We're wrapping up this little series on Large Batch Cocktails  - a great way to simplify entertaining over the Holidays. Today we're talking all things Grasshopper, and I'm giving out my big sister's Grasshoppers for a Crowd recipe. Tune in!

This week I'm sharing a few stories on Thanksgiving and gratitude, my best tips on preparing and getting through Thanksgiving dinner - and a recipe for STRONG but also YUMMY Jack Daniels fudge recipe.

Thanksgiving will be here in three weeks! THREE WEEKS! Before things get out of hand we are hosting a cocktail party for friends - which means BATCH COCKTAILS. We'll be using homemade (or leftover) cranberry sauce to make a fruit puree for our Bellinis. Join me!

This time of year in our family means two things - celebrating our wedding anniversary and the beginning of the busy season - holiday entertaining and houseguests. In this episode we'll cover how we do Halloween in the Northwoods, and how to make a batch of Apple Cider Old Fashioneds.

24/7 Wall Street has released its annual ranking of the nation's drunkest cities, and Wisconsin is home to 12 of the top 20 cities. Our long winters and German heritage might have something to do with it. But let's be responsible about it - eh?

According to the report, the following 20 cities are the drunkest cities in the U.S.:

Red Wine Old Fashioned Sangria

1lb cherries

¼ c sugar

½ c water

½ c bourbon

½ c orange liqueur

Orange bitters

Oranges, cut into wedges

Red Wine

Club Soda

Mix cherries and sugar together over medium heat, bring to a simmer, and mash break up cherries. Simmer for about 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. Strain juices from the cherry mixture into a large container, then add water, bourbon, orange liqueur, bitters to taste, and orange wedges. Refrigerate for one hour or overnight.

To serve, pour about 4 ounces of cherry juice and bourbon mixture into a glass, add 4 ounces of red wine, and top with a sploosh of club soda. Garnish with a cherry and an orange wedge.

The last few years have made it all too easy for people to hide behind their keyboards, saying things to people they would never say face-to-face. In this episode, I rant, then talk about a way to make things kinder in our little corner of the world. AND let’s show some love with a special cocktail just for Valentine’s Day.

New York Sour for Valentine’s Day

2oz Bourbon

1oz Lemon Juice

1 bar spoon Maple Syrup

Red Wine

Add bourbon, lemon juice, and syrup to a cocktail shaker filled with ice. Shake and strain into a rocks glass prepared with fresh ice. For red wine float, slowly pour red wine over the back of your bar spoon to create a layered effect. (keep practicing till you get it right ;)

We are continuing our tour of Wisconsin wineries and distilleries! The first settler to plant grapes where the Wollersheim Winery stands today left Wisconsin to follow the Gold Rush, and became a leader in the California wine industry. Generations later the Wollersheim family acquired the property, and now run a successful winery and distillery in Prairie du sac, Wisconsin. Hear their story this week and enjoy a Brandy Old Fashioned.

Wollersheim Brandy Old Fashioned

1.5oz Wollersheim Press House Brandy

.25 oz Wollersheim Old Fashioned Cocktail Syrup

Orange Wedge

Amarena cherry

Sweet or sour soda

Using an Old Fashioned glass, muddle together the syrup and fruit into a paste, avoiding the orange peel. Add brandy and fill glass with ice, top with your preference of clear soda, and stir. Garnish with additional orange slice and cherry.

Make your own Amerena style cherries

15oz can sour cherries with juice

1/2 c sugar

Add contents of can and sugar into a saucepan. Bring mixture to boil, stirring occasionally. Reduce heat and simmer until mixture reaches 225 with a candy thermometer. Cherries will turn dark red and have a honey-like consistency. Cool and store covered in the refrigerator.

The first Wisconsin distillery we’re “touring” is J. Henry and Sons in Dane Wisconsin. This family farm has been used to grow superior corn, wheat & rye, and these are the grains used in their unique bourbon. The shifting Wisconsin weather also adds a richness to their bourbon as it's exposed to the changing temperatures from aging in a historic barn on the property. 

Find out more at their website. 

This Week's Recipe:

The J. Henry & Sons Seelbach Cocktail

The Seelbach Cocktail is named for the hotel where it was created in 1918. Or was it? You’ll have to listen to find out the truth or tale behind this drink. Original story is here.

Take a tour of our home bar and get some tips for your own!

1. Make a list - drinks you like, drinks you make, and the ingredients and tools you need for those.

2. Keep in mind you don’t have to have everything all at once. Build your collection slowly.

3. Find a special place in your home or a unique piece of furniture to serve as your bar.

Having a designated spot makes entertaining easy!

This week’s recipe - “Make Their Own” Old Fashioneds

In a cocktail shaker, muddle together 6 sugar cubes, 6-10 shakes of bitters, 6 cocktail cherries, and half an orange, sliced and quartered. Pour in 8 oz bourbon or brandy, slowly over the muddler to get all the sugary goodness off of it. Add a few ices cubes to cool, and shake. Keep in cocktail shaker, guests can strain out 1.5 -2 oz into a jigger, pour into their rocks glass filled with ice, and top with a soda of their choice. Less work for you and more time to mingle with your guests!