Hot Buttered Rum 1 Lemon Twist 1 Stick of Cinnamon 1 Clove Boiling Cider 2 oz. Rum* Pat of Butter** In a mug or pewter tankard, add spices and rum. Fill with cider & float Butter in top. Notes from Marlen: There are versions out there using vanilla ice cream but I prefer it this way. *I prefer dark rum but either will do **NEVER margarine!! ***************** This one is good and easy to make in a crockpot! Mulled Wine 2 bottles dry red wine, like Cabernet Sauvignon 1 cup light corn syrup 1 cup water 1 square (8 inches) double-thickness cheesecloth Peel of 1 orange 1 cinnamon stick, broken into halves 8 whole cloves 1 whole nutmeg Orange slices, optional Combine wine, corn syrup, and water in slow cooker. Rinse cheesecloth; squeeze out water. Wrap orange peel, cinnamon stick halves, cloves, and nutmeg in cheesecloth. Tie securely with cotton string or strip of cheesecloth. Add to slow cooker. Cover and cook on HIGH 2 to 2.5 hours. Discard spice bag; ladle into glasses. Garnish with orange slices, if desired.

pretty much only drink margarita's and on the rocks and only made w/ Sauza Tres' Generacciones tequila. fairly rare find in restaurants, occassionally in bars, i have friends bring it from mexico for me as it's also expensive and hard to find. when i bought my house it was christened and toasted w/ several well aged bottles LOL that's how much i adore this stuff :-) ~ liz

I have cucumbers from the garden out the wazoo this year, so there has been a lot of Sassy Water again (see recipe in the link foodonastump posted above). The newest flavored drink added to the arsenal has been water kefir made with real water kefir grains available from Culture's For Health - http://www.culturesforhealth.com/. They are different from milk kefir grains and you ferment the water kefir culture in sugar/water, but much of the sugar is consumed in the fermentation. We use water kefir as a replacement for pop/soda. It's a lightly effervescent drink (after the second fermentation), with a lot of health benefits (http://knoxvillepermacultureguild.ning.com/profiles/blogs/health-benefits-of-water-kefir). I flavor it with just about anything. Per quart I'll use 1/4 c. of any flavor of juice I happen to have on hand. I can add root beer extract (for the second fermentation: mix 1 t. root beer extract with 1 T. sugar dissolved in 1/4 c. warm water to 1 quart water kefir). Lemon slices and/or lime slices, fresh and dried fruit, as well as grated ginger are popular. Add vanilla for a cream soda. Endless combinations. If I want a LOT of effervescence, I'll charge the finished water kefir with a Mastrad PureFizz Soda Maker. Which is another way to make a plethora of flavored waters, juices, and adult beverages via carbonation. -Grainlady

Here is my recipe for French vanilla ice cream: 1 cup whole milk 3/4 cup sugar 2 cups heavy cream, divided 1 vanilla bean split lengthwise, about 6” long 4 egg yolks plus 1 whole egg 1 tsp vanilla extract (can substitute a liqueur) Combine the milk, sugar, and one-half cup of the cream in a medium saucepan. Scrape the seeds from the vanilla bean into the pan and drop in the vanilla pod. Heat over medium-high, stirring occasionally, until the mixture is warmed through. Remove the pan from the heat, cover, and let the mixture steep for 30 minutes. Pour one cup of cream into a bowl and set a fine mesh sieve over the top. In a separate medium bowl, whisk the egg yolks and egg with 1/2 cup cream until smooth. Slowly pour the warm milk mixture into the bowl with the egg yolks, whisking constantly. Return the entire mixture to the saucepan and place over medium heat. Cook, stirring constantly and scraping the bottom of the pan, until the mixture thickens slightly and coats the back of a spoon (about 170˚-175˚ F–77°-80° C). Pour the custard through the mesh strainer into the bowl with the cream, removing the vanilla bean. Stir in the vanilla. Let cool slightly, then cover top surface with plastic wrap and refrigerate until completely chilled. Freeze in an ice cream maker according to the manufacturer's instructions. If you want a different flavor, omit the vanilla bean and vanilla extract. I always add a liqueur to my ice cream to make it easier to scoop, generally one or two Tablespoons, depending on how soft I want it. I use Cointreau in strawberry ice cream, but if I am making vanilla, I add Frangelico or Amaretto. If I am making chocolate, I may add chocolate liqueur, Kahlua, coffee liqueur (mine is from New Orleans), or any nut liqueur. In addition to Frangelico and Amaretto, I also have Noce, walnut, pecan, and Cassis liqueurs. I would never add vodka to ice cream, although it would make the ice cream softer. I generally add the liqueur to the freezer when it is about half way through freezing. *Note: I never add salt to any ice cream that I make, not even a pinch. If using a bitter chocolate, I might add a pinch, but usually I do not, and I prefer it without.