Men, Martinis, Mansions and Lattes. My Secret Gingerbread Obsession.

Via

December is my favorite month of the year. It has all the major holiday’s I love: the giving of Christmas, the celebration of New Years, and of course… MY BIRTHDAY!!! I even like November, it's like the kick off to December. It has the first Family feast of the season, my Birthday traveling, and it is the beginning of RED CUP SEASON! 

 

I love all things Gingerbread. The flavor brings back so many good memories. Birthday Martinis with friends. Childhood classroom holiday parties. Gingerbread house building on Sunday afternoon with the Fab Four in college, which later grew into mansion building. A warm ginger bread latte at my Grandma’s kitchen table. So many good days involved Gingerbread. It’s weird that an overpriced cup of soy milk, espresso, and syrup can make me feel loved, but it’s true. It reminds me of the days gone by and brings back all of the warmth and happiness. It makes that $6 Venti Soy Gingerbread Latte with Whipped Cream absolutely priceless! 

I thought I would share my favorite holiday drink recipe (before I met my new love Hot Wine, which hasn’t been easy to recreate.) This recipe is insanely good I promise, no what not to do tutorial here. It reminds me of Christmas break 2005. My first year teaching when I took a part time holiday job as a waitress at Outback Steak house. Your first year out of college you think you are going to conquer the world… until you get your first mortgage bill and realize you are poor but are blissfully unaware that it would get old quick.  It reminds me of my very first Christmas tree on my own, my cheap dollar store ornaments, and going through my Grandma’s Christmas decorations to pick out some for my first home. Although I don’t remember the corporate recipe for Outback’s Gingerbread Martini my version is very similar… and it is epic. 

What a girl needs:

• 1 ounce Svedka Vodka (I would recommend not using well vodka if you chose another brand.)
• 1 ounce Bailey’s Irish Cream
• .5 ounce Kaulua
•  .5 ounce Monin Gingerbread Syrup #BestThingEVER
•  ½ scoop of Vanilla Ice Cream (Don’t go super cheap on this either.)
•  Whipped Cream & Ginger bread cookies (Garnish)

Directions:

1.  Rim the glass by crush up a gingerbread cookie, wetting the rim and dipping the glass upside down into the crumbs. Fancy!
2. Top with a dalop of whipped cream and Voilà!
3.  Pour the 3 alcohols, the syrup, and the ice cream into the martini shaker. Do NOT add ice. 
4. And… Shake, Shake, Shake!
5.  Pour drink into the rimmed glass. 

 
December 5th was Repeal Day, so if you are looking for a good occasion to celebrate with this cocktail... the end of Prohibition is a pretty good one!!! Cheers! 

XOXO, 
Elle