New 2020 Traditions. A Merry Ginmas Tonic Cart and Family Hot Cocoa Bar
Not sure about you, but around here we are into full-on elf mode, as in we have decked the halls, are planning holiday menus and baking lots and lots of holiday treats!
If creating new at-home holiday traditions is at the top of your list this month, I’m sharing my Merry Ginmas Bar Cart concept and for the entire family, the Hot Cocoa Counter that is set up in our kitchen for at least the next couple months! They are both easy to pull together, are a fun way to “travel from home” if you incorporate some of my food travel suggestions and there are so many variations and ways to customize for your family. These are two of my favorite new additions for 2020 and both are perfect for making our stay-at-home celebrations feel a bit more special. And, the Hot Cocoa Counter has become a treat for all of us on a daily basis…it’s self serve and who doesn’t love a little cozy chocolate pick me up while internet holiday shopping, working or schooling from home? Seriously, this might be the thing that has made my family happiest this month. It’s 2020 and we need all the sweetness we can get!!
Details for creating your own Hot Cocoa Counter:
There are endless ways to set up your Hot Cocoa Counter, from super simple to over the top. You can use a small spot on your kitchen counter, a tray that sits on your kitchen table or set up a big table, whatever works for you! I cleared off our “mail station” counter in the kitchen and started with a large lucite tray and a two tiered stand. You basically just set up all your “add on’s”, along with a way to heat up your milk (or water if your an instant cocoa kind of person). I set out my Nespresso milk frother so that the kids can easily pour a cup of milk from the fridge in and push a button for hot, foamy milk. When serving a large group, I will heat my milk on the stove top and place in a thermal container to keep hot.
Essentials:
The cocoa-
Some of our favorite pre-made brands are Ghirardelli Double Chocolate Premium Hot Cocoa, Williams Sonoma Double Dark Hot Chocolate and Jacques Torres Hot Chocolate (splurge).
I love a homemade hot cocoa mix and this one by Smitten Kitchen is my favorite as it does not contain any milk so it works perfect for people who prefer to use a non-dairy milk as their base.
Decadent Hot Chocolate Mix
From Smitten Kitchen, adapted from Cooks Illustrated
Yield: Just under 1 3/4 cups mix, enough for 9 cups; packs up well in a 2-cup jar
Prep time: Seriously like 10 minutes
1/2 cup (100 grams) granulated sugar
1 tablespoon (8 grams) cornstarch
3 ounces (85 grams) semi- or bittersweet chocolate, roughly chopped
1/2 cup (40 grams) cocoa powder, any kind you like
1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract or the seeds from a tiny segment of fresh vanilla bean
1/8 teaspoon fine sea salt or 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
Combine all ingredients in a food processor and blend until powdery. Don’t have a food processor? Chop or grate the chocolate until it is as fine as you can get it, and stir it into the remaining ingredients. Mixture keeps in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 months.
To use: Heat one cup of milk (coconut, almond or others would work here too) in a saucepan over medium heat until steamy. Add 3 tablespoons hot cocoa mix. Whisk over heat for another minute or two, until it begins to simmer and mix is completely dissolved. Pour into mug, top with whatever makes you happy!
The Toppings
-Marshmallows- store bought, big, mini, or even homemade in customs colors and shapes
-Gourmet whip cream- The dairy shelf is loaded with interesting whipped creams! Coconut whip cream, chocolate whip cream, hershey caramel whip cream…or whip your own cream with a little powdered sugar and vanilla
-Chocolate chips or chocolate shavings
-Chocolate candies
-Crushed candy canes
-Sprinkles
-Cinnamon candies
-Chocolate and caramel syrups
-Sea Salt (on top of the caramel- yum!)
-Stir sticks- spoons and paper straws work of course but other creative options could be candy canes, cookie straws (Pepperidge Farm French Vanilla Pirouette Cookies!) and cinnamon sticks
Hot cocoa “Food Travel”
A few hot chocolate variations from around the globe:
Mexican Hot Chocolate- add a dash of cayenne, chili powder and cinnamon and stir with a cinnamon stick. Or make your own with this Mexican chocolate from Oaxaca
French Hot Chocolate- Melt 5 oz. of good quality bittersweet chocolate in 2 cups of whole milk and add brown sugar to taste. Top with whip cream!
Belgian Hot Chocolate- The use of bittersweet and milk chocolate is key. We love this recipe from David Lebovitz
Supplies I used to make my Cocoa Counter
-Free printable Hot Cocoa Art Print (I placed it in a frame I already had)
-Red strip straws
-Mini wooden spoons
-Large storage jars for toppings and cocoa
-Small storage jars for sprinkles and small toppings
-Acrylic Tray
Details for creating you’re at home holiday Merry Ginmas Bar:
Cocktail time is happy time and who doesn’t love a self serve bar?! This is my spin on a one-stop drink station where your guests (just family this year?) can customize their own G&T or if you’re not a gin fan make it vodka…or seltzer. This is completely customizable and is one of the easiest bars you will ever set up! The only prep required ahead of time is cutting up the fruit.
