By BARBARA NOWAK
and BEVERLY PITTMAN
The Saucy Sisters, for Brentwood Home Page

The holiday season is full of entertaining with family and friends – and special drinks.  Our family cocktail started with Barbara’s husband, Paul.  He learned to make this drink from his father – who once owned a liquor store in Treasure Island, Fla.  Every Thanksgiving the family would pour their first Holiday Drink.  They would drink it heartedly throughout the next several weeks.  Unfortunately, the last one is poured on New Year’s Day. 

We never quite understood why you couldn’t make the drink after the holidays, but it’s like keeping the stockings hung at the fireplace.  It just didn’t seem right – and the cocktail certainly couldn’t taste as good in July.  (Well, of course, it could…but tradition is tradition.)

Our other seasonal drink is more of a dessert treat.  Our Mom loved her Crème de Menthe cocktail.  This version is one to enjoy by the fire.

Here’s to keeping your spirits bright right now and throughout the holiday season.

Paul’s Holiday Drink

1/3 vodka
1/3 cranberry juice
1/3 7-Up

Pour ingredients over ice in your glass of choice.  Stir and serve.

For those of you who enjoy a really sweet drink, you can substitute cranapple or cran-raspberry for the cranberry juice.  Ginger ale is fine if you don’t have any 7-Up.

The Drunken Elf

1 1/2 oz green crème de menthe
1 1/2 oz cinnamon schnapps
1 oz cream
10 pieces cinnamon candies

Blend all ingredients in a blender with two cups of ice. Pour into a frosted glass, and serve.

Cheers!

Barbara and Beverly

The Saucy Sisters are wine and spirits experts with a twist. A twist of humor, that is, that they use in their books and in their live performances.  Their new book, The Saucy Sisters Guide to Wine – What Every Girl Should Know Before She Unscrews, is now available at www.SaucySisters.com .   You can call them with your comments at 615-807-1743 or email them at Saucies@SaucySisters.com.