Merry Christmas to All! Gin Punch with Cherries and a Holiday Request

I wanted to wish you all a very merry Christmas and will give you wonderful drink recipes for my gift to you… but I want to take this opportunity to ask that all of you with a bit of extra cash on this holiday would take a moment and consider creatures less fortunate. I was horrified to read an article in the NYTs this week about the plight of horses in Dublin ( see the article HERE ) .

Andrew Testa for The New York Times

These magnificent beasts were pets when the economy was rolling along but are now being abandoned at an alarming rate as their owners cannot afford the feed bills and have their own troubles. Please contact the Dublin Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals HERE and give what you can to help these poor suffering animals. SO far, the outpouring of donations from the USA following this article has been nothing short of a Christmas Miracle. I know there are people suffering but let us not forget the creatures that depend on us. Give a little to the Dublin horses or if you prefer to stay local, give to a local ASPCA to help them this holiday season. Thanks so much for anything you can do.

Your reward, one of the best drinks I’ve tried. I’ve been saving this beauty for Christmas as my present to all of you. The drink, from my favorite cocktail book, Dainty Drinks and Cooling Cups, is another mid-19^th century gem with a modern addition of Aftelier’s Fir essence. It is like drinking the holidays with the hint of evergreen in every cherry-red sip. It is a brilliant cocktail. As for The Splitting Headache... well, with a name like that... I had to try it. If you like spiced ale...this is your drink!

Gin Punch a la Fuller (with cherry juice)

2 cups sour cherry juice (cranberry or pomegranate juice can be substituted but some healthfood stores carry it- I made mine with frozen sour cherries and a little sugar and water)

1 drop bitter almond or a few drops of almond extract

4 cups gin

1 drop Aftelier Fir essence that you can get HERE

sugar to taste ( my juice was plenty sweet… do what you will)

Put all the ingredients together and taste to see if you need sugar. Add shaved ice and shake. Pour into glasses and serve.

Splitting Headache

½ cup Rum

6 cloves

pinch of cinnamon, ginger and nutmeg

½ cup limejuice

1 quart ale

sugar to taste

Put the rum and spices in a glass for an hour. Strain and add the limejuice. Combine with the ale and taste … you may or may not want sugar depending on the ale. Can be had cold or warmed.