defying the inevitable

You know it's the holiday season when you wake up a little groggy- it's not from opening too many presents or fighting the ever so slow walker in front of you at the mall. 

nope.

A cocktail here, a cocktail there...

they all seemed to add up from the night before...

Then comes the bright morning sun, reflecting off the freshly fallen snow, and you lean over and say, "you're getting up with the baby".

(The ironic thing, is that I have yet to say that... new years resolution- say it for the next baby.)

12 drinks of Christmas

1. candy brandy

Pour 2 ounces of premium brandy into snifter

add a dash of simple syrup and an orange rind

sit by the fire and enjoy!

2. hot toddy

1 1/2 ounces premium whiskey

5 ounce hot tea

add 1/2 tsp of honey and a cinnamon stick

garnish with lemon

This drink will heal a sore throat- I use to drink these at work all the time 

(come on- I worked at a restaurant)

3. champagne cooler

3 ounces champagne

1 ounce raspberry liquor (chambord is my fav)

granish with raspberry or orange peel

This is quite refreshing and a great sipper.

4. Christmas cosmo

1 1/2 ounces premium vodka

3 ounce cranberry juice

dash of simple syrup

dash of orange juice

crushed ice

strain into a cold glass

granish with cranberries

5.  peppermint hot cocoa

4 ounce hot cocoa

1 ounce peppermint schnapps

garnish with crushed peppermint or peppermint stick

of course you always have a nice robust glass of wine or the strong, husky ice cold ale awaiting your arrival at all the parties...

tips from the pros

• skip sugary drinks
• order water or club soda in between
• have your last drink early enough to allow your body to burn off the alcohol- generally you burn off about two-thirds of a drink per hour
• if you take a painkiller to offset a potential headache- skip the acetaminophen and take something ibuprofen based.

natural cures for the holiday slumps

obviously rule 1- drink lots of water before you go to bed

drink tomato juice- it contains fructose, a type of sugar that helps your body metabolize alcohol more quickly

eat crackers and honey- honey also has a high level of fructose

have a cup of peppermint tea- peppermint is a carminative, a substance that removes accumulated gas from the stomach and intestines and relaxes them.

all else fails- try another shot.

lemon sour

1/2 organic lemon

1 1/4 cup water

1/2 tsp honey or maple syrup

• juice lemon, reserve juice in cup
• sliced the juice half in quarters and simmer in boiling water for 10 minutes
• strain the water and combine with lemon juice in a cup
• add honey or syrup- drink hot.

hilarious.