Spiced Apple Cider With Irish Whiskey. Mug: Ceramika Artystyczna Polish Pottery Bubble Mug, handmade in Poland; The Abundant Kitchen, Excelsior. Photo: Chris Emeott
Heat up this frosty season with toasty beverages.
There’s nothing quite like a warm cuppa. Engaging its chameleon-like properties, it’s the beverage leader of all that ails—whether it’s to stave off a seasonal bug or to hold close at hand when spilling what’s in our hearts over conversation. And, on occasion, that warm mug puts on its welcoming clothes when guests come knocking, and it even has outfits ideal for capping off an evening.
In this frostier season of hosting, consider some recipes that can leave your guests with a touch of hospitality and holiday warmth. Oh, and please don’t be offended traditional coffee, hot chocolate and tea lovers—those sips will forever be at the fore of mug offerings, and they often serve as the tried-and-true base for many other warm cuppas!
We reached out to regular Noteworthy contributors Katie Tomsche of Lunds & Byerlys and Spencer Olson of thewoodenspoonschefs.com and Becki Melvie, owner of The Abundant Kitchen in Excelsior, for what to heat, pour and serve.
Boozy Eggnog Latte
(single serving)
This cocktail hits all the spots. It’s boozy, warming, creamy and sweet. The mix of rum and cognac gives it a rich caramel flavor with hints of spice, and our espresso roast coffee adds depth and complexity. For maximum enjoyment, drink it in front of a fireplace on a blustery winter day. —Katie Tomsche
Photo: Lunds & Byerlys
- 3/4 cup eggnog
- 3/4 oz. gold rum
- 1/4 oz. cognac
- 1/4 cup hot brewed espresso roast coffee
- whipped, canned topping, for garnish
- whole nutmeg, freshly grated, for garnish
In a small saucepan over medium heat, bring the eggnog to a simmer. Pour the rum and cognac into a coffee mug. Pour the hot coffee and eggnog into the mug; stir to combine. Top with topping and freshly grated nutmeg; serve hot.
Chai Tea
A very spicy, fall-flavored tea (or even coffee!), let this mixture sit overnight in the refrigerator to meld and marry before using. If you want an extra spicy mixture, heap the spices. Keeps well. —Becki Melvie
Photo: Chris Emeott
- 1 can sweetened condensed milk
- 1 tsp. ground cardamom
- 1 tsp. ground ginger
- 1 tsp. ground nutmeg
- 1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
- 1/2 tsp. ground cloves
- brewed chai tea, regular tea or coffee
Place milk in a small bowl, add spices and mix well. Cover, and refrigerate overnight. Add 1–2 tsp. of the mixture per cup of hot beverage of choice.
English Hot Toddy
(single serving)
A traditional Hot Toddy is a mix of water, honey, spirits and spices, and it’s served hot to help fight off a cough or sore throat or to fortify against cold weather. It’s soothing and medicinal—a balm for Minnesota winters if ever there was one. When we were putting together our English Hot Toddy, our mantra was: “Why mess with a classic?” It’s timeless, and it checks all the boxes for a cold-weather cocktail: warm, comforting and boozy enough to buffet against plunging wind chills. We stuck to the Hot Toddy formula and used slightly peppery black tea, a hint of bright lemon, a touch of honey and a fiery cinnamon stick. The Bulleit bourbon rounds it out with its smooth, rich flavor and texture. It makes an excellent post-sledding tonic or a perfect nightcap. —Katie Tomsche
Photo: Lunds & Byerlys
- 6 oz. water
- 1 bag English breakfast tea
- 3/4 oz. honey
- 1 1/2 oz. Bulleit bourbon
- 1 whole cinnamon stick
- 1 lemon wheel
Bring the water to a boil in a small saucepan. Add the tea bag, turn off the heat and let steep for 5 minutes. Discard the tea bag. Combine the honey, bourbon and tea in your favorite mug; stir to dissolve the honey. Garnish with a cinnamon stick and lemon wheel, and serve hot.
Ginger-Lemon Hot Toddy (Nonalcoholic)
(two servings)
For our twist on this classic drink, we wanted to turn up the heat, so we added freshly grated ginger and a pinch of cayenne pepper. We left the whiskey out of the mix, but you get all the warmth of the strong stuff from the ginger and cayenne. We’re huge fans of the end result. It’s fresh, punchy and spicy—and without any spirits, it’s perfect for warming up the whole family after a day of sledding or trekking through the snow. (Make a large batch on the weekend, and save it to reheat throughout the week.) —Katie Tomsche
Photo: Lunds & Byerlys
- 2 cups water
- 2 organic ginger herbal tea bags
- 4 Tbsp. organic lemon juice, freshly squeezed
- 2 1/2 tsp. fresh ginger, finely grated
- 2 Tbsp. raw honey
- pinch cayenne pepper
Bring water to a boil in a small saucepan. Turn off the heat, add the tea bags and let steep for 10 minutes. Remove the tea bags, and bring back to a boil. Once it hits a rolling boil, turn off heat, and add lemon juice, grated ginger, honey and cayenne. Serve.
