During the holiday season, countries toast the year with some good drinks. But did you know that some countries have their own Christmas drink? The same way that the world celebrates the holidays differently, each nation toasts the Yuletide differently.
Here are six Christmas drinks from around the world, with a simple recipe on how to make them:
1. Mulled wine
Mulled wine is a popular drink in Europe, and is a spiced and heated wine drunk during the holiday season. It is popular in the United Kingdom, Germany (called Glühwein or glow wine), and Nordic countries (called Glögg). Each country has its own recipe, but the most popular ingredients are two bottles of wine, one cinnamon stick, six cloves, two star anise, and an orange.
Recipe: Combine all the ingredients in a pan and bring to a simmer (bringing to a boil will take all the alcohol out) over medium-high heat. Switch to medium-low then let it simmer for 15 minutes to three hours. When you’re happy with the taste, strain all the ingredients out and serve warm or chilled.
2. Eggnog
Eggnog is a Christmas classic enjoyed in Canada and the United States of America. This rich, creamy dairy-based drink has been enjoyed as early as 1775. The recipe calls for milk, cream, sugar, whipped eggs, and brandy.
Recipe: Blend together two eggs, three tablespoons of sugar, 2 1/3 cups of milk, one teaspoon of vanilla extract, a dash of ground nutmeg, and brandy. Serve warm or chilled.
3. Cola de Mono
Cola de mono (Monkey’s Tail) is a drink enjoyed in Chile during the holidays. It is similar to eggnog, except cola de mono has coffee. Its ingredients are one cup of brandy or rum, one quart of milk, 1/2 cup of sugar, three tablespoons of coffee, and two whole cloves.
Recipe: Combine all the ingredients (except the coffee) in a saucepan and bring to a simmer over medium heat. Stir occasionally until the sugar dissolves. Add the coffee and stir until it dissolves. Serve warm or chilled.
4. Sorrel Punch
Take it from the Caribbean to have fun during Christmas. Their traditional holiday drink is the Sorrel punch, a drink made of dried hibiscus leaves. This is enjoyed in Trinidad and Tobago, Guyana, and Jamaica. The recipe includes 1 1/2 cups of rum, two ounces of hibiscus petals, one cinnamon stick, two pieces of dried orange peel, four cloves, a thick slice of ginger, and sugar.
Recipe: Combine all the ingredients and bring to a simmer. You can leave the hibiscus petals overnight to let the flavor seep in. Serve chilled.
5. Bombardino
Italy’s bombardino is similar to eggnog and cola de mono. The difference is that bombardino has whipped cream on top. The drink is popular in ski resorts during winter. According to legend, the drink got its name when the first person who drank it said, “It’s like a bomb!” The recipe calls for brandy, eggnog, espresso coffee, and whipped cream.
Recipe: Add one part brandy and one part eggnog in an Irish coffee mug. Top with espresso and mix. Put the whipped cream on top and serve warm.
6. Coquito
The coquito is a popular Christmas drink in Puerto Rico, and has one to two cups of rum, two cans of coconut milk, one can of sweet condensed milk, one teaspoon of vanilla extract, one tablespoon of ground cinnamon, and cloves.
Recipe: Blend all the ingredients until they are mixed well. Serve chilled.
What’s your favorite Christmas drink? Share your thoughts below!
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