A Blizzard is Coming – Snow Cocktail Time

If you reside in the DC region for any amount of time, you’ll discover the area is incapable of weathering a heavy snowstorm, i.e. more than 2 inches. That’s for the eskimos in the Northeast and Michigan – here, we simply shut everything down and wait it out, Netflix binging or clawing our way through the 3-inch drifts to an open bar. So, with our crack weather team at the Capital Weather Gang talking 15 inches this weekend, I thought it might be a good time to stock up on some fun ingredients and make some pretty white cocktails. And then drink them.

I started with the “Turtle Doves,” a mix of vanilla vodka, hazelnut, amaretto, and cream. This was ok but the hazelnut and the amaretto is a little strong, although not entirely disagreeable. Good but super rich with a strong, coffee-ish or almond liqueur taste behind it. Not bad, but would probably take you a hour to sip through comfortably.

2 oz Stoli Vanilla Vodka
2 oz Hazelnut liqueur
1 oz Amaretto
1-1/2 oz Cream

Things improved with the “Reindeer Tracks” with Three Olives chocolate vodka, hazelnut, cream, and creme de cocao. I liked this one better, the hazelnut is supportive and latent, blending perfectly with the chocolate vodka. The creme and the splash of cream (I added a little extra) add some nice, dairy weight to it, giving it a wonderful froth on the top. Lovely.

2 oz Three Olives Dutch Chocolate Vodka
1 oz Hazelnut Liqueur
1/2 oz Crème de Cacao
Splash of Cream
Sprinkling of chocolate sprinkles

My favorite drink was the “Winter Wonderland” – this was excellent, just the right level of thickness and the Godiva liqueur with the coconut is sinful and heavenly at the same time. The creme de cocao mixes well and the taste is just the right level of sweetness, which is important with such a thick, sugary drink. Oh, and the smell off of the cococut is reason enough to make the drink by itself. Great.