With the arrival of winter, evenings get colder, it rains or snows outside, and there are two types of people: those who love home comfort with a blanket, a hot drink, and their favorite TV series, and those who, despite the bad weather and cold temperatures, don't give up their favorite bar for a spicy, fragrant mix.
The former, besides delighting the palate, are also good for the body - many people believe that they can help reduce water retention and aid digestion, as well as being a remedy for colds and flu - while the latter are very good for the spirit, and there are many cocktails that can be perfect for cold weather. Here are some tips on what to drink to best face the winter season.
Delicious Beverages and Winter Cocktails as Allies Against the Cold
Let's start with hot apple cider, a typical winter drink to which various spices can be added to make it more flavorful: cinnamon, cloves, and ginger go well with cider, and some people even add tea or sugar (there's also a small alcoholic variant with the addition of whiskey or brandy!).
Nothing beats the enveloping pleasure of a good cup of hot chocolate in winter, to be slowly enjoyed either at home, made by melting dark chocolate in hot milk with a bit of sugar, or at the bar.
Adding a dollop of whipped cream or a touch of cinnamon makes it one of the favorite hot drinks of winter. In homemade preparations, the trick is to add a bit of potato starch and cook slowly, while for a lighter version, skimmed or plant-based milk can be used.
If you are a skier, the Bombardino could be one of your favorite drinks to enjoy in mountain huts. Composed of coffee, egg liqueur, whiskey, and a generous dollop of whipped cream, the Bombardino also has variants: for example, instead of whiskey, you can opt for brandy, grappa, or rum.
For the sweet-toothed, besides hot chocolate, Bicerin is a great choice: this typical drink from Turin is made with chocolate, coffee, and cream, best enjoyed in Piazza della Consolata, where it was first created in 1763!
As for cocktails to ask your trusted bartender, there's definitely Eggnog, perfect for fighting the cold and a high-alcohol winter drink. The recipe involves combining a tablespoon of water and a tablespoon of sugar in a cup until the sugar dissolves, then adding an egg and emulsifying everything.
The spirit used is usually rum, brandy, or whiskey, which is then heated and added to the cup with very hot milk, always stirring and finishing with a sprinkle of nutmeg on top.
For those who can't give up coffee, Irish Coffee might be for you: it’s a mix of hot coffee sweetened with a touch of whiskey and semi-whipped cream. To prepare it best, shake the liquid cream in an ice-cold shaker for a few minutes.
A typical drink of our culture and perfect for winter is mulled wine, which can also be prepared at home. For an exceptional result, we recommend a full-bodied red wine, oranges, lemons, and aromatic spices. The base recipe can be personalized with red fruits, honey, and other spices like star anise, cardamom, ginger, and nutmeg.
Punch, Blue Blazer, and White Russian: Between Pirates, Rum, and Whiskey
The king of winter cocktails is the White Russian: made famous by The Dude, the protagonist of the movie "The Big Lebowski," it is the evolution of the Black Russian, one of the most famous drinks made with vodka and coffee liqueur. The addition of liquid cream makes this drink very smooth on the palate, almost like a coffee cream or an alcoholic panna cotta.
Water, tea, sugar, cinnamon, a slice of lemon, and a touch of brandy or rum: these are the fundamental ingredients of Punch, a drink that will delight your palate and aid digestion. The variations to the traditional recipe are endless: from orange and lemon peel to aromatic herbs.
There is also an Italian version, the Ponce Livornese, where concentrated coffee replaces tea and rumme, a liqueur made from alcohol, sugar, and caramel, replaces brandy.
We can't forget the famous pirate drink, Grog: this mix of water and rum is much more appreciated hot, and its options are endless, with variations ranging from lemon juice to lime juice and the addition of sweeteners like sugar and cinnamon.
Winter is definitely the ideal season for hot cocktails like the Blue Blazer: known for its scenic preparation, it is a hot whiskey punch invented by Jerry Thomas, the historic professor of cocktails.
In the original recipe, flaming whiskey (which gives the drink its characteristic blue color) and boiling water are poured from two mugs until a perfectly blended mixture is obtained. Sugar and lemon zest add the final touches to the cocktail, to be enjoyed in an old-fashioned glass.
Finally, the Hot Toddy, known in Ireland as hot whiskey, offers enveloping warmth and is an easy cocktail to prepare: simply add two tablespoons of honey, cloves, and a cinnamon stick to boiling water for infusion, then pour in the whiskey and add half a slice of lemon. Unlike other winter cocktails like mulled wine or hot cider, the Hot Toddy has the right balance of acidity and sweetness, light and not too sweet, ideal for sipping after dinner or as an aperitif at home or at the bar.
