The Ideal Thanksgiving Cocktail to Prep Ahead

Photo by Angel Tucker

Happy Thanksgiving! Whether you’re hosting or joining friends and family at their table this holiday, there’s a great cocktail recipe you can prepare ahead of time. There are so many tasks to do on the day of Thanksgiving, and this recipe is designed for folks who’d like to share a beautiful handmade cocktail but don’t have the time to build individual drinks for each person.

In my family, our beverage ritual revolves around sipping Champagne while dressing the turkey and gathering for cocktail hour when guests arrive. A massive cheeseboard, hot cider for the kids, a popcorn and cranberry stringing station in the living room- that’s what I can expect come about 4pm tomorrow afternoon. Here’s the recipe that I’ll be prepping this evening after I turn the turkey in the brine. Earthy and lightly sweet with a hint of smoke, The Dram is sure to please guests with a range of tastes. Have a crowd that prefers whiskey? Swap in your favorite Bourbon for the Mezcal to yield a slightly sweeter variation without the the smoke. Leave yourself about an hour to prepare the batch and make sure to savor a glass while you do so.

Cheers to a happy and relaxing holiday!

<3 Willa + Little Bitte

The Dram

1½ oz Mezcal (Bourbon works too! )

¾ oz Pear Cider Syrup* 

¾ oz Sweet Vermouth (I love Carpano Antica)

¼ oz Saint Elizabeth Allspice Dram

Tasting Notes: Boozy, warming spices


The Dram  [Batch Recipe Version] 

24 oz Mezcal (750ml bottle – 1 ounce for sipping while you batch!)

12 oz pear cider syrup*

12 oz sweet vermouth 

4 oz Saint Elizabeth Allspice Dram** see note

8 ounces fresh apple cider (for balance + dilution)

Pear Cider Syrup*: Seed and dice 2 ripe juicy pears. Combine pear, apple cider and cinnamon in a medium saucepan and simmer over low heat for 20 minutes. Turn off the heat, cool to room temp. Fine strain batch into a large bowl gently pressing residual liquid through the strainer with a large spoon and discard the solids. Pour batch into 2 clean sealable glass jars. Refrigerate for up to 2 weeks.

Allspice Dram**: If batching a day or days before you serve The Dram, reduce the amount of Allspice Dram to 2 ounces because the flavor is so strong. The flavor of amaros, bitters and spiced cordials amplifies significantly in batches.

Preparation: Combine liquid ingredients and divide into 3 clean bottles or 2 large mason jars and refrigerate. When ready to serve, fill a pitcher with ice and fill with batch. Serve into rocks glasses filled with ice. Garnish with fresh rosemary, thyme or lavender leaf. 

Yield: 20 servings

Happy Friendsgiving!

 

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There are a couple of traditions I gleefully look forward to every November:

#1. An entire weekend devoted to activities in front of the wood stove playing cards & board games with my BBC favorites in queue. Hot toddies, cider, popcorn, the whole nine yards….

#2. …. FRIENDSGIVING!

Friendsgiving dinner is different every year. This year I joined a group of beautiful new friends and we documented our afternoon together at Phones Wright house in Bolton, MA. I debuted a few of my new favorite holiday recipes during cocktail hour and they were a hit!!  Here are a couple of recipes to test out on your friends & family over this holiday….

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The Flannel Shirt

1 1/2 oz Bourbon Whiskey

1/2 oz Amaro Cynar

1/2 oz Carpano Antica Vermouth

3 dashes Smoked maple bitters

Garnished with brandied cherries + fresh herbs

Preparation: Pour bourbon, Cynar, sweet vermouth and bitters into a mixing glass, add ice and stir for 15 seconds. Pour into a chilled cocktail glass or over rocks into a mule mug for slow, relished sipping. Garnish with Luxardo cocktail cherries, fresh sage and nasturtium blossoms. Cheers!

Tasting Notes: Smooth, aromatic & bittersweet

The Orchard

1 oz Vodka

1 oz fresh pressed local cider

½ oz spiced ginger cordial

Top with dry Sparkling wine

Preparation: Add vodka, cider and ginger cordial to a bar tin, add ice and shake vigorously for 15 seconds. Strain into a chilled cocktail glass, top with bubbles and garnish with edible blossoms and fresh herbs.

La Pom (Mocktail)

2 oz Fresh pomegranate juice (½ of the fruit, juiced)

4 oz with sparkling water

Top with 2 drops of orange blossom water

Preparation: Add juice to a collins glass filled with ice, top with sparkling water,

orange blossom water and garnish with a wheel of lemon and edible blossoms.

Many thanks to my dear Friendgiving pals,

Photography Above: Meredith Jane Photography
Event Planning & Design : Kate Murtaugh Events + Design and Kelly Golia Events
Venue: Phineas Wright House
Additional Photography: Madeline Rose Photography
Floral Design:  Field & Vase and Weatherlow Farm
Cocktails: Little Bitte
Rentals: Borrowed BLU
Stationary: Lilliput Design Studio
Calligraphy: Molly Grace Makes
Makeup: Sarah Lord and Jocelyn Mariah Makeup
Hair: Tada Style
Accessories: Wool and Whiskey

<3 Little Bitte

Announcing Foraged Cocktails & Thanksgiving Tablescapes Workshop!

 

workshop willa in the zone
Photos by Caylin Harris

Autumn is here and we’re busy planning how to add that perfect sparkle to the holidays!

On Thursday November 16th we’ll be hosting our first cocktail workshop at Worlds Fair Gallery, on Broadway in Providence RI for a Foraged Cocktails & Thanksgiving Tablescapes Workshop from 6-8PM.
Learn to build 2 new cocktails for holiday entertaining! We’ll use a wild foraged sumac syrup and spiced pear cordial, among other delights.
Phoebe from Weatherlow Florals will guide you in creating a lush tablescape to accompany your Thanksgiving feast, using only seasonal blooms from the farm and locally foraged materials. Flowers and foliages will include heirloom chrysanthemums, lisianthus, herbs, fall leaves, foraged grasses, vines, and berries.
All instruction, materials, sips, and bites are included for $75.

Contact Little Bitte to register:

littlebittedrink@gmail.com

 Plus Anna from Star Street Party Co. will be in attendance with her delicious amaretti cookies, perfect for holiday gifting!