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Mark Phillips / Rittenhouse Inn
The Rittenhouse Inn's Santa Baby Cosmo features a tart cranberry pureé.
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JuliKellner
Juli Kellner
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Mark Phillips / Rittenhouse Inn
The Landmark Hot Chocolate, topped with a cinnamon stick and whipped cream.
Word on the street is that popular “retro” television shows like “Mad Men” are bringing back the interest in cocktails and socializing before dinner.
Word at the Rittenhouse Inn in Bayfield, Wisconsin, is that some people apparently spend too much time on the street or in front of the TV. Otherwise, they’d know that flavorful and fun cocktails never went out of style.
“The clientele that we have like to have a nice cocktail,” says Julie Phillips, a genius mixologist and the wine steward at the inn.
Pairing gourmet foods with perfect drinks, she adds, “That’s always been kind of our theme for us.”
A good example of that theme comes up during the holidays.
The Rittenhouse Inn is famed for its wassail dinners, those special music-filled concerts that the Phillips family has put on for 36 years. It’s also known for its warm and welcome wassail punch.
“I love to come up with creative twists on classic cocktails,” Julie says. “The right libations can really help set the tone for a festive gathering, and the meal to come.”
Julie, whose drink formulations are featured in the first-ever Imbibe magazine cocktail recipe book, loves concocting new beverages but also likes taking an old favorite to add a new twist.
“Of course everyone loves hot chocolate, but my recipe is rich with quality dark chocolate and spices,” says Julie.
There are several keys to creating a tasty and novel cocktail, says Julie. First and foremost is not to overpour the alcohol. That is the most common error by novices and at some drinking establishments.
“Overpoured doesn’t help anybody; it makes a lousy drink. Strong drinks, unbalanced, can be as bad as having cheap booze in it. I don’t want somebody to take a drink and go, ‘Wow, that’s got a lot of booze in it.’”
And Julie does not recommend cheap booze in a good cocktail. In fact, she prefers infusing her own flavor into vodkas or gins rather than buying flavored versions.
“Use a well-known and well-tried and true brand of premium alcohol. They taste better.”
Balancing all of the ingredients so that they blend on the palate makes a great cocktail, according to this expert. “I look for the balance of flavors. I like to do fresh fruits instead of using bottled fruits or fruit juices.”
Fresh regional cranberries add just the right touch to her favorite for this season. “I’m loving my Santa Baby Cosmo, which features a tart cranberry pureé.”
Julie, whose brother Jerry and his wife Mary started the Rittenhouse Inn and whose nephew Mark and his wife Wendy now run it, also enjoys making creations for the family. After the hectic pace of the wassail dinners, it’s a great way to relax.
“We shut down the inn for a short time during the holidays to celebrate our own Phillips family Christmas,” says Julie. “Every year I look for interesting new cocktails to serve along with our traditional family feast.”
Julie encourages novice mixologists to try personal cocktail creations for their celebrations.
“Remember to have fun,” she advises. “Enjoy the traditions of the holiday, but don’t be afraid to introduce something new. Who knows, it could become a new tradition!”
Santa Baby Cosmo
- 2 oz. Zygo (energy vodka) or vodka of your choice
- 1 oz. cranberry pureé
- 1 oz. fresh lime juice
- 1 oz. simple syrup
- 1 oz. Grand Marnier
- 2 orange wedges
Cranberry Pureé
1 bag fresh cranberries
1 1/2 c. water
Rinse and sort the cranberries. Put them in a 3-quart saucepan and add the water. Cook on high to a boil, then turn down to medium and continue to cook until the cranberries become soft or pop. This usually takes about 10 minutes. Let this mixture cool slightly. Working in small batches, strain the cranberry mixture through a fine-mesh strainer using the back of a spoon or rubber spatula to push the mixture through the screen. When you have pressed out most of the liquid, discard the skin and seeds and start the next batch. This is now your cranberry pureé that can be kept for a week in the refrigerator or frozen for future use.
Simple Syrup
2 c. granulated sugar
1 c. water
Place the 2 cups granulated sugar in a saucepan and add the cup of water. Beat gently, stirring all the time, until the sugar is all dissolved. Allow it to cool and then bottle it for the cocktail use. This can be stored in the refrigerator for several weeks.
Shake all ingredients together over ice and pour into martini glasses. Top with a splash of sparkling wine/champagne. Garnish with a wedge of orange. Serves 2.
Landmark Hot Chocolate
- 13 oz. dark chocolate, finely chopped (in food processor/blender if you have one). I prefer good quality chocolate that is 70% cocoa. The fun part is that you can tailor your drink by picking your favorite chocolate. Just remember if you use milk chocolate you may wish to leave out the sugar, or at least cut down on the amount.
- 3 c. heavy whipping cream
- 2 c. 2% milk (use 3-4 cups to
- make drink less rich)
- 3/4 c. sugar
- 2 cinnamon sticks
- vanilla rum
For garnish:
- whipped cream
- 6 Cinnamon sticks
In a 3-quart saucepan, combine the cream, milk, 2 cinnamon sticks and chocolate pieces. Stir constantly over low heat until chocolate melts. Keeping it on low, simmer until hot, but not boiling. This will incorporate some cinnamon into the mixture. At this point it is ready to serve, but I like a more pronounced cinnamon flavor. Remove from heat and let cool. You can store this in the refrigerator in a sealed container for up to 3 days. When you are ready to serve, warm the chocolate mixture over low heat until almost boiling. Measure out 1-1/2 oz. of vanilla rum into the mug, then pour in the hot chocolate. Add a cinnamon stick and top with whipped cream. Enjoy pure heaven! Serves 6.
Crimson Jul
- 11 sprigs fresh mint
- 1 Tbsp. grated fresh ginger root.
- 2 oz. dark rum
- 2-1/2 oz. vanilla rum
- 1 oz. simple syrup
- 4 oz. of cranberry pureé
- 1 oz. fresh orange essence (2 oranges processed in a juicer)
- 1 oz. fresh lime juice
- Slices of fresh cranberry
- 2-3 orange twists
After you’ve made the simple syrup and cranberry pureé (see the Santa Baby Cosmo recipe), muddle the mint and ginger in shaker. Add all the remaining ingredients and shake with ice and strain into a cocktail glass. Garnish with sliced fresh cranberries and orange twist. Makes 2-3 large servings.
Rittenhouse Wassail Punch
- 12 whole cloves
- 6 whole allspice
- 1/2-inch fresh ginger root, peeled and sliced
- 3 cinnamon sticks (plus 1 per mug)
- 12 whole white peppercorns
- 1 gal. fresh apple cider
- 6 oz. cranberry juice
- 3/4 c. light brown sugar, packed
- 1 oz. bourbon per drink
- Nutmeg to garnish
To make the wassail: Wrap the cloves, allspice, ginger, cinnamon sticks and peppercorns in cheesecloth and tie with kitchen string. In a large pot, heat the cider, cranberry juice, brown sugar and spice bag. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer 30 minutes.
To make the drink: Pour bourbon in a mug, then fill with hot wassail. Add a dusting nutmeg and a cinnamon stick to garnish. Serves 10 to 12.
Juli Kellner hosts “WDSE Cooks!” for WDSE-WIRT TV, PBS 8/31.