"holiday drinks" news and stories

Your eggnog jones is about to be satisfied. Tomorrow Starbucks is bringing back their holiday specials, including the Eggnog Latte. Gingerbread Men (and Women) can go for the Gingerbread Latte, and there are Caramel Brulée Latte and Peppermint White Chocolate Mocha, too. The Christmas Blend (regular and Espresso Roast) is also back, with its hints of pumpkin pie and gingerbread, and this year you can try it in an instant with the new VIA Ready Brew version. And from November 18 to 21, you can buy one of the holiday joes and get one free. For a chic kaffeeklatsch, sip your spicy brew from designer Jonathan Adler's new ceramic STARBUCKS (RED) To-Go Cup (above). As with all the STARBUCKS (RED) offerings, part of the proceeds from sales go to the Global Fund, which helps combat AIDS in Africa.

When I was 23 years old, I inherited my grandparents apartment, contents and all. As they were people who liked to entertain, that inheritance included a full stocked liquor cabinet. I didn't know much about alcohol back in those days, as I had barely imbibed during college and so this was a treasure trove of unknown wealth and knowledge.

Over the years, the contents of that liquor cabinet have morphed and shifted, making room for bottles of vodka (not a spirit my grandparents used much) and saying good bye to the whiskey that friends and family have pilfered. One recent addition that has really been floating my personal cocktail boat of late has been the bottle of Pama that I acquired a few months back.

Pama is a pomegranate flavored liqueur that is tangy, sweet and has a glowing red hue. It's all the pomegranate (plus some) without all the work! I like to make an adult soda with it, mixing a couple of ounces of Pama with plain old soda water, finishing it with a squeeze of lemon. It's similar to when you cut sparkling water with cranberry juice, only with a slightly intoxicating zing. It's also great for deglazing the pan when you're working with sweet and savory flavors (there's a recipe on the Pama website for Oven Roasted Pork Chops with a Shallot and Pama Sauce that sounds absolutely delicious).

If you're looking for something to add a little zip to your special holiday drink, I highly suggest that you consider Pama as your secret ingredient! If you're looking for a little recipe inspiration, there are two options after the jump.

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I don't know if I have a special drink I have around the holidays, though I guess if I had to think of one it would be egg nog. Not that I drink a lot of it around the holidays, it's just that it's the only holiday-related drink that I can think of having. If I'm going to have a drink, I usually stick to what I have other months of the year, even if it is Christmas.

Fandango has a quiz where they'll figure out which drink is best for you during the holidays. They ask you questions such as your favorite color, what type of movies you like, your idea of a fun time, etc. Then they tell you what you should be drinking. It works with both alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks.

I don't know how accurate it is since I got "Whiskey," which I can't stomach.

OK, so this might be a week or so late, but some of us are still in the Christmas spirit, right? Well, if you're not, maybe you can check out this drink and get back in the Christmas spirit! Or maybe as a way to toast the holiday season goodbye until next time.

It's called the Santa Claus Metropolitan, and I got it from Dale Degroff's excellent web site. He's known as "King Cocktail," and it's easy to see why. He's got a lot of drinks there that I've never even heard of before, in addition to all the classics and twists on classics.

Read on for the recipe: