Holiday cocktails with style

Hazel

Lucy Brennan's Hazel is best paired with a chocolate truffle. Brennan, of 820 and Mint in Portland, Ore., suggests a milk chocolate truffle with a filling of white chocolate and lemon zest.

Ice cubes
2 oz. Cruzan vanilla rum
1 oz. Crater Lake hazelnut espresso vodka
1 espresso bean for garnish

1) Fill a 5 oz. martini glass with ice and set aside to chill.

2) Fill a tempered pint glass with ice and add the rum and vodka. Cap the pint glass with a stainless-steel cocktail shaker and shake vigorously for 10 seconds.

3) Empty the ice from the martini glass.

4) Strain the drink into the martini glass, add an espresso bean and serve immediately.

Source: "Hip Sips" (Chronicle Books, 2007)

Sweet Love

Pair the Sweet Love with a coconut and chocolate sushi with candied ginger for a memorable dessert.

1 oz. Kahlúa liqueur
1 oz. banana rum
3 oz. strong hot coffee
2 heaping tsp. vanilla whipped cream for garnish (recipe follows)
Mexican chocolate shavings for garnish

1) Pour the Kahlúa and rum into a 12-ounce heat-resistant wine glass.

2) Add the coffee, leaving 1-inch space at the top. Add the whipped cream and a generous amount of chocolate shavings.

3) Lay 2 long drinking straws across the top of the drink. Hold the hot drink by the stem of the glass when serving.

Vanilla Whipped Cream

Makes 2 cups
1 cup heavy whipping cream
1/4 oz. (1 1/2 tsp.) Monin Vanilla Syrup

In a chilled stainless-steel bowl, beat the cream with an electric mixer at high speed. As the cream begins to thicken, gradually add the vanilla syrup and beat until soft peaks form.

Source: "Hip Sips"

Absolut Mission

Pair this winter winner with a cheese plate featuring Rogue River blue cheese and honey.

Ice cubes for chilling and shaking
2 ounces Absolut Vanilla vodka
1/2 oz. ruby port
2 tbsp. fig purée
1/2 oz. fresh lemon and lime juice (half lemon, half lime)
1/2 oz. simple syrup
1 edible flower or 1 sliced fig for garnish

1) Fill a 5-oz. martini glass with ice and set aside to chill.

2) Fill a tempered pint glass with ice and add the vodka, port, fig purée, lemon-lime juice and simple syrup. Cap the glass with a stainless-steel shaker and shake vigorously for 10 seconds.

3) Empty the ice from the chilled martini glass. Strain the drink into the martini glass and garnish with a flower or sliced fig. Serve immediately.

Source: "Hip Sips"