When the pandemic entered our lives, graphic designer & hostess extraordinaire Carole Goguen began making the most of small celebrations. She used her talents to create menus & place cards, working to fill each meal with fun – even if the guest list for gatherings was much different than in the past. We’re lucky to have been in New Brunswick’s Yellow Phase when our annual Holiday How-to-make-Cocktails Party rolled around. Tosh & I joined Carole at her home to create some wonderful drinks to share with you. If you’re thinking you’d like to add a little pizzazz to an upcoming event – whether that’s a birthday bash when lockdowns are all over, an announcement to share with friends & family, or that extra attention to detail that could make Valentine’s Day at home a special memory – check out her graphic design options over at Creative Cat Design.

Click here to listen or watch the video version from Rogers at the end of the post, & read on for the recipes!

Huge thanks to Carole for sharing her home, her talents, & her photos with us for this episode. Enjoy!

Christmas Morning Bellini Recipes

If you’re planning a family brunch, consider making some fruit puree ahead of time to enjoy some sparkling bellinis on the big day!

Carole followed the guidance of Half Baked Harvest Blog to create two tasty versions of these bellinis: Blackberry Thyme & Raspberry Peach. 

The puree for both can be made in advance and stashed in the freezer. Blend 2 cups of fruit & 1/3 cup of orange juice. To serve, add a few tablespoons of the puree to the glass, top with the sparkling beverage of your choice (an easy recipe to make non-alcoholic & enjoy with everyone, at any time!), then garnish with a sprig of thyme, some raspberries, or whatever your imagine enjoys! 

How to make the BOULEVARDIER 

The Boulevardier is the strongest of the drinks we made on the show – perfect to offer as a welcome drink before a holiday meal.

Boulevardier

* 1 1/2 oz Whiskey

* 1 oz Sweet Vermouth

* 1 oz Campari

* orange garnish

Instructions

Stir all ingredients in glass. Add ice. Twist an orange peel over & serve.

Pro tip: a sturdy lowball glass with oversized square ice cubes will give this drink a sophisticated air your guests will remember long after they’ve forgotten the ingredients.

SPICY SWEET GRINCH COCKTAIL

Feeling adventurous? We suggest the Spicy Sweet Grinch Cocktail from Half Baked Harvest Blog. It is simply incredible!

Head on over to the Half Baked Harvest Blog for the full recipe, but you’re going to need lime, grapefruit, honey, mint, ginger beer, sugar, and gin (or vodka). It’s a bit of a labour of love (mostly juicing the fruit), but oh so worth it. And as we discovered while recording … simply leave out the gin & you can enjoy this just as much as a mocktail!

Gin Snowcone Martini (or as Jenna likes to call it, a Sophisticated Cape Breton Christmas Slush recipe)