• juice of 1/4 lemon
• 1 oz dry gin
• 2 oz cherry brandy
• soda water
• ice
• maraschino cherry

Combine lemon juice, gin and brandy over ice. Top with soda water. Garnish with a maraschino cherry.

The Singapore Sling was the first “real drink” I ever had, coming into my life soon after big mugs of hot milk with a splash of coffee. They were served regularly when Uncle Alex was visiting us. In fact, I always had a sneaking suspicion that Dad was pretty distracted by his brother at those times because when he was making my drink, he always would forget to take the top off the gin bottle when he poured…

A Scandinavian winter beverage

• 1 bottle dry red wine
• 1 bottle sweet vermouth or ruby port
• 10 whole, cracked cardamom seeds
• 10 whole allspice
• 1 stick cinnamon
• 1 orange
• 10 dried figs, halved
• 1 cup raisins
• 4/5 pint of aquavit
• sugar to taste
• 1/2 cup blanched almonds

Heat the wines slowly in an enamel pot. Tie spices in a bag and add. Peel the orange and add the peel and the juice to the wine. Add fruit and aquavit. Sweeten to taste. Reheat slowly. Serve warm with almonds on top.

Always wonderful at Christmas in the north. When we moved to Mexico we were surprised to find how similar the traditional Mexican  Rompope is to our northern eggnog.

Ingredients for Eggnog

• 3 egg yolks
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 2 cups heated milk
• 1 cup heavy cream
• 3 egg whites
• 1/4 tsp nutmeg
• 1/8 tsp cinnamon
• rum or brandy

Preparing Eggnog

With an electric beater at high speed, beat egg yolks until pale. Beat in sugar gradually unyil thickened and smooth. At low speed beat milk and cream. Beat egg whites stiff in a small bowl. Fold into eggnog. Sprinkle with nutmeg and cinnamon. If desired cold, use cold milk and chill well. Add rum or brandy if desired.

“Angel’s Kiss” – Mexican beverage

• 1-1/2 oz Kahlua (coffee liqueur)
• Cream
• Ice

Pour Kahlua into a short, ice-filled glass. Top with cream.

Besito de Angel variation: Replace half of the cream with soda water and use a tall, ice-filled glass. Lighter and more refreshing.

A John Juan is a takeoff on a White Russian, made with rum instead of vodka.

• 1-1/2 oz  white rum
• 1 oz Kahlua or other coffee liqueur
• cream or milk

Pour rum and Kahlua into a tall, ice-filled glass. Fill to top with cream or milk.

Or place ice and ingredients in a cocktail shaker and give it only a quick shake or two before pouring it, ice and all, into a tall glass. This will foam up the milk somewhat.

Here are a couple of variations that will make this dessert-like drink even more decadent:

Variation No. 1: Replace the Kahlua with 1/2 oz chocolate liqueur and 1/2 oz white Creme de Menthe

Variation No. 2: Simply add a splash of Rumpleminz (peppermint schnapps)