PORTLAND, Maine — Kai Parrott-Wolfe, the beverage director at Luke's Lobster in Portland, has shared a pair of cocktail recipes that will warm you up on a cold winter night and have you thinking about warmer days ahead.
Toasted Hot Toddy
1.5 ounces whiskey
6 ounces Hojicha Tea (can be purchased at an Asian market or online, or you can sub your favorite tea)
0.5 ounce fresh lemon juice
0.5 ounce honey syrup
1 slice lemon stuffed with cloves
Honey Syrup:
Mix equal parts honey and water over medium heat, and stir until the honey is dissolved. Cool, and keep in your fridge for up to one month.
To Assemble:
Add whiskey, freshly brewed tea, lemon juice, and honey syrup to your drinking glass. Garnish the drink with your clove-studded lemon slice.
Winter Cranberry Mule
1.5 ounces vodka
0.75 ounce cranberry juice (unsweetened, not cranberry cocktail)
3 ounces Maine Root Ginger Brew
2 dashes Elemakule Tiki bitters
To Assemble:
Add vodka, cranberry juice, and ginger brew to a mule mug or your favorite cocktail glass. Add your dashes of bitter, and drink by a roaring fire.