11 Comments
Dec 24, 2023Liked by Peter Suderman

Hm. Maybe it’s because I didn’t have the right créme de cacao--and the bottle I did have was old, at that--or because my heavy cream was too heavy (the only cream still in stock was the fancy local stuff in a glass bottle), but I didn’t feel like this had a ton of taste, really. Maybe the color and the grated nutmeg led me to subconsciously expect something more like eggnog, and obviously it wasn’t eggnog?

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Sorry if it disappointed! It’s not eggnog, and doesn’t have quite the same sort of big egg-sugar character. It’s more of a brandy-chocolate-cream drink. Adding bitters gives it a bit more depth. But in its conventional three ingredient form it’s almost like a boozy version of berries and cream -- except with brandy and chocolate liqueur instead of berries. Simple, but rich and tasty.

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No, I think the fault was probably in me rather than the cocktail! I’ll try it again with a better brandy and crème de cacao and less eggy expectations.

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Dec 24, 2023Liked by Peter Suderman

it especially isn’t this eggnog, which is the only commercial one I’ll drink: https://www.homesteadcreameryinc.com/our-products/milk/eggnog/

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Had only heavy cream of these three, so tried a variant with bourbon and apricot liqueur filling in for brandy and crème de cacao, respectively. Should’ve increased the apricot and decreased the bourbon a little--not quite sweet enough--but overall good!

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Well that’s a different take. Some apricot liqueurs read just a little less sweet than you expect them to -- just add a bit of rich simple or maple syrup to push the sweetness up. (I would guesstimate just shy of 1/4 ounce.) Also! If you have a rum like Appleton or Bacardi gold, both go exceptionally well with apricot...

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Dec 26, 2023Liked by Peter Suderman

Have you done an apricot post yet? Pendennis is a great drink, though I guess we’re past gin sour season….

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The good thing about gin sour season is that it always returns.

I haven’t done an apricot focused post, but the Bamboo variation I wrote up in January uses apricot.

https://cocktailswithsuderman.substack.com/p/the-bamboo-and-the-question-of-lower

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Oh yeah, rum would’ve been good. Sadly we are out right now. Next time!

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Great drink.

Great.

On the bitters thing, Bitter Truth makes a chocolate bitters…Redundant? I dunno. Will experiment and report back.

And as a companion drink for the season, an identical cousin, if you will, Denning’s Distillery in Beacon, NY, distills a bourbon infused with just the right amount of coffee from the coffee roaster down the street from them. Seamless and utterly delicious.

I would do same ratio as you suggested.

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Misfire. Would one pair w/

AFFOGATO $14

salted caramel gelato, espresso, praline hazelnut vanilla cookies, amaretto

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