Christmas 2 Interlude: The Search for the Golden Cocktail

     I have been searching for the perfect combination of mixed drinks to serve at Thanksgiving 2 and other events I hold for over 2 years now. It has been a mild issue for me because I do not want to have a cocktail station with a person permanently fixed there, but I want to offer mixed drinks to the non-beer/wine drinking guests. Thankfully, I've discovered 2 very popular and tasty drinks over the last few years, the "Happily Ever After" and the "Saltwater Cowboy". I am hoping that this year's Christmas 2: Christmas in July will finally fix the 3rd and final drink slot. I will be offering the 2 known and appreciated drinks, and 2 out of the 4 experimental drinks below.
   
     The previous 2 drinks that worked last year were:

Happily Ever After (the red drink)-

• peach schnapps
• cranberry juice
• ginger ale

and the Saltwater Cowboy (the green drink)-

• 6 parts rum
• 6 parts melon liqueur
• orange juice 
• ginger ale

     I have asked a question of my Christmas 2: Christmas in July guests. I've asked them to vote on the 4 drinks below and whichever 2 get the most votes are the cocktails I will offer to guests at this years event. 

Apple Gingerbread Cocktail

• 2 oz Domaine de Canton Ginger Liqueur (or the homemade version I know have)
• 1 oz vanilla vodka
• 2-1/2 oz apple cider
• 3 drops lemon juice
• agave syrup

     The ginger liqueur in this one caught my eye. In preparation to try this one I found several make-at-home recipes for ginger liqueur. I was happily surprised when I saw that a few of the recipes for very similar to one another. I picked the one that claimed to taste like the Domaine de Canton. I have since made it and tasted it. It has an incredible smell and a nice ginger bite at the end. I think it would be just fine over ice all by itself. Also, since I already own some homemade vanilla vodka, it made choosing this cocktail recipe even easier.

Drink of the Gods

• 2 oz vodka
• 1 oz pineapple juice
• 1 oz blueberry schnapps

     I was drawn to the blueberry schnapps in this one. I can't recall ever tasting it before. Also, I'm pretty sure that this one will not be yellow/gold because of the schnapps, but it is currently the most popular one that I have mentioned to everyone. If it is tasty I will find a way to make it golden looking or just live with whatever color it ends up.   

Goombay Smash

• 3/4 oz dark rum
• 1/2 oz coconut liqueur
• 3 oz pineapple juice
• 2 dashes lemon juice

     This is a very tropical drink, most likely created in the Bahamas. It's semi mysterious origin doesn't particularly matter to me. This is the third year that I have been searching for a set of cocktails to offer, and I am getting desperate. If Thanksgiving 2.7 has a tiny bit of a tropical taste to it, I can live with it. 

Gorky Park Cooler

• 1-1/2 oz strawberry vodka
• 1/2 oz coconut rum
• 1/2 oz spiced rum
• 4 oz pineapple juice

    I have a bottle of homemade strawberry infused vodka at
my home right now, and it is by far my favorite of the infused vodkas that I've made. It's always nice to find new uses for such an unusual liquor. I like that this one uses mostly vodka and just a bit of rum.

     There they are, 4 fairly different cocktails. 3 of which are yellow/gold in color and one probably not. I am not thrilled with the use of rum in 3 of the 4, but from what I have observed at other events (mine and others) rum is particularly popular. On an intellectual level, I'd prefer 4 different cocktails based on 4 different alcohols, but this is real life, so I want to serve what will be enjoyed. Also, if the 2 cocktails that are chosen are popular enough then perhaps I will offer 4 drinks at Thanksgiving 2.