drinks

Persimmon Sparkler

Prep Time:

Cook Time: 0

Yields 5 cocktails

Ingredients
2 ripe persimmons

4 tbls fresh lemon juice

St. Germain

1 bottle champagne

Rosemary or Mint sprigs

Directions
Juice two persimmons in your Juiceman juicer.

Per cocktail: In a champagne flute, add the persimmons juice, lemon and St. Germain. Top with champagne and give a quick stir. Garnish with either a rosemary or mint sprig.
2 tbls persimmons juice
1 tbls lemon
1 tbls St. Germain
Champagne

Notes
2 persimmons produced enough juice for 5 cocktails for us; this may vary depending on the size and ripeness of your persimmons. Double your taste buds! Save the pulp and make this Sweet and Savory Rosemary Persimmons Jam-Sauce.

Cardamom Honey Coconut Milk (it’s an Aphrodisiac!)

Prep Time: 30 minutes (for steeping)

Cook Time: 0

Yields: 2 cups

Ingredients

2 cups water

1/2 cup unsweetened coconut flakes

4 cardamom pods

2 tbls raw honey

Directions

Place the water, coconut flakes and cardamom pods in a pan; bring to a simmer. Turn off heat, cover and steep 15 – 30 minutes.

Pour ingredients in a blender, add the honey and blend until smooth. Strain through a fine mesh strainer. Enjoy warm or cool.

Store in refrigerator; coconut milk will separate, just shake to recombine.

Notes
It is believed that raw honey should not be heated so in this recipe we add the honey during blender, after steeping the milk.

A Glorious ‘Icing’ and Spiced Warm EggNog

Prep Time:

Cook Time:

Ingredients
1/2 cup cashews

1/2 cup hot water (2 cups of hot water for the warm drink)

3 dates, pitted

1/2 tsp ground cinnamon

1/4 tsp ground ginger

1/8 tsp ground cloves

Optional: Rum or Amaretto

Directions

To enjoy as a Spiced Icing / Frosting or Sweet Dip:

Place all the ingredients in the blender except the water, blend until smooth (about 1 minute) adding a tablespoon of water at a time as needed to get to your desired consistency. Drizzle over baked goods or try as a dip for fresh apples.

Booze it up: add a tablespoon of brandy and sprinkle with chopped, toasted pecans to fully top off your treats

For the Warm Spiced Drink- It’s a wonderfully creamy, thick and warm version of a non-chocolate hot chocolate:

Make the icing as noted above. Add in an additional 1.5 cups of hot water and blend until combined.

Booze it up: Enjoy as is or add in a few tablespoons of Amaretto for further warming.

As a Cold Cocktail- It becomes a more healthy, egg free, eggnog version:

Make the Spiced Drink as noted above. Add in an additional 1.5 cups of cool water and blend until combined. Chill in the refrigerator until desired temperature is reached.

Booze it up: add in a few tablespoons of rum to really complete the EggNog tradition.

Pumpkin Hot Chocolate with Whipped Coconut Cream

Prep Time
Overnight if making the Whipped Coconut Cream

Prep Notes
To make the Coconut Whipped Cream, place one can of full fat coconut milk in the refrigerator overnight.

Cooking Time
5 minutes

Yields
4 small cups

Ingredients
1/2 cup pumpkin (roasted or pureed)

1/2 cup water

1 cup coconut milk (I prefer to use the leftover liquid from when I make Whipped Coconut Cream- see notes below; otherwise any milk will do)

2 heaping tbls raw cocao powder

3 tbls maple syrup

scant 1 tsp cinnamon

2 dashes ground clove

1 tsp vanilla

Optional:

1/4 cup amaretto

Whipped Coconut Cream

Directions
Place all the ingredients except the whipped coconut cream and the amaretto in a blender, blend for 30 seconds or until smooth. Pour into a saucepan and heat to desired temperature.

If using, add in the amaretto, pour into small mugs and top with the Coconut Whipped Cream; wrap your hands around the mug, breathe deep and enjoy.

A note about the coconut milk and whipped coconut cream:

Coconut cream makes the most amazing whipped cream – it’s luscious, thick and dreamy! And it’s a good fat so there is no feeling guilty. I keep a can in my fridge at all times just in case.

Follow my recipe for how to make the Whipped Coconut Cream here. Use the remaining liquid in the can for the recipe above.