Late December Cocktail

Our fundraising campaign for Feeding America is still underway and we have a cozy, year-end cocktail for another fabulous donor! This one is perfect for curling up with on a snowy weekend (or enjoying by the pool, if you're lucky enough to be in warm weather)!

Late December Cocktail

Late December (created for Ann Renee)

1 oz vodka

1/2 oz orange liqueur (I used Gran Gala)

4 dashes of Angostura bitters

Merlot

Combine all ingredients in a wine glass and stir. For a lower alcohol version, omit the vodka.

Thank you, Ann Renee! Your generosity is deeply appreciated! Happy New Year!

Silo Distillery

Don't you just love sampling liquor? Our Christmas Eve was made even merrier by a visit to Silo Distillery, located in Windsor, Vermont. We dropped into their tasting room after lunch at the Harpoon Brewery, which is, conveniently, just across the parking lot, and tasted pretty much everything they had available, all of which were fabulous! I highly recommend dropping by if you're in the area. Their spirits are only available in the northeast at this point, but keep your eyes peeled if you're liquor shopping in that part of the world. You'll be glad you did!

Oh, Spinning Tree!

Here's our "big" tree, the catch-all tree with everything from ornaments that my parents bought before I was born to reclaimed trash. If you can stick it in or hang it from the tree, we consider it fair game! Merry Christmas to all who celebrate! We're so grateful for your support of the "Velveteen Lounge Kitsch-en!" Click here to watch the tree spin!

Oh, Various Trees!

You didn't think I was done sharing our Christmas trees, did you? Here is the vintage aluminum tree we inherited from Paul's grandmother, by way of his sister, along with a few other trees with tropical and under-the-sea ornaments. Christmas in the tropics sounds great to me right now, stuck as I am in the freezing northwest!

I'm obsessed with Grumpy Cat

That portrait is Paul, painted by his mother many years ago.

Christmas in the Tropics

That peacock is a vintage package decoration I found among my aunt's things - I save everything Christmas!

Oh, Nautical and Horror Tree!

More of our Christmas trees, this time from the Blue Grotto, a.k.a. my office/sewing room/vanity/guest room (It's a very versatile room!). Here we have the nautical tree and the horror tree. The nautical tree is very sentimental, as many of the ornaments predate me or were picked up on our travels, and many more were made by friends, some of whom are no longer with us. Many of the ornaments on the horror tree were made by yours truly, since, go figure, it's just not that easy to find a Jan in the Pan ornament! I've got a laminator and I'm not afraid to use it!

Nautical Tree

Under the Nautical Tree

Tree of Horror

I'm a laminating fool at Christmastime!

More trees soon!

Oh, Glendora and TV Tree!

Here are two more of our 47 Christmas trees, this time Glendora's tree and the TV tree. As with most of our trees, the ornaments tend to be homemade or gifts. In both cases they make me sentimental!

Glendora's Tree and the TV Tree

Glendora pays tribute to a few of her favorite things

TV Tree

This one plays the entire "Laverne & Shirley" theme

Even more trees coming soon!

Oh, Elvis Tree!

The Kitsch-en Christmas tree parade continues, this time with the Elvis tree! Like most of our trees, the Elvis tree started small. This is actually the second Elvis tree, since the Elvis paraphernalia outgrew the first one (which is now Glendora's tree - coming soon). Many of these ornaments play music and it's a riot to play them all at the same time!

It's hard to get a shot of the entire tree in our tiny living room.

Flashing lights AND plays music!

Velvet Elvis

Christmas at Graceland

It's hard to find an Elvis tree topper, so I went DIY!

Coming soon: more trees!

Oh, Tiki Tree!

Here's another of our many, many Christmas trees, the Tiki Tree! The actual tree is the one my parents bought at Sears in Oklahoma City when I was a tiny child. The ornaments are a combination of handmade, picked up on our travels and given to us by wonderful friends and family, with any bare spots filled in with cocktail umbrellas and flowers. You know my motto: anything can be an ornament!

The Tiki Tree

The Mai-Kai: one of the happiest places on earth!

Tiki Bob ornament by our talented friend Brigitte

Before I had any tiki ornaments I made my own.

Of course we have to have cocktails!

This one was given to us by a dear friend.

More trees on the way!

Round 3: Cocktails for Fabulous Folks!

Here's round three of cocktails for fabulous donors to our fundraising campaign for Feeding America! We still owe a couple of fabulous ladies cocktails that will appear in upcoming episodes, but don't worry, ladies - we'll get you those recipes before the episodes go online so that you can enjoy your drinks sooner! In the meantime, here are three lovely libations, with our profound thanks to the generous donors who inspired them:

Licor de Amor

Licor de Amor (created for Roxanne)

1 1/2 oz brandy

1 1/2 oz anise liqueur

1/4 oz fresh lime juice

1 oz Italian lemon soda

A dash of Peychaud's bitters

Combine brandy, anise liqueur and lime juice, shake with ice and strain into a cocktail glass. Top with soda and a dash of Peychaud's bitters.

Naughty or Nice?

Naughty or Nice? (created for Christine)

2 oz amber rum

1/2 oz Aperol

1/4 oz cinnamon schnapps

1/2 oz fresh lime juice

2 dashes of orange bitters

Shake all ingredients with ice and strain into a cocktail glass. Garnish with a slice of candy fruit and a lump of chocolate coal.

Hibiscus Holiday

Hibiscus Holiday (created for Barbara)

1 oz amber rum

3/4 oz hibiscus liqueur

2 dashes of chocolate bitters

4 dashes of orange bitters

Chilled dry sparkling white wine

Combine all ingredients except the wine, shake with ice and strain into a champagne flute with a pink sugar rim. Fill with wine and serve.

A million thanks to our wonderful donors! We'll have even more very soon!

More Holiday Cocktails for More Fabulous Donors!

Friday means happy hour here at the Kitsch-en and this week we have four cocktails for you, all created for fabulous donors to our Feeding America fundraiser! There will be even more this weekend, since we have more wonderful donors to serve!

We're so grateful for everyone's generosity in helping this fabulous cause - thank you all!

North Pole: After Hours

North Pole: After Hours (created for Steve)

2 oz rye

1/2 oz Art in the Age Ginger Snap liqueur

8 dashes of molasses bitters

A twist of lime

Serve on the rocks.

Stardust

Stardust (created for Julie)

2 oz gold tequila

1/2 oz vanilla liqueur (I used Xanath)

1/2 oz cherry liqueur (I used Rothman & Winter Orchard Cherry)

1/2 oz fresh lime juice

A dash of Angostura bitters

Shake all ingredients with ice and strain into a cocktail glass. Garnish with a pink cherry.

Winter Solstice

Winter Solstice (created for Robert and featured in last Tuesday's episode)

2 oz amber rum

1/2 oz cherry liqueur (see above)

1/2 oz fresh lime juice

3/4 oz blueberry juice

Shake with ice and strain into a cocktail glass with a coconut rim. Create rim by dipping the rim of the glass in light corn syrup, allowing excess to drip away, then dipping in shredded coconut.

Des Yeti

Des Yeti (created for Kristy and Geoff and featured in today's episode)

2 oz gin

1/2 oz raspberry liqueur

1/2 oz elderflower liqueur

1/2 oz fresh lime juice

2 oz pineapple juice

5 dashes of cranberry bitters

Shake with ice and pour into a yeti or tiki mug. Garnish with a festive sprig of rosemary.

Cheers and have a fabulous weekend!