Believe it or not, but Thanksgiving is a scant two weeks away. Don’t worry, the time will slip by even quicker after Thanksgiving break — with courses trying to cram in as much learning, exams and essays before finals, it will be winter break before you know it! As partial as I am to the winter holidays, however, let’s not get ahead of ourselves. In fact, I like a lot of aspects about Thanksgiving — except for its less than idealistic origins, although the holiday’s meaning has developed beyond the pilgrims and Native Americans. We can celebrate respectfully by being cognizant of Thanksgiving’s history and enjoying other elements of the holiday, such as the time spent with people we care about and reflecting on what we are thankful for. Although I love the coziness of fall, curating an autumnal outfit and feasting on traditional Thanksgiving foods — which I believe will be explored in Hollieats next week — with family and friends, one new thing I am thankful for this year is being able to imbibe some festive drinks. Whether you’re hosting a Thanksgiving dinner, hoping to whip up something for the event you’re attending or wanting to spice up your drink line-up before the holiday, check out these two Thanksgiving drink ideas: a quick but flavorful cocktail and a fruity punch for a larger crowd.
Cranberry Moscow Mule
Those who have followed Thirsty Thursday this semester may know that this writer is partial to ginger in their drink — so it’s no surprise that the Moscow mule is one of their favorite cocktails. Refreshing, simple and easy to customize, master the mule for your Thanksgiving gathering by adding a seasonal twist of crisp cranberry. Check out this recipe from Spoonful of Flavor:
Ingredients
– 4 ounces ginger beer
– 4 ounces cranberry juice cocktail
– 2 ounces dark rum or vodka
– 1 lime, cut in half
– Crushed ice cubes
– Fresh or frozen cranberries
– Instructions
- Place 1 cup crushed ice in copper mug (optional, but the classic Moscow mule container)
- Add ginger beer, cranberry juice, rum and the juice of a squeezed half lime in a cocktail shaker filled with ice
– Another option: omit ginger beer at this step and pour over just before serving
- Stir or very gently shake, then pour into the copper mug
– Do not overshake the mixture, as there’s ginger beer in the drink
- Top with cranberries, garnish with a lime wedge and serve.
- Drink up!
Harvest Punch
A fruity punch is a fun option for larger gatherings, as you don’t have to do too much of the meticulous measuring and prep for individual drinks every time someone finishes their glass. My family usually has some form of a classic red punch for the holidays, like sangria, but maybe we’ll switch it up with this Thanksgiving punch from Thyme and Joy. It has all the favorite fall flavors like apple, pumpkin spice and cranberries. You could easily make it non-alcoholic by omitting the champagne, or even boozier by adding some vodka or whisky — pick your poison.
Ingredients
– 1 gallon apple cider
– 48 ounces of ginger ale and champagne
– Adjust the proportion according to your alcohol preference: go full cocktail by completing replacing the ginger ale, or keep the ginger flavor by going half and half or three-fourths and a quarter
– 1 red apple, sliced thin
– 1 green apple, sliced thin
– 1 navel orange, sliced thin
– 1 cup frozen cranberries
– 1 tablespoon pumpkin pie spice
Instructions
- In a two-gallon drink jar/bowl, add 2 cups apple cider
- Whisk in pumpkin pie spice until any clumps are gone
- Add the remaining apple cider
- Add in the ginger ale and/or champagne
- Add apples, oranges and cranberries to the jar and stir gently
- Refrigerate for two to three hours before serving cold, either in the bowl or in garnished glasses
The punch will keep for three to four days in the refrigerator in an airtight container.