Hair of the Dog

Hair of the Dog is such a strange expression. If you have ever wondered where the expression came from, I am sure you are not alone. It comes from a seemingly nonsensical English method of treating a rabid dog bite. The hair from the rabid dog was placed on the bite wound to heal it. The idea of drinking another alcoholic drink to mitigate the symptoms of drinking too much the night before stems from this same logic. I’m pretty sure any medical professional would strongly discourage either of these cure-alls. But I am not sure anyone’s justification for drinking alcohol is based on logic. Drinking alcohol is a social activity and its compliment to celebrations and food is undoubtedly at the root of the desire, day or night.

I know the holidays are coming to a close, and we have or will likely indulge on a few too many cookies and cocktails but the fact is, it feels a little sad to stop the celebration. I know I am not quite ready to say goodbye to Christmas lights and festive brunches with cocktails. Whether your cocktail be prescribed from an over indulgent evening or a daytime brunch with friends and family, I’ve got some fun new cocktail ideas for you! 

There are cocktails designed for before dinner, after dinner, a cold winter's night by the fire or a hot summer's day. What can be more challenging is to find recipes designed for daytime drinking. Don’t worry my friends, I’ve done the research for you! Let me lay out a few scrumptious cocktails to wet your daytime whistle. I have a savory and salty Bloody Mary, a thirst-quenching Prosecco cocktail, a cocktail with a caffeine kick and a soft and silky cream cocktail for you.

Pickle Brine Bloody Mary

This recipe is inspired by my brother Leland. Leland has an impeccable palette; he knows good food and drink. We were on a camping trip and drinking coffee around the campfire one morning. He got up and went into the camper, returning a few minutes later with Bloody Marys in hand. They were the best Bloody Marys I had ever tasted, and I got him to disclose his secret weapon: pickle juice.

Yield: 1 cocktail

Prep time: 5 minutes

1/2 ounce Worcestershire sauce

3 to 5 dashes Tabasco or other hot sauce, optional

1 oz pickle juice

4 oz tomato juice or Bloody Mary mix

1 1/2 ounces vodka, gin or tequila

Ice

Optional Garnish:

Pickles and hot peppers

Step 1: Measure ingredients

Measure the Worcestershire sauce, pickle juice, tomato juice and alcohol into a rocks glass and fill with ice.

*I would recommend avoiding pickle juice from sweet pickles. Dill pickles or other spicy pickles have a salty pickle juice which works best. It doesn’t need to be pickle juice from cucumber pickles, you can use pickle brine from anything pickled. Asparagus, Brussel sprouts or garlic all work. So save that pickle juice!

*If you like a more intensely seasoned Bloody Mary, you can use a Bloody Mary mix instead of plain tomato juice.

*I think any white spirit works great in a Bloody Mary so have fun and play around with the spirit.

Step 2: Garnish

I like a simple garnish for this recipe. I used a cornichon pickle and a Calabrian pepper in this photo but feel free to beef up your garnish with a cube of cheese, piece of salami, a piece of shrimp or an olive if you want. Or scrap the fancy garnishes, as you can never go wrong with a classic celery stick.

Italian Moonshine

The concept for this recipe isn’t really something that I created; I just outlined the ratios for it. I was first introduced to the idea through Journeyman Distillery in Three Oaks Michigan. They make a number of amazing spirits, but our hands-down best seller is O.C.G. or Old Country Goodness. This spirit is based on an old-time recipe for Apple Pie Moonshine. If you can’t fine O.C.G. in your area, you can find videos and recipes for Apple Pie Moonshine on the internet and make your own. It may sound sweet and overly cloying, but I promise you this is a thirst-quenching sip. When you top this delicious spirit with prosecco it is refreshing, bubbly and festive!

Yield: 1 cocktail

Prep time: 5 minutes

2 ounces O.C.G. or apple pie moonshine

4 ounces prosecco

Pour O.C.G. into a champagne flute or coupe and top with chilled prosecco.

Irish Breakfast

This is a fun take on the classic Irish Coffee. The morning after overconsumption can be met with the conflict of needing caffeine but not wanting a hot and tannic cup of coffee. This cocktail gives you a pop of caffeine from the ice-cold coffee ice cubes, a good shot of Irish whiskey and some sweet cream to smooth out the edges.

Yield: 1 cocktail

Prep time: 15 minutes

*Note: this recipe includes coffee ice cubes which require 12 or more hours to freeze.

1-ounce Irish whiskey

1/2 ounce crème de cacao

1 large or 3 regular size coffee ice cubes

1-ounce heavy cream, lightly beaten

Step 1: Freeze coffee ice cubes

Fill a large ice cube or regular ice tray with coffee. You can use espresso or regular coffee, whatever coffee you enjoy drinking will work. Place in the freezer for 12 to 24 hours, until completely frozen. Remove from ice cube trays and keep in a sealed container or Ziploc baggie to keep fresh.

Step 2: Whip cream

Whipping 1/2 ounce of cream isn’t incredibly efficient so I would recommend whipping at least 1/4 cup of heavy cream. You can easily do more; it all depends on how many drinks you will want. This can be kept in the fridge for a few days. 

Place cold heavy cream in a mixing bowl and whisk just until it starts to thicken a little and bubbles start to form. We are thickening the cream more than whipping it as you would for dessert. By whisking the cream slightly it allows the cream to float on the top of the drink. 

Step 3: Assemble 

Place the coffee ice cube in a rocks glass. Top with 1 ounce of Irish whiskey, 1/2 ounce crème de cacao and drizzle cream over the top and serve.

Golden Cadillac

This is a classic cocktail that I cannot take credit for but one I have come to love. I love that it makes beautiful use of a couple of spirits that we don’t always know what to do with: Galliano and Crème de Cocoa. This glass of creamy sunshine will brighten any morning, but it is also a fantastic after-dinner drink.

Yield: 1 cocktail

Prep Time: 5 minutes

1-ounce heavy cream

1-ounce Galliano

1 ounce crème de cocoa

Optional Garnish: Chocolate shavings

Step 1: Shake drink           

Place cream, Galliano and crème de cocoa into a cocktail shaker and fill with ice. Shake until the shaker is ice cold.

Step 2: Strain and garnish

Strain cocktail into a coupe or martini glass and sprinkle with chocolate shavings.

I hope you enjoy these cocktails morning, noon or night. If you are looking for more cocktail ideas and education, check out our upcoming How to Make Low-Calorie Cocktails. It's being offered in-person at the Merchandise Mart or virtually, so you can participate from anywhere. Join us!

• Hands-On In-Person Merchandise Mart Friday January 14 6:30pm
• Virtually Friday, January 14 6:30pm CST