Thanksgiving 2020 will find fewer plates set around most tables – a precaution taken to encourage us to stay safe in this COVID-19 environment.
While the situation could get a person feeling blue, I won’t let it get me down because I plan to celebrate online and give thanks with my friends who will be missing from my Thanksgiving table. This year, we will gather and toast one another via Zoom.
Such an occasion calls for toasting with something extra special. Thanks to the mixologists from St. Louis based Luxco, I have a few Thanksgiving cocktail recipes to share. They have concocted a slate of Thanksgiving cocktails that reflect seasonal flavors that promise to deliver that cup ‘o’ cheer. Give one a try, then raise a glass and give thanks.
CRANBERRIED REBEL
2 oz. Rebel Kentucky Straight Bourbon
1 teaspoon granulated sugar
1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon
2 tablespoons prepared cranberry sauce
Ginger beer
Orange slice, for garnish
In a mixing glass, combine the sugar and cinnamon. Add the cranberry sauce, bourbon, and ice; stir well. Strain into a rocks glass and top with ginger beer. Garnish with an orange slice.
FRIENDSGIVING MARGARITA
2 ounces Exotico Reposado or Blanco Tequila
3/4 ounce Real Apple purée
1/2 oz. lime juice
1 1/2 ounces cranberry juice
Dash of ground nutmeg and cinnamon
Shake all ingredients over ice, then strain over fresh ice. Garnish with apple slivers and a cinnamon stick.
EZRA AND CIDER
1 1/2 ounces Ezra Brooks Kentucky Straight Bourbon
3 1/2 ounces sparkling apple cider
Apple slice dipped in cinnamon, for garnish
Add bourbon and apple cider to a highball glass filled with crushed ice and stir. Garnish with a cinnamon apple slice.
IRISH TOAST
1 1/2 ounces The Quiet Man Irish Whiskey
1 ounce Saint Brendan’s Irish Cream
1 1/2 ounces almond milk
Dash of Angostura Bitters
Stir over ice and strain into a coupe glass. Garnish with cinnamon and nutmeg.
