On average, there may be roughly two dozen Christmas carols in sporadic rotation in the playlist in our heads at any given time (I’m being very conservative with that estimate). There might be disputes as to which persistent seasonal tunes are in the top 10, but it’s a safe bet that The Twelve Days of Christmas is in the top 20.
Traditionally, the celebration of the 12 days begins on Christmas day and ends on January 5 (called the Twelfth Night). I decided to switch it up and start it early. As luck would have it, the day this column comes out (Dec. 14) is 12 days before Christmas, so it works out!
I thought it would be fun to go through the whimsical list and put a twist of alcohol to it. I’ve asked a few bartender friends and yours truly to create cocktails based on a particular day in the song. This week, we’ll be sharing concoctions from the first six days of Christmas.
FIRST DAY – A Partridge in a Pear Tree (this columnist’s own)
45ml Mount Gay Rum
20ml Grilled pear and cinnamon puree
10ml Pedro Jimenez nectar
10ml lemon juice
1 whole egg
5ml maple Syrup
1-2 dash of Black Cloud Bitters salt
Add all ingredients in a shaker without ice to emulsify the egg until frothy. Add ice and shake until cold. Fine strain over ice. Garnish with pear slice and dash of Black Cloud Bitters.
SECOND DAY – Two Turtle Doves
by Jay Doy (Hooch Bar, Salcedo Village)
50ml Bombay sapphire
15ml cinnamon syrup
15ml sugar syrup
20ml egg white
20ml lillet rouge
25ml lemon juice
1 dash each Angostura and Peychaud bitters
Add all ingredients in a shaker, shake it long to make the egg white froth. Transfer the mixture in a glass. Add one dash each of Angostura and Peychaud bitters. Torch the top of the cocktail lightly to get the turtle shell effect.
THIRD DAY – Three French Hens
by Sophie Douse (Smith Butcher & Grill Room, Makati City)
30ml Chateau de Laubade No.5 Armagnac
5ml Dubonnet Rouge
10ml Crème Du Cassis
30ml sparkling wine
Add all ingredients in a chilled champagne flute and top with sparkling wine.
FOURTH DAY – Four Calling Birds
by Sophie Douse (Smith Butcher & Grill Room, Makati City)
45ml Wild Turkey Rye
30ml apple juice
15ml lemon juice
25ml homemade gingerbread syrup
Top with hot water. Garnish with cinnamon bark and orange twist. (Take on a hot toddy.)
FIFTH DAY – Five Golden Rings
(Ced Cello, Ebeneezer’s BGC)
45ml Bacadi Oro
30ml simple syrup
20ml fresh orange juice
20ml fresh lemon
1 egg white
2-dash dark chocolate bitters
Put all ingredients in a shaker, dry shake.
Add ice, hard shake. Add a pinch of salