Rain is beating down on the filmy window, yellow lights are blinking like friendly fireflies on the spruced up pine, and your couture edition Snuggie is nowhere in sight. Now is the time to bypass that chalice of chilly organic grape and sip a warm eggnog or Irish Coffee by the toasty fire. In addition to tasting delicious, hot cocktails take the edge off of shopping at the mall and visiting with intense relatives for weeks at a time.

Dirty little secret: I store my own personal flask of peppermint schnapps in a drawer in the guest bathroom at my mother’s manse. You never know when the mood will strike for something hot and medicinal while lounging with Nana and watching marathon reruns of The Nanny and Golden Girls.

If you aren’t leaving home and entertaining during the holidays, offering these options is a way to bring the ambiance of the ski resort into your pad. Here are a few recipes to consider for adding cheer to your holiday this year:

1. Burning Bush

This new spin on the old Hot Toddy calls for Bushmills Original Irish Whiskey (this is where its name is derived, not from the book Exodus) along with honey, hot water and a lemon wedge garnish. Created by New Yorker, Jim Meehan, it is simple to prepare:

Place the lemon wedge in the glass, add 1 1/2 oz of whiskey , 3 oz of the hot water. Stir, don’t shake, and chill.

2. Orange Anise Mulled Wine

You can have fun with varieties of mulled wine in your crockery cooker this time of year, and this recipe delights all your senses with the aroma of seasonal spices and citrus. It requires 2 bottles of Shiraz; 1/4 cup of packed brown sugar; 1 stick of cinnamon; 3 star anise; 1 tsp whole cloves; 1 orange; Orange peel strips.

First, remove the orange peel with a peeler and cut and peel into strips. Then squeeze the juice and discard the seeds and pulp. In a 5-quart crockery cooker combine the juice, wine and brown sugar. For your spice bag, tie the orange peel, cinnamon, star anise and whole cloves in a cheesecloth bag, and add to the cooker. Cover and cook on low for six hours to simmer the flavors. Serve in punch cups or pretty mugs.

3. Starbucks Hot Mocha Cocktail

If you’re a coffee or cocoa hound, you will love this espresso drink made in a saucepan using Starbucks coffee liqueur. It calls for 4 1/4 cups whole organic milk; 4 oz. Starbucks liqueur; 3 cinnamon sticks broken in half; 3 cups espresso; 1 1/2 cups healthy sweetener; 1/2 cup powdered sugar; 1 cup whipping cream; 1 cup cocoa powder.

To make, mix milk and cinnamon sticks in a heavy saucepan and simmer over a high heat. Remove, cover and steep for 15 minutes. Whisk espresso, sweetener and 1 cup of cocoa powder and bring the hot chocolate to a simmer, whisking frequently. Throw out cinnamon sticks and add the Starbucks coffee liqueur. Add the cream and whisk until thick. Ladle the cocoa into 8 mugs. Spoon chocolate whipped cream on top and serve.

4. Hot Apple Pie Cocktail

Apple cider is a popular winter treat and this cocktail is easy to make and very pleasing. Put aside 2 1/2 cups Simply Apple Juice and 4 cinnamon sticks; 1 tbsp lemon juice; 2 tsp. vanilla extract; 1/2 tsp. allspice; 1/4 tsp ground cardamon; 4 small scoops of organic low fat vanilla frozen yogurt; 4 oz. apple schnapps.

Place the apple juice, cinnamon sticks, lemon juice, vanilla, allspice and cardamom in a medium saucepan and warm it for two to three minutes over a medium heat, stirring until mixture is hot and spices are blended. Add in schnapps and divide among 4 mugs, topping with the yogurt.

5. Christmas Punch

An ideal choice for a big group, this English favorite blends rum with citrus and seasonings and has a pretty presentation – whether in a common bowl or grandma’s punchbowl. The recipe includes 4 pt. water; 1 lb. sugar; juice and rinds of three lemons; one bottle of rum; one bottle of ruby port; grated nutmeg; a sliced apple and a sliced orange.

Make it by boiling the water, sugar and lemon rinds in a saucepan. Cool and strain. Add the rum, port and lemon juice and transfer the liquid into a pre-warmed punch bowl. Float the fruit slices on top and sprinkle with the savory nutmeg. After three or four cups, that home wax kit he gave you won’t seem as offensive. Merry mixing!

A popular invention for those who like it straight: If you dislike fruity blends and need that whiskey straight, you can get it to an excellent room temperature using Whiskey Stones - innovative soapstone cubes that look hot and do the trick.

Images: Silly Little Man, Sanfranannie; Charityworld; Insidious; Haleynealphotography; Polkadotcreations

When it comes to Europe, I’ve always been a proponent of fresh baked baguettes, a good chunk of cheese and a bottle of local wine as your best bet for a good meal; European culinary travel means not always having to shell out a fortune for good food. But Europe is also the epicenter of fine dining, known for luxurious restaurants and elaborate menus that elicit a sense of upper class. But just like in North America, times are changing, especially in light of recent economic woes, making inexpensive cuisine the new European chic.

What’s the latest Euro trend? Draft mojitos. Hand muddled lime is apparently so passe, at least when the premixed version comes at less than four euros a pop, which is good for both consumers pocketbooks and bars that have until now seen a decline in their clientele. Sure, a draft cocktail is undoubtedly less classy than a hand shaken and stirred concoction, but who knows, maybe the new invention will become something like the PBR of cocktails.

But it doesn’t stop at drinks. Some of Europe’s longstanding street food favorites are starting to get their own levels of new-found respect. Just last week a pita and falafel joint made the Belgian GaultMillau list, which is on par with Michelin or Zagat in terms of ranking restaurants. In a down economy, low key, traditional joints are experiencing a sort of revival, with emphasis on frugal instead of typical definitions of fine dining. This idea of “Bistronomy” puts a focus on simple, classic flavors, for which European cuisine is already known. Now it just happens to be hip again. As the AP is calling it: “Gourmet grunge.”

And, as it turns out, it might not even be all on account of less money. Scaling back and returning to classic recipes might just be because of a general desire to simplify.

Fed up with overly fancy cooking, several chefs in France and some in Belgium have opted out of the Michelin rating system in recent years, complaining that it costs too much to maintain stars and no longer gives them the sheer joy of cooking with simple ingredients.

Which means that baguette picnic lunch just made it to five-star class.

Image: athomson

We know – it’s at the top of your to-do list. How to make clear ice cubes.

Clear ice is all the rage. When you’re a foodie, every detail counts. And what could be more attractive than stylish, unusual hunks of clear ice in your fancy cocktail?

So what’s the secret to clear ice, anyway? The answer is two-fold: pure water and slow freezing. You need to start with filtered or distilled water. Then, for extra insurance, boil the water before pouring it into trays. (Some recommend boiling the water not once, but twice, for extra, extra insurance. Seems like overkill to me. But then again, you have chosen to make clear ice.) Additionally, if the water goes into the freezer still hot, this slows down the freezing time, which assists in making crystal clear ice. Easy, right?! (Just don’t put fully boiling water into plastic trays, ahem.)

Now you’ve got the secret to clear ice. But what about the shape of the ice? Wouldn’t it be sexier to have carved ice cubes as opposed to cubes from ordinary old trays? Alcademics recommends putting your (distilled, boiled, still warm) water into a cooler and placing the whole thing in the freezer. Follow their step-by-step instructions for carving the ice.

Howcast recommends using muffin tins for larger and longer lasting ice. Who wants a diluted drink? Genius!

The site American Drink also has some good tips for making perfect ice, such as keeping your freezer clean to prevent the ice from absorbing wayward smells and buying better quality ice trays, such as these from Tovolo.

Enough said, I think it’s time for that perfect cocktail on the rocks!

“For some ridiculous reason, it is considered ‘deep’ to value intellect, and shallow to value ‘beauty’. Beauty is much harder to find, impossible to imitate, and incomparable in its effect on the human spirit.” – Goldfarb on cooking, 2009.

Image: Buena Vista Images

You care deeply about your carbon footprint, your sanity, your cocktails. So when you saddle up to the bar at your favorite watering hole for that much needed Friday libation, why settle for anything less than organic spirits and liquors?

The new bottles on the block are making inroads into bars and eateries according to trend watchers like The Chic Ecologist. Stirred or shaken, it is easy to bond with the benefits, from low-glycemic sugar substitutes, to added fiber and protein to decreased hangover symptoms. Pick your poison – or rather – lack there of it – by shopping some of the cleaner booze boasting pesticide and dye free purity. Many of the brand creators make it a double by not only offering healthier ingredients but also doing their part for good causes.

Coming from a family of vodka enthusiasts, I was intrigued by the introduction of Square One founded by Marin County’s Allison Evanow. Taken in by the upscale hippie environ of her Northern California digs, she says she pondered the new-age, yet old question: “Why not put the ethos of the farmer’s market into a glass?”

Evanow left no stone unturned in the low impact alchemy: The mix called for pristine sprung water from the Teton mountains, organically certified North Dakota rye, and a process that requires single pass distillation to save on energy. The packaging also forgoes the ubiquitous frosted bottle for a distinct, square reusable bottle with a sustainable bamboo, easy-to-peel-off label. Meantime, the rye byproduct of the vodka making process packs a big fiber and protein wallop, allowing it to be sold as feed to an organic dairy farm. “We’re thrilled to be a vital link to the cradle-to cradle process of growing grain feeding cattle and creating the best martinis you’ve ever tried,” says the founder.

Other brands to wet your green whistle:

4 Copas Organic Tequilla

Described as the “king of tequilas” because of the maturity and flavor which appeals to scotch and cognac drinkers as well as tequila connoisseurs. In addition to the great blue agave sweetened with natural nectar, the hand-blown glass from local Jalisco artisans supports the work of Seaturtules.org. I’ll drink to that!

Juniper Green Organic Gin

The first organic dry London gin contains pure water, grains grown without chemical fertilizers and a combo of 100 percent organic botanical herbs rounded up from the best international sources.

Highland Harvest Organic Scotch Whisky

This scotch is distilled from Soil Association certified organic barley blended from the Highland and is an incredibly smooth whiskey – one that has matured in oak barrels for four years before being released. The blend, rather than single malt, melds the flavors of organic malt and grains for young yield with a superior taste.

Image: geishaboy500

If you haven’t understood my love for kombucha, you mustn’t been spending enough time reading Foodie Underground. But as I discussed a couple of months ago, there’s really no point in spending $4-5 on bottled fermented tea when you can make your own. And if there was ever a time to commit to brewing your own kombucha, it’s now.

Why? Last week Whole Foods pulled all the kombucha from their shelves because testing showed that the drink might have elevated alcohol levels that would necessitate a government warning. Kombucha certainly isn’t up their in the ranks with wine and beer, but according to the law, products containing 0.5 percent or more of alcohol have to carry a government warning.

The concerns over elevated alcohol levels may or may not be justified, but a couple dozen of Whole Foods’ kombucha suppliers agreed to a voluntary withdrawal of the product. To understand just what 0.5 percent alcohol content means, think of a can of non-alcoholic beer, a drink that has an alcohol content of less than 0.5 percent of its volume. In other words, we’re certainly not talking Friday night drinks with the ladies, so you can keep chugging on that kombucha guilt-free.

But if you are looking for a way to spice up your cocktail hour (and in response to our “should kombucha be your party drink?” question, we say “yes!”), here are a couple of kombucha inspired drinks that should do the trick.

The Basic

• 1 part vodka
• 1 part tonic water or club soda
• 1 part Kombucha

Pour over ice

Note: if you want to get fancy, throw in a splash of juice concentrate or a liqueur. My personal favorite is crème de cassis.

The Mojito

• 1 cup plain Kombucha
• 1 lime quatered
• 6 mint leaves
• ice
• mineral water
• 4-6 drops of stevia
• 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
• a shake of sea salt (optional)

Muddle mint with lime in a tall glass and add the rest.

I haven’t personally tried this one, but discovered it recently and it’s on the “drink to-do list.”

Make Your Own

If you’re feeling extra feisty, create your own kombucha cocktail. Need help? Mombucha, sold at the Brooklyn’s popular Green Point Food Market, recommends blending with bourbon, whiskey or scotch. Vodka and rum are also great candidates. Now get to mixing.

Non-Alcoholic But Still Fun

Smoothies are certainly the way to go if you want a non-alcoholic pick me up that includes kombucha. Here’s a basic recipe to play with:

• 10 ounces orange
• 4 ounces Kombucha tea
• 5-6 large fresh strawberries OR 1 cup of chopped pineapple
• 1-2 large bananas
• Other fruits to throw in at your discretion: blueberries, raspberries, cherries, etc.

Blend all ingredients until smooth. Enjoy!

Editor’s note: This is the latest installment of Anna Brones’s column at EcoSalon, Foodie Underground. Each week, Anna will be taking a look at something new and different that’s taking place in the underground food movement, from supper clubs to mini markets to culinary avant garde.

Image: Anna Brones

Gourmet Magazine, an American classic, found a slump in ad sales spelled the recipe for disaster.

That’s why Conde Nast Publications is closing the oldest food magazine in the US along with Modern Bride, Elegant Bride, and the parent magazine Cookie, which I have to admit I’ve only glanced at in the doctor’s office waiting room.

While the bride magazines are used as sources to stimulate ideas for women planning their big events, Gourmet has long been the bible of American epicureans, fond of cutting out recipes for those summer salads and Thanksgiving pies. The highly respected journal, described as the “magazine of good living,” was launched in 1941 by Earle R. MacAusland, and included articles on wine and travel.

Recently, the magazine increased its coverage of healthy and organic fare, even dedicating a cocktail to actor-environmentalist Brad Pitt. It said it wasn’t just his pretty face, but the time he has devoted to the planet that inspired the refreshing cooler made with organic lime, organic cucumber, organic mint, and even Crop Organic cucumber vodka.

2 wedges of organic lime
2 thin slices fresh organic cucumber
Sprig of organic mint
2 oz (1/4 cup) Crop Organic cucumber vodka
3 to 4 oz seltzer

According to the Associated Press, Gourmet had a circulation of 980,000 last year, but despite its devoted audience of chefs and food lovers, its ad pages fell like a badly-timed souffle, down 50 percent in the second quarter from the year before, according to the Publishers Information Bureau. That’s considered one of the biggest declines ever for a popular title.

Magazines have been trying to brave the recession by experimenting with their pages, even introducing video adverts inside to lure computer screen conditioned readers, as with Entertainment Weekly. In terms of the fashion magazines, there are more eco sources developing on the web. It seems, that is where they will all end up.

Conde Nast spokeswoman Maurie Perl said some 180 employees of the four titles will be leaving the company with severance packages by the end of the week. Earlier in the year, the high-level publisher shut down Portfolio, a business journal, and Domino, a beloved shelter magazine.

It’s reported that in a staff memo, Conde Nast CEO Charles Townsend said the closures were required “to navigate the company through the economic downturn and to position us to take advantage of coming opportunities.”

Conde Nast, run by billionaire S.I. Newhouse Jr., also publishes Vogue, the New Yorker and Wired. The 19 remaining magazines owned by the company include Bon Appetit, which boasts a larger circulation than Gourmet at 1.4 million. Another foodie book, its ad pages drop isn’t much better at 40 percent.

Conde Nast promises Gourmet‘s brand will live on in books and TV programming and you will still see recipes on Epicurious.com.

Source: SFGate.com