Burrows Holly - Some like it hot: 50 drinks to warm your spirits

To our Mothers, who made us our very first hot cocoas, topped with marshmallows and filled with love.

text copyright 2005 by Holly Burrows and Katie Walter.
photographs copyright 2005 by Maren Caruso.
All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced in any form without written permission from the publisher.

isbn 978-1-5421-5673-6 (epub, mobi)

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data available.

isbn 0-8118-4404-8 (hc)

Designed by Jay Peter Salvas
Food and prop styling by Kim Konecny and Erin Quon
Photo assistant: Faiza Ali
This book was typeset in Matrix 11/12, Matrix Script, and Meta Plus 8/11

Distributed in Canada by Raincoast Books
9050 Shaughnessy Street
Vancouver, British Columbia, v 6 p 6 e 5

Chronicle Books llc
85 Second Street
San Francisco, California 94105

www.chroniclebooks.com

Thanks to David and John, our full-time tasters and tech guys. To Sarah, Judy, and Lorraine, our dedicated helpers, who read our many drafts and tested our recipes, good and bad. And thanks to little Libby for all her help with banging pots and pans during our many taste-testing sessions.

We never could have done this without everyone at Chronicle Books. Thank you to Bill LeBlond and Amy Treadwell for giving us the opportunity to do our first book. We truly appreciate all of your trust, patience, and guidance. Many thanks to Rebecca Pepper for her thoroughness, Jan Hughes and Doug Ogan for their careful edits, Laurel for her encouraging words, Jay Peter Salvas for his creativity and flexible collaboration, and Yolanda Accinelli in production for bringing it all together. Finally, thank you to Maren, Kim, and Erin, for making our drinks more beautiful than we ever imagined.

Every year it happens. The warm breezes and sweet scents of summer give way to the crisp autumn air and the smell of fallen leaves. The nights grow longer, the temperatures fall, and before we know it, the winter winds are howling and snow and ice are covering the ground. But just because the tiki torches are doused and the only flames burning are those in the fireplace, now is not the time for hibernation. Tis the season for celebration!

The fall harvest and the winter holidays provide the perfect backdrop for good times. Whether youre relaxing with close friends or hosting the whole extended family, hot drinks are a great alternative to the same old holiday fare. In the dead of winter, wouldnt you rather warm up with a hot concoction than an icy cocktail or frosty mug of beer? We know we would. The problem has always been figuring out what to serve instead.

While endless books full of cool, fruity, ice-filled summer cocktails line the shelves of our favorite bookstores, we could never find a book of unique and delicious recipes for hot drinks to take us from the harvest through the holidays. So we set out to create our very own collection of recipes for seasonal sips. Some are classics, and some weve concocted. Weve included spirited libations as well as a sprinkling of nonalcoholic drinks. From ridiculously simple drinks for cozy nights at home to make-ahead batches to dazzle friends and family, youll find a hot drink for every occasion.

When the seasons activities take you outside, toting along hot drinks will keep you and yours warm and toasty. Make home-coming unique this yearhost a Toddy Tailgate with Hottie Toddies, Amaretto Sour Toddies, and Pear Ginger Toddies. Even raking leaves in the backyard or shoveling snow from the front walk is better when followed by a warm Caramel Apple Sip or a rich Hot Cocolat. And after a day of hitting the slopes, warm up with a steaming Kiss Me Im Irish Coffee, or end a serious session of sledding with a White Hot Mint. Nothing feels better than coming in from the cold, wrapping your frozen fingers around a warm mug, and letting a sweet, steaming potion warm up your numb nose and chapped cheeks.

Once the holidays roll around and youre swamped with shopping lists and holiday open houses, you can still be the holiday hostess with the mostest. Bring the heat inside and host a hot cocktail party with Cinnamon Cider Martinis, Hotsicles, and Baninis. Serve Mulled Apple Cider on Thanksgiving, stir up nostalgia with a big bowl of rich, warm Eggnog on Christmas Day, or break from tradition and celebrate Mexican-style with a batch of Ponche, or in the spirit of the Scandinavians with Glgg. From a simple supper followed by a sensational Caf Dolores to a Just Desserts party complete with luscious liquid versions of Tiramis and Bananas Foster, you will find that hot drinks offer endless ideas for simple yet memorable entertaining.

Even as the holidays wind down, hot drinks are a perfect cure for the winter doldrums. Youll actually look forward to waking up when you know that a steaming mug of Lavender Vanilla Cream awaits you. If youre looking for that late afternoon pick-me-up, a Spiced Chai Tea will do the trick. And on those nights that are perfect for cuddling up with a good book in front of a roaring fire, brew a cup of fragrant Lemon Ginger Tea or Heavenly Hibiscus.

Whatever the occasion, we hope this collection of our favorite hot drink recipes will warm your autumn outings and add sparkle to your holiday gatherings. These treats can become part of your family traditionsthe drinks you share as you carve the family pumpkin, huddle to keep warm at the Thanksgiving Day parade, or deck the halls with holiday cheer. So from the first frost to the early signs of spring, from the frantic holiday celebrations to all those times you need some soul-soothing in between, throw on your party shoes or pull on your fuzzy sweater, and heat things up with Some Like It Hot .

Making hot drinks is easy when you have the right tools on hand. Here are a few essentials.

Ideal for the at-home grind, this handy tool grinds coffee as well as spices, nuts, and dried fruits. Try grinding coffee beans together with your favorite spices to create a unique flavored coffee.

For delicious coffee drinks, youll need a coffeemaker or European coffee press. Whichever brewing method you choose, make sure your coffee is ground accordingly: medium for a coffeemaker, fine for a coffee press.

A ladle, especially one with a pouring spout, makes transferring hot drinks from saucepan to servingware a breeze.

Youll want a set of dry measuring cups for measuring sugar and other dry ingredients. Youll also want 1-, 2-, and 4-cup tempered glass liquid measuring cups. Theyre perfect for drinks that are heated in the microwave instead of on the stovetop.

Any standard set should measure up.

Small saucepans are ideal for single servings, and large saucepans are best for bigger batches. If youre doubling a recipe, use a stockpot. For easier serving, use saucepans with spouts or lipped rims, which prevent drips when pouring. If you dont have such pans, transferring your hot drink into a glass measuring cup will make it much easier to pour, especially when youre serving your drinks in rimmed or narrow-mouthed glasses such as champagne flutes.