking, so I stopped doing it. For this reason, I try to say that I stopped or quit drinking rather than that I got sober, to make a clear differentiation between the relatively straightforward process of letting go of a bad habit, and the far thornier and often lifelong struggle of a recovering alcoholic.
The truth is that I rarely miss drinking, and when I do, it’s occasion-based and never actually about the booze itself. There are certain events—almost always a celebration of some kind, whether an official holiday or just the festive exhale on a Friday afternoon at the end of a long week—that make me wish for the gesture of a drink, without the actual drink itself. Thanksgiving has been one of the times when I have had to work the hardest to re-create that gesture, underlining the holiday aspect of a holiday through other means.
It’s no secret: craft beer drinkers love IPAs. Since the early days of the pioneering Sierra Nevada Pale Ale to the current trends of hazy and milkshake styles, the beer category continues to be popular no matter what form it takes.
As a quick reminde…
It’s no secret: craft beer drinkers love IPAs. Since the early days of the pioneering Sierra Nevada Pale Ale to the current trends of hazy and milkshake styles, the beer category continues to be popular no matter what form it takes.
As a quick reminder: IPAs, or India Pale Ales, are "a type of amber-colored ale that gets its flavor from hops, a cone-shaped flower related to cannabis," according to author Brette Warshaw. As the story goes, the brewing style was popularized in the 1800s, when the British East India company would ship it over in droves to trading outposts throughout the Indian subcontinent. The flavor profile of an IPA can vary widely based on the region where it's been brewed, plus the particular variety of hops used during the process and when they're added to the mix. However, "bitter," "citrusy," "spicy," and—yep—"hoppy" are often words you'll hear used to describe the style as a whole.
Prep Time:
Yield:
Print Recipe
Pin Recipe
Category:
Method:
Cuisine:
