Alie Ward and Georgia Hardstark, a.k.a. Alie & Georgia, host Cooking Channel food-travel seriesTripping Out with Alie & Georgia. Visit PEOPLE.com every Thursday for their playful spins on celebrity recipes, cocktails, entertaining ideas—and, of course, lots of laughs!
When you make food and drinks for a living like we do, the holidays are a time of tasting, testing and toasting. And as party-planners, we think having a signature cocktail at your party, or bringing one along to share as a guest, is the perfect way to make any soiree extra special.
We’ve taken the tasting and testing out of the equation for you, so you can enjoy the best part — the toasting!
Below are three of our all time favorite Alie & Georgia holiday cocktails that are perfect for Thanksgiving. All three are easy to make, but will take your Turkey Day to the next level.
Gin & Cranberry Sauced
Makes 1 cocktail2 oz gin2 tbsp. cranberry sauce (without whole berries)¾ oz fresh lime juice2 dashes Peychaud’s bittersRosemary
Grab some leftover cranberry sauce and — avoiding the whole berries — add 2 tablespoons to a shaker with gin, fresh lime juice and bitters. Shake very vigorously at least 30 – 45 seconds and strain through a mesh strainer into a chilled coupe glass. Smack a sprig of rosemary between palms to release aroma (and holiday aggression) and float delicately atop the cocktail. Toast to well-purposed leftovers.
Bourbon Cider Sipper
Makes 1 cocktail1 ½ oz bourbon½ oz fresh lemon juice½ oz brown sugar clove simple syrupTop w/ 1 ½ oz hard ciderApple slice3 whole cloves
Add bourbon, lemon juice, and simple syrup to a shaker and add ice. Shake vigorously and pour into a highball glass over ice. Top with hard cider — and if you’re feeling fancy — garnish with an apple slice studded with a few whole cloves.
To make the brown sugar simple syrup, combine 1 cup brown sugar with 1 cup water and 1 tablespoon of whole cloves. Heat until dissolved, allow to cool and sit for 2 – 3 hours. Strain off cloves and store in a sealed jar until used.
Spiced Bourbon Pumpkin Milkshake
Makes 1 cocktail2 cups vanilla ice cream½ cup roasted or canned pumpkin3 tbsp. maple syrup3 oz bourbon⅓ cup half & half½ tsp. pumpkin pie spice⅓ tsp. crushed cloves
Add first 6 ingredients to a blender and blend until smooth. Pour into glasses and sprinkle with a pinch of crushed cloves for aroma. Sip. Feel joy. Give thanks that bikini season is months away.
Recipes courtesy ofCooking Channel.
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source: people.com