Irish Coffee
It’s said that the first Irish Coffee was created by Joe Sheridan, the chef in the airport at Foynes, County Limerick. One very stormy night in 1942, a pilot, who had just left Irish land, had to turn back because of bad weather. Sheridan had to feed the exhausted and, understandably, quite shaken travelers—hence the strong and soothing concoction of coffee, cream, sugar and Irish whiskey. In the original recipe, he calls for “cream rich as an Irish brogue, coffee strong as a friendly hand, sugar sweet as the tongue of a rogue and whiskey smooth as the wit of the land.” —Becki Melvie
Mug: Le Creuset Seattle Mug in color Flame; The Abundant Kitchen, Excelsior. Photo: Chris Emeott
- 5 oz. delicious hot coffee
- 2 tsp. brown sugar
- 1 1/4 oz. Irish whiskey, be generous
- 2 oz. whipping cream, very softly whipped
Pour the coffee into a heatproof glass. Stir in the sugar and whiskey. Fill a cup with boiling water, and put a tablespoon into it for a few seconds. Take the spoon out of the hot water, and immediately spoon the cream gently over the coffee. Dip the spoon back into the boiling water; repeat until you have 5/8–3/4 inches of softly whipped cream sitting on top of the coffee. Serve immediately.
Slow Cooker Mulled Wine
(10-12 servings)
This is the perfect cocktail to serve party guests on a cold, blustery day, made easy in a slow cooker. —Katie Tomsche
Photo: Lunds & Byerlys
- peel of 1/2 orange
- 6 cinnamon sticks, broken into pieces
- 1-inch ginger root, peeled and sliced
- 1 tsp. allspice
- 4 cups apple cider
- 1 cup apple brandy
- 1 bottle cabernet sauvignon
- 1/4 cup honey
Combine orange peel, cinnamon, ginger root and allspice in an 8-inch square of cheesecloth or in cloth tea bags. Combine apple cider, apple brandy, wine and honey in a slow cooker. Add spice bags. Cover, and cook on low heat setting for 5–6 hours or on high heat setting for 2 1/2 to 3 hours. Remove and discard the spice bags. Serve.
Spiced Apple Cider with Irish Whiskey
Nothing says fall like a warm glass of Apple Cider, but why not improve upon this beloved drink? With a growing apple industry in Ireland, it’s only fitting that Irish whiskey and warm cider go hand in hand. With warm spices, hints of citrus and cinnamon tea, a spiked cider is perfect for a crisp fall (or winter!) day. —Spencer Olson
- 4 cups apple cider
- 1 Tbsp. cinnamon tea
- 2 whole star anise
- 8 cloves
- 1/2 orange, quartered
- 1/2 cup whiskey
In a small pot, combine the cider, cinnamon tea, star anise, and cloves. Simmer for 10 minutes. Pass the cider through a sieve, and add the whiskey.
Swedish Glögg Punch
(10 servings)
Minnesota winters are better with a cup of Swedish Glögg in hand. Brimming with warm spices like cinnamon, cardamom and cloves, and served hot, glögg obliterates the chill in your bones and tops off the love in your heart. It pairs well with dark chocolate and feel-good movies. As it simmers on the stove, it makes the house smell dreamy. Boil a batch as you make dinner, or settle in for a game night when you want the evening to feel extra cozy. —Katie Tomsche
Photo: Lunds & Byerlys
- 2 750 ml bottles dry red wine
- 750 ml bottle German spätlese or Riesling
- 1 lemon
- 1 orange
- 10 whole cloves
- 10 shole cardamom pods
- 3 whole cinnamon sticks
- 1-inch fresh ginger, peeled and thinly sliced
- 1 cup raisins
- 1 cup blanched sliced almonds
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1 Tbsp. Angostura bitters
- 1 cup aquavit
Combine the wines in a large pot. Using a vegetable peeler, zest the citrus fruits. Tie up the lemon zest, orange zest, cloves, cardamom, cinnamon and ginger in cheesecloth, and add to the wine. Juice the lemon and orange. Add the juices to the wine, along with the raisins, almonds and sugar. Bring wine mixture to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce heat; gently simmer for 15 minutes or until flavors are well blended and almonds are soft. Skim wine occasionally to remove any foam. Just before serving, remove the cheesecloth and aromatics, and add the bitters and aquavit. Ladle the glögg into mugs, and serve with a spoon for eating the raisins and almonds. Note: Glögg can be stored in the fridge for up to a week and then reheated on the stove or served cold.
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More of Spencer Olson’s recipes are available at thewoodenspoonchefs.com.
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Shop ingredients and mugs at The Abundant Kitchen, 223 Water St., Excelsior; 952.474.0190; abundantkitchen.shop.
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