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View ProfilesPublished November 20, 2018 at 1:29 p.m. | Updated November 23, 2021 at 1:31 p.m.
More than any other holiday, Thanksgiving is about the food: Aunt Polly's green bean casserole, Grandpa's famous wild rice and mushroom stuffing, Mom's maple-glazed sweet potato pie. Oh, yeah, and the turkey we cook differently every year in the vain hope that the white meat won't taste like packing material.
Of course, it's also about family and dear friends: the joys — and occasional challenges — that come with gathering diverse personalities around the stove and the table.
It is in the spirit of harmony and togetherness that we offer up four recipes for holiday cocktails from local bartenders. We're not suggesting that enjoying a beverage together will bring Uncle Seth around to your way of political thinking, but it might smooth over the rough spots.
Give these recipes to the cousin who asks, "What can I bring?" at the last minute. Assign someone to shake up a batch for the cooks working away in the kitchen. (Do not, however, add cocktails to their list of things to prep, please.) Come in from a brisk, post-dinner walk or game of touch football to sit by the fire with festively garnished glasses in hand.
Above all, raise a glass of whatever you enjoy in thanks for food, family and friends.
Every recipe makes a single cocktail unless otherwise noted.
We appreciate this relatively simple, balanced cocktail for its creative use of traditional Thanksgiving ingredients. At Deli 126, bar general manager Emily Morton might use a cranberry simple syrup, but she came up with a smart way to get a similar result with canned cranberry sauce. The bitters, she notes, aid digestion of rich food.
Garnish:
Chelsea Thibault, bar manager at Prohibition Pig, worked with head chef Cory Swafford to develop this rich hot toddy. It's perfect for the restaurant's après-ski clientele and, similarly, to warm up the Thanksgiving crowd after outdoor excursions. Prohibition Pig bartenders add hot water, but we really enjoyed it made with half hot cranberry-apple cider and half hot water.
Garnish:
Martha Mack, director of beverage programming for Stonecutter Spirits, shared both a single serving and a big-batch pitcher version of this fall cocktail, making it easier to serve to a group. The cinnamon syrup takes a little time to make but brings the holiday spice to the fore. The tart acidity of a traditionally dry hard cider is key to the drink's balance, while the optional absinthe, Mack says, brightens the drink with a pop of anise. She suggests topping glasses with a little club soda if you want to pace your guests' consumption.
Cinnamon syrup:
Garnish:
To make a pitcher cocktail that serves about 16:
Bar manager Jesse Luberoff came up with a variation on one of the bar's most popular cocktails, the Mezcal Thievery. Restaurant co-owner Johnny Helzer says that the citrusy, refreshing drink can serve as a counterpoint to rich holiday food, and the smokiness of the Mezcal evokes a cozy fireside feeling. If things get tense at your Thanksgiving gathering, we recommend taking a sip, closing your eyes and imagining you're far away on a sunny vacation in Mexico.
Simple Syrup:
Garnish:
Correction November 26, 2018: An earlier version of this story misstated the name of Deli 126 general bar manager Emily Morton.
The original print version of this article was headlined "Turkey 'Tails"
Tags: Food + Drink Features, Thanksgiving, cocktails, recipe, Deli 126, Prohibition Pig, Stonecutter Spirits, Stonecutter Spirits Highball Social, Peg & Ter's
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