Warm Up with My Mulled Cider

A Great night to warm up with my mulled cider!

My Mulled Cider Beverage will surely put you in the mood this Christmas season. Serve upon guests arrival—a warm beverage with seasonal spices is the perfect way to welcome holiday spirit. 

Hot Mulled Cider

Recipe By @GeorgeHirsch | Makes 8, eight ounce servings

chefgeorgehirsch.com

2 quart apple cider 

1/4 cup brown sugar 

2-3 whole cloves; or more to garnish orange 

1 Jumbo size orange 

8 Cinnamon sticks 

Optional: 4 ounces each Dark Rum & Vodka

In a small sauce pot, mix together cider, brown sugar, and cinnamon sticks. Simmer 5 to 10 minutes. Pour into a large punch bowl and add a clove studded orange, rum and vodka. 

Serve warm with individual glasses or mugs and stir with a cinnamon stick. 

Note: To make a studded orange, arrange cloves around the outside of the orange skin for an attractive presentation. However, do not keep the studded orange in the mulled cider for too long or the cloves will overpower this beverage.

Coffee Break

Here’s some trivia to share on your next coffee break or around the water cooler talk.

It is said that the first coffee break began in the US around 1880 in Stoughton Wisconsin. Mostly of Norwegian descent, the citizens of Stoughton's Coffee Street hired women because it was so near their homes that they could run home to check on their family and do some odd chores. There, a hot pot of coffee constantly was on the stove, so there was a cup at the ready to have a few minutes to relax and refresh with coffee before jogging back to work. 

I find it very convenient that the name derived from women who took breaks from work, only to go home and do some housework, then to sip coffee, before going back to work on a street named Coffee. Did you get that? I can’t imagine why the home-for-housework-with-the-coffee-thing didn’t stick and only the coffee part of the break did. How many people would actually return to work after the coffee break?

I’m ready for a good cup of coffee now! After 5PM - make it Irish please.
(WARNING: I don't advise drinking this version at work)

Irish Coffee 
recipe by George Hirsch | Makes one serving
From George Hirsch Living it UP! TV Series

1 ounce Jameson Irish Whiskey
1/2 ounce Baileys Irish Cream
1/2 cup hot strong coffee
Lemon wedge
Sugar to coat glass
Whipped cream

Prepare a sugar-rimmed glass by rubbing a piece of lemon or orange around the rim of a large wine glass. Dip 1/4 inch of the rim of the glass into a plate of sugar, coating the edge.

Place a teaspoon in glass. The spoon will diffuse the heat when hot coffee is poured into the glass. 

Add whiskey and Baileys. Pour coffee into glass over spoon. Remove spoon. Top with a dollop of whipped cream.

King of Cocktails

Champagne is recognized as the universal symbol of good news, and this cocktail's simple recipe shows that life doesn't have to be complicated to be enjoyed. A classic Champagne Cocktail may not be a trendy drink these days, but as a classic, it’s as good as when Cary Grant and Deborah Kerr sipped it in An Affair To Remember. 

A great Champagne stands on its own and should be sipped solo, whereas an inexpensive sparkling wine benefits from the bitters and the sugar cube keeps those bubbles hopping. 

Classic Champagne Cocktail Recipe: Six ounces of Champagne or sparkling wine and a sugar cube soaked in Angostura bitters is all it takes to make a sophisticated cocktail for the New Year. Drop the sugar cube into a tall flute glass, and then slowly add champagne and a lemon twist. 

Tips: With the Champagne Cocktail, you can trust the bitters to take the edge off a lesser quality champagne or sparkling wine. For this drink, you can use a less expensive wine, spending about $10 to $18 for a good domestic bottle. Or, as I personally prefer to use a good Prosecco for under $15.

When opening Champagne or Prosecco, use a gentle twist - save the bubbles for the inside of the glass and not the floor.

Optional: If bitters in sparkling wine is not your cup of tea, a Prosecco Spritzer Cocktail could be the toast for you. To a glass of prosecco, omit bitters, sugar and lemon and replace with splash of limoncello and Cognac and go all Amalifi-like. Cin cin!

chefgeorgehirsch.com

Homemade Eggnog

No Bah Humbug! I just watched A Christmas Carol, the 1938 version. It inspired me to help you serve up some homemade eggnog for everyone. I know- eggnog can be found this time of year in the dairy case of most grocery markets. But, here's a good way to put your own mark on this holiday season with a nice do-it-yourself version.

Create your own spin on the nog; how about a wee bit of B & B or Grand Marnier, even sans the alcohol, or add a squirt of chocolate syrup for the kids. It’s just another way to celebrate the holiday. Oh, and don’t forget the chestnuts roasting on an open fire. OK, open fire not required.

mark hayes | istock

Eggnog 

by Chef George Hirsch

Makes 4 Servings

6 egg yolks, save the whites *see below
2 cups milk
2 cups heavy cream
1/2 cup bourbon, or rum
1/4 brandy
1/2 cup pure cane sugar, or Turbinado
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon fresh grated nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon fresh grated orange rind

Using a mixer with a whip attachment on medium speed; whip the egg yolks until light in color, about 4-5 minutes. Add sugar and mix until completely dissolved. Set aside.

In double boiler, combine the milk, heavy cream, vanilla, cinnamon, nutmeg, orange rind and bring to a boil, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat and combine, while tempering the hot milk-cream mixture into the egg-sugar mixture.

Return all ingredients to double boiler and heat constantly stirring with a spatula until the mixture reaches 160 degrees (well below simmer), eggnog begins to resemble custard.

Remove from the heat, stir in the bourbon, and brandy. Pour into a bowl, cool and refrigerate for at least two-four hours. Best if refrigerated overnight.

Serve in cups with a shaved chocolate, or unsweetened cocoa powder dusted on top.

Optional Toppings: with a dollop of *meringue (made from all the left over egg whites), or ice cream, or whipped cream.

Chuao

Chuao is named after the cocao producing region is Venezuela. This fine bittersweet Venezuelan chocolate coupled with Abuela's (Grandmother's) family recipe is at the core of Chuao Chocolatier's (pronounced chew-wow) hand crafted hot chocolate. Venezuelan bittersweet chocolate is considered by many to be the finest cacao in the world. This high quality ingredient and uncompromising dedication to their family traditions is at the roots of Venezuelan born Antonorsi Brothers fine artisan chocolate products. This hot chocolate is rich and smooth, very authentic.