Christmas brunch can be a civilized way to celebrate the season, not as frantic as Christmas Eve or as fraught with familial tensions as Christmas Dinner.
It’s also an excellent time to break out the light, but festive cocktails that can elevate brunch from a cooked breakfast to a real occasion.
Jackson Cannon, owner of The Hawthorne bar in Boston, considers Christmas brunch “the perfect time for cocktails because you’ve survived the present-opening chaos and the kids will be entertained for hours with all their new toys, so now the attention can be turned back to important matters, like carefully crafted beverages.”
He advises keeping drinks light since there’s heavy food and sweets in abundance. Champagne cocktails with a touch of cognac, calvados or American brandy can give you the flavor of those wintry spirits at an alcohol content that won’t end your day too early.
One drink he likes is yule tide bulles (French for bubbles), which is one part cognac, one part Benedictine, one part fresh lemon juice, one part grenadine and one part cool filtered water.
You start this drink the night before, mixing everything together and then pouring it into a pitcher or bottle that is then refrigerated. When ready, stir the ingredients vigorously for a moment and pour into Champagne flutes, filling the glass halfway. Top with Champagne, prosecco or cava, and garnish with a small twist of lemon on top.
Ronnie Cox, brand heritage director for The Glenrothes whisky company has come up with the speyside breakfast — 1.5 ounces Glenrothes Select Reserve, half an ounce of apple brandy, 1 ounce of cream, half an ounce of maple syrup and a dash of simple syrup, to be shaken over ice, strained into a chilled glass and garnished with freshly grated cinnamon.
It works as an after-dinner dram that “brings to mind contemplation, excellent company and relaxation — perfect for the holidays,” he says.
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