Warm Spiced Vanilla

Hello again, and sorry for the long silence. I had some personal things going on that ended up preventing me from spending any time on the blog (or even making many cocktails, alas). I'm happy to be back!

It seems that in my absence, autumn has come and gone. Thanksgiving is over, and we put up our Christmas tree on Saturday. I do wish the fall had passed a little more slowly, but I love the Christmas season. Decorating the tree helped dispel the gloom of a cold and rainy day, and so did this rich and delicious cocktail. It's guaranteed to leave you happy, sleepy, and warm - the perfect drink for a winter evening.

Warm Spiced Vanilla

2 cups milk
2 tbsp. maple syrup
1 cinnamon stick
1/4 tsp. nutmeg
6 cloves
1 tsp. vanilla
1/3 cup Bailey's
1/6 cup bourbon

(Makes two cocktails.) Combine milk, maple syrup, cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves in a small saucepan. Warm over medium-low heat until the mixture is gently smoking. Reduce heat to low and let sit for five minutes, stirring occasionally, being careful not to let the mixture come to a boil. Pour through a fine strainer and return to the pan. Add vanilla, Bailey's, and bourbon. Serve in mugs, garnished with cinnamon sticks or star anise if desired.

Recipe adapted from Kitchen Treaty.

Mudslide

Dessert and cocktails. Probably my two favorite things. As such, you would think that dessert cocktails would be a favorite of mine, but I really don't care for them all that much. The sweetness plus the alcohol can be much too cloying. I'd usually rather pick one or the other. However, there are rare occasions when the stars align and suddenly I'd like nothing more than a sweet, milky, boozy confection. And the Mudslide is an easy go-to. Sometimes it just hits the spot.

History: The Mudslide was probably invented at the Wreck Bar in the Rum Point Club in Grand Cayman (which surprises me, because it's just about the last thing I'd want to drink on a beach). It was either the 1950's or the 1970's; there's surprisingly little info on it, and I've seen both dates. Supposedly some guests asked the bartender for White Russians (vodka, kahlua, and cream), and since he didn't have any cream he used Bailey's Irish Cream instead. The bar continued making and perfecting the drink. It's popularly served blended, but it's not clear whether the original was on the rocks on not. Many recipes add cream or ice cream as well.

The recipe below is my own, simplified version. I find that vodka doesn't add much flavor and only makes the cocktail less drinkable, so I omitted it. I use milk instead of cream or ice cream because I always have it, and it makes the cocktail less of a calorie bomb. Finally, I'm reluctant to haul out my blender unless there's a Pina Colada involved, so I serve my Mudslide on the rocks.

Mudslide

1 1/2 oz. Bailey's or other Irish Cream
1 1/2 oz. Kahlua or other coffee liqueur
1 1/2 oz. milk or cream

Combine ingredients over ice in a shaker. Shake until chilled and strain into an ice-filled rocks glass or a cocktail glass garnished with chocolate syrup.