Essentials:
The Gin (or Vodka if you prefer)
Gin is one of the things I buy as a souvenir when I travel! I love bringing home local gin from far away places. If your not a bottle collector no worries- you can go to your local liquor store and find a great assortment of Gin from all over the world. If you’re buying multiple bottles, try and get gin with different flavor profiles (ask for help at your local liquor store!). A few of my favorites include:
-The Botanist (from Islay Scotland)
-Koval (American)
-Gin Mare (Spain)
-Monkey 47 (Germany)
-Malfy Gin (Italy)
-Sip smith (London)
-MONDAY Zero Alcohol Gin
The Tonic
Get a variety of tonics. Just like gin, the tonic will add different flavors to your drink. Add in one or two flavored tonics for some extra fun like aromatic, bitter lemon, or grapefruit. Include some soda or sparkling water too just incase anyone is seriously quinine-averse.
My favorite brands of tonic include:
-Fever Tree (all their flavors are great)
-East Imperial Burma Tonic Water (the yuzu is amazing too)
Mix in’s
Cut up fruit and veggies. Suggestions include: clementine wheels, orange twists, grapefruit slices, lemon and lime wedges, fresh ginger slices, blackberries, blueberries and jalapeños.
Offer a few herbs/spices
Fresh basil, thyme and rosemary can be great options to have on hand. Cinnamon sticks, pink or black peppercorns, cloves, juniper berries, star anise and cardamom can also be big hits
How to build your own:
Fill a glass about halfway with ice, then add a 1:2 ratio of gin to tonic, followed by 2 or 3 of the mix-in suggestions above. Keep in mind the garnish is mostly about enhancing the sensory experience with aroma and not necessarily to eat.
If we are having a party I like to set out a few cocktail recipe cards to inspire my guests. The Botanist has a great source of recipes on their website. Or, get creative and create your own!
Gin and Tonic “Cocktail Travel”
Spanish Gin Tonic (yes, they drop the “and” in Spain!)
Spain has to be one of my favorite places to sip a G&T. There are a few factors that make Spanish “Gin Tonics” different than a regular gin and tonic. First of all, it is usually served in a balloon glass. The reason for the balloon glass is the second thing that makes Spanish Gin Tonics different – the aromatics. The wide-mouthed wine glass not only looks good—it allows you to pack in more garnishes, the balloon glass helps bring those aromas towards your nose, so you smell them with every sip. For the aromatics, you can really use whatever is available, think things like citrus peels, cucumbers, edible flowers, fresh herbs, juniper berries, peppercorns, even fruit. The idea is to enhance the aromatic nature of the gin. To make a Spanish G&T, fill a balloon glass with plenty of ice, add whatever aromatics you have on hand, pour in the gin and follow with the tonic water. Spanish Gin Tonics also tend to use more ice as well as more tonic water than a standard G&T. Which is another reason to use high quality tonic.
Spanish Gin Tonic recipe:
Take a balloon glass (or the largest wine glass you have) and fill it with ice
Add garnish of juniper berries, lemon wheel and a sprig of thyme
Add 2 ounces of gin (I love the Spanish Gin Mare)
Add 5-6 ounces of tonic (I like to use the Mediterranean Fever-Tree Tonic)
Stir and serve with a straw (fun!)
German Gin & Tonic
When we were in Berlin last year we found one of the most amazing G&T bars. If you feel like a splurge buy yourself a bottle of the German Gin called Monkey 47. Monkey is distilled with 47 flavor-rich botanicals. Most other gins use 12 or fewer botanicals. The array of botanicals is unmatched — from traditional juniper and lavender, to fresh citrus peel and lingonberry, to wildly unusual ingredients like spruce shoots and bramble leaves foraged from the Black Forest, where the distillery is located. Due to its complexity I enjoy this gin served simply with a crisp premium Indian tonic like Fever Tree Indian Tonic.
German Gin & Tonic recipe:
Any cocktail glass will work, fill with a few ice cubes
Add 2 ounces Monkey 47 gin
Add 4 ounces tonic (a premium crisp tonic like Fever)
Garnish with a lemon twist, blackberries and juniper berries
Italian Gin & Tonic
We have indulged in many Gin drinks while in Italy and one of our favorites is Malfy Gin. The Gin Rosa (distilled using the peel of Sicilian pink grapefruits, Italian juniper berries, rhubarb, and four other botanicals) makes the prettiest pink cocktail and the Malfy Limone Gin (made with a mix of lemon peel from Amalfi coast and Sicilian lemons. The other botanicals, Juniper, coriander, cassia, licorice, grapefruit peel and orange peel take a back seat. ) is always a part of our Gin bar.
Italian Grapefruit Gin & Tonic recipe:
2 ounces of Grapefruit Gin Rosa
2 ounces fresh squeezed pink grapefruit juice
fresh basil sprigs
Combine gin, grapefruit juice and basil in a cocktail shaker or jar and shake vigorously for 30 seconds. Strain into a coupe glass.
Top with 4 ounces of tonic (Fever Tree or Q brand work great)
Garnish with fresh basil sprigs and
Grapefruit wedges
A few of the supplies (and sources) I used to make my Merry Ginmas Bar
-Three part glass dish for fruits and herbs
More than ever we are determined to make the most of this holiday at home season. No matter if your able to gather with your family in person or virtually, I hope you find the time to unwind and enjoy family traditions! I would love to hear more about your favorite new or old holiday traditions in the comments below. Be sure to tag @mytastejourney with your holiday hot cocoa bar or Merry Ginmas carts.
Cheers to a healthy and safe holiday!