Where is the love? I am a frozen-faced prisoner of winter, a poet, with nothing on my mind but producing verses of supreme flow and beauty. When rubbing your hands doesn’t work any more. Let us mascaraed our souls with a layer of warmth and melt the frosty corners of our hearts. What we need is a recipe. A formula. May be even a theorem! Like rum plus chocolate-squared over the root of a pinch of cinnamon equals a romantic prospect. When warm cloths and smiles are not enough we have to reach into the realm of creative spirited libations. When love needs the gentle touch of the summer in a glass.
The Fat Rabbit (calvados, agave, chartreuse and three pieces of clove – for good luck). A slightly more romantic alternative is Amore (espresso, amaretto and cream). Or! If you are planning to be up all night (to study) a Whiskey Cream Latte (whiskey cream, whole milk and chocolate) might be in order. The classics are the classics. But! Feel free to experiment. Scotch, Brandy, Armagnac, Calvados, aged Tequila can all help you find the missing piece of your soul in the frosty weather (so I read in the old books).
Another singular favorite is Chartreuse. A French liqueur made by the Charthusian Monks since 1737. Luckily they received a manuscript that contained a secret recipe for (allegedly) the ‘elixir of long life’ in 1605. Green Chartreuse is made of 130 medicinal and aromatic herbs, plants and flowers and is 110 proof. If that doesn’t keep you warm this winter you are in trouble my friends. Alternatively you can never go wrong with a cup of tea. While you search for that warm feeling dubbed love in variously shaped and filled glassware don’t forget to put a hat on. Because if NYC is not the largest congregation of ‘mad hatters’ I don’t know what is. For the drinks, colors and cool hats. I don’t like New York winters, I love them!
Recipes
Amore
It’s a sweeter and more balanced version of an Irish coffee, perfect if entertaining a loved one or a holiday date.
Ingredients
– 2 shots of illy blend espresso
– 1 1/2oz Disaranno Amaretto Liqueur
– 2oz full fat cream slightly whipped
– For the garnish 2 coffee beans and cane sugar
Serve in illy freddo glasses
Preparation:
1. In a small steaming pitcher, add amaretto.
2. Heat the liqueur for a few seconds using the steam wand on your espresso machine. Pour into a 6-ounce freddo glass.
3. Prepare espressos and add to the serving glass. Gently stir.
4. In a small bowl or mixing cup add heavy cream. Lightly whip so that it is still a liquid.
5.Starting at the center of the glass, slowly pour/float cream on top of the coffee.
6. Garnish with coffee beans and dusting of cane sugar
Whiskey Cream Latte
Great to serve at a festive brunch, the illy Guatemala Huehuetenango coffee is best as it is the sweetest of the MonoArabica single origins, the honey and caramel notes make an excellent pairing to the sweetness and milk notes of the whiskey cream.
Ingredients
– 2 espresso shots of illy’s MonoArabica Guatemala Single Origin coffee
– 1oz of Whiskey Cream e.g. Baileys
– 5oz of Whole Milk
– Grated Domori Chocolate
– Serve in illy freddo glasses
Preparation:
1. Pour Whiskey Cream into glass
2. Add 2 shots of Guatemala espresso coffee
3. Stir until completely blended
4. Steam the milk like you would for lattes
5. Pour on top of coffee and whiskey cream mixture
6. Garnish with grated Domori chocolate
Domori and Rum Hot Chocolate
For cigar enthusiasts, the beverage is great for a post-dinner smoke as it brings out the cigar’s natural flavors.
Ingredients
– Domori Puertomar Dark Chocolate x 25 grammes
– 1oz of water
– 1oz White Rum
– Cold foam using skimmed milk
– 1/3oz Vanilla Syrup
– Serve in illy freddo glasses
Preparation:
1. Boil water and pour into a serving jug sat in large saucepan of boiling water in the jug, melt the chocolate in 1oz of hot water, stir until melted completely.
2. Add 1oz of white Rum and stir well then pour it into a illy freddo glass
3. Combine 1/3oz vanilla syrup and 3-4oz of cold skimmed milk and whip it using a milk-shaker (no milk-shaker option: use a Aerolatte or steam the milk with the espresso machine and use only the foam)
4. Pour the foam over the chocolate
— Milen Vasilev
Author
