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Cheers to a Spicy New Year! December 31 2015
A bottle of bubbly and New Year’s Eve go hand in hand. This year - try spicing things up. We have some La Flor spice infused Champagne recipes to help you countdown to midnight - cheers to a spicy New Year!
Spiced Citrus Champagne - (serves 12, recipe adopted from The Kitchn)
- 1 cup water
- 1/2 cup La Flor honey
- Zest of 2 lemons, cut into long strips
- 1 tablespoon La Flor lemon juice
- 4 whole La Flor star anise
- 4 La Flor cinnamon sticks
- 12 La Flor whole cloves
- 1/2 cup fresh orange juice
- Champagne, or dry sparkling white wine
Bring water, honey, lemon zest and juice, star anise, cinnamon sticks, and cloves to a simmer in a large saucepan over medium heat. Reduce heat to low, and cook for 15 minutes. Cool syrup.
Serve each glass of sparkling wine with 1 tablespoon spiced syrup and a splash of orange juice, to taste. Garnish with a slice of star fruit or a lemon twist.
Spiced Apple Cider Champagne Cocktails - (serves 2, recipe adopted from Dishing Up the Dirt)
- 2 ounces Jack Daniel’s Winter Jack Tennessee Cider (you can sub apple brandy)
- 2 ounce fresh apple cider
- 3-4 ounces chilled champagne
- La Flor cinnamon stick to garnish
A multi layer drink, add the Tennessee Cider to the base of the glass, then champagne, and finish with a splash of fresh apple cider. Garnish with a cinnamon stick.
Clove Spiced Champagne - (yields enough syrup for one bottle of champagne or sparking wine, recipe adapted from Gilded Fork)
- 4 cups apple or white grape juice
- 1 teaspoon La Flor whole cloves, crushed
- 1 teaspoon crystallized ginger, chopped
- ½ teaspoon La Flor allspice, crushed
- 2 tablespoons orange zest, pith completely removed
- ¼ of one whole vanilla bean, left intact
- 1 bottle of dry champagne or sparkling wine
- 4×4” square of cheesecloth
- Kitchen twine
Place all spices, zest, and vanilla bean into a sachet made from a double thickness of standard cheesecloth - tie off with kitchen twine.
*If you do not have a cheesecloth/kitchen twine - add all ingredients to the sauce pan with juice as instructed below..
In a small sauce pan, heat your 4 cups of juice over medium heat until it begins to boil. Add sachet to the juice, reduce heat and simmer for about 20-30 minutes. Remove from heat and allow to cool for 15 minutes. Remove the sachet, and pour syrup through a fine mesh sieve (or coffee filter is no sachet was used) into a glass container. Refrigerate until ready - note the syrup will become thicker as it cools.
To serve, add 1 part spiced syrup to 2 parts champagne or sparkling wine.
Spiced Christmas Cocktails December 24 2015
Thirsty Thursday and Christmas Eve? #Winning. Refresh your guests while toasting to good cheer with these spiced holiday cocktails:
PDT’s Gingerbread Man - Enjoy your favorite gingerbread man in liquid form thanks to The King’s Ginger, a high-strength Scotch-based ginger liqueur and La Flor’s cinnamon spice. Recipe here »
Spiced Chocolate Stout Beer Cocktail - An ice-cold refresher, take your favorite chocolate stout, add some brandy and your favorite La Flor spices to create the beer-lover’s new favorite cocktail. Recipe here »
Mulled Port & Lemon - If you find mulled wine too heavy, try this refreshing alternative Christmas drink. Our cinnamon sticks, cloves, and anise will come in handy. Recipe here »
Homemade (Rum-infused) Horchata - the drink of the gods just got better thanks to this booze infused recipe. Have some La Flor ground cinnamon, La Flor nutmeg, and La Flor vanilla extract on hand! Recipe here »
Spiced Holiday Punch - This mocktail is alcohol free and is perfect for holiday entertaining. Start with an apple juice that has been simmered with La Flor cinnamon, La Flor nutmeg, and La Flor cloves. Recipe here »
Choose La Flor to make mouths merry this Christmas. Our spices are the perfect way to give your holiday cocktails some extra oomph. Explore our wide selection of spices, herbs, and seasonings on the web or look for us in store. Keep it spicy, America!