Before the Battle of Hastings in , English soldiers reportedly sang:. But, in England, wassail also denoted the alcoholic beverage you imbibed during that toast—an elixir of steamy mulled mead or cider. Sometimes, wassail was a whipped dark beer flavored with roasted crab apples. Wassail was usually slurped from a communal bowl before, during, and after big events and holidays. It was supposedly on the menu during Lammas Day, a pagan autumnal harvest holiday that involves transforming cornhusks into dolls. It was also imbibed on Twelfth Night , a January holiday that involves lighting a fire in an orchard, dancing, and singing incantations to apple trees in hopes of encouraging a bountiful harvest.
By the Middle Ages, the practice of sharing a giant bowl of wassail—that is, the practice of wassailing —evolved from a holiday celebration to a form of boozy begging. Not all rich folk were happy to see wassailers at their doorstep. Misers like Selden may have had a point: Since alcohol was involved, wassailers often got too rowdy. In fact, boisterous wassailers are one reason why Oliver Cromwell and Long Parliament passed an ordinance in that essentially banned Christmas.
Mulled Wine
By the 19th century, wassailing would mellow. Beginning in the s, music publishers started releasing the first commercial Christmas carols, uncorking classics such as God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen and The First Noel. Among them were dozens of wassailing songs, including the circa Here We Come a-Wassailing and dozens of others that are now, sadly, forgotten.
As the custom of caroling became the dominant door-to-door pastime, alcohol-fueled begging dwindled. By the turn of the 20th century, carolers were more likely to sing about libations than actually drink them. For starters, ask for beer. Go for it all, go for the gold, go for Thirsty for your own wassail?
Stock up on sherry and wine and try this traditional recipe from The Williamsburg Cookbook. Have you got a Big Question you'd like us to answer? The simple and classic combination of orange juice and champagne makes a perfect cocktail for a celebratory brunch or party. Need an after-dinner coffee to match the festive mood?
7 Holiday Cocktails From Around the World
Try this blend with nutmeg, cloves, cinnamon and orange zest. Perfect, too, for Christmas morning. Get that festive feeling with this smooth mulled wine made with figs, sliced clementine and spices. Great for a Christmas party or just to cosy up with. Enjoy a warming pot of jasmine tea with chai spices including cinnamon, star anise, cloves and ginger. The addition of orange and berries adds a fruity tang.
Warm up with a hot toddy.
The combination of whisky, honey, lemon, cinnamon and cloves really packs a punch and is great for entertaining in winter. Take a hot mug of cocoa to the heights of luxury with this super decadent recipe that combines double cream and whole milk with three types of chocolate. Lipsmackingly sweet-and-sour, the Cosmopolitan cocktail of vodka, cranberry, orange liqueur and citrus is a good time in a glass. Perfect for a party. A classic Black Russian cocktail is made with vodka, coffee liqueur and cola.
Garnish with a maraschino cherry and serve as a decadent after-dinner treat. Make our easy eggnog recipe for the perfect festive party tipple. This traditional Christmas drink uses just 5 ingredients, including egg yolks and brandy. This is a sophisticated, aromatic twist on the classic French 75, to get it ready for the festive season. This warm whiskey cocktail will keep you cozy on cold nights. Topped with a maple-cream mixture and fresh nutmeg, it may taste more like a dessert than a cocktail. Merry Berry Christmas, Sugar! Make the kids feel like a part of the festivities with this mint and berry "mocktail.
Muscadine wine stars in this spirited concoction of grenadine, bourbon, and a variety of fruit juices and sodas.
- Cocktails for the Holidays: Festive Drinks to Celebrate the Season.
- Swami Vivekananda In America!
- Desolation Central Station: new poems.
- I love real food.: Einfach. Gesund. Lecker. (German Edition).
- El Viaje (Spanish Edition).
- Explore Southern Living.
- The Gullah People Of Sandy Island!
Cozy up by the fire with a warm apple-ale flavored with allspice, cinnamon, cloves, and cardamom. Toasted pecans, cream of coconut, cinnamon, and sweetened whipped cream make it hard to tell if this bourbon concoction is a cocktail or dessert. Re-invent a favorite flavor of the holiday season into a tasty cocktail.
Cocktails for the Holidays: Festive Drinks to Celebrate the Season - Imbibe Magazine
Carry the flavor even further by dipping martini glasses in ginger liqueur and crushed gingersnaps. Orange-Cranberry Gin and Tonic. This refreshing drink is composed of black cherry liqueur, brandy, crushed ice, and then topped off with sparkling white wine. Of course, no cocktail is complete without a maraschino cherry on top! Pomegranate juice adds a festive—and healthy—splash of red to your holiday cocktails. Make our mimosas "leaded or unleaded" by mixing to taste with Champagne, sparkling water, or a lemon-lime soft drink such as Sprite.
Celebrate in style with this holiday beverage. Peach preserves like you would spread on biscuits are the secret ingredient. Cranberries are an easy and festive way to dress up Champagne. Your guests will love watching the cranberries dance in the glass.
Use candy canes as fun garnishes for this orange juice and vodka cocktail. Its red-orange color comes from the addition of maraschino cherry juice. A mojito traditionally uses rum; here we use tequila instead, hence the fun title. Dip rims of glasses in lime juice and a mixture of equal parts kosher salt and sugar for a twist on salt-rimmed glasses. Bring the flavor of the tropics to your next winter gathering.
This quick wassail will warm you to the toes and make your kitchen smell incredible at the same time. Strain the drink before serving to remove any remaining fruit or spice bits.
Instead of stirring all the ingredients together, serve optional shots of vodka on the side, and let your guests add it or not. This is definitely a sipping cocktail that's at its best when made with high-quality ingredients. Two classic tequila cocktails come together in a drink that's tangy and sweet, and almost as beautiful as a real sunrise.
Not sure what to cook?
For this stunning presentation, pour the grenadine into the bottom of your glasses and then carefully pour the tequila mixture on top. Aunt Kat's Creamy Eggnog. The classic mimosa is equal parts orange juice and Champagne. In this cocktail recipe, pineapple juice and grenadine add a twist of flavor and color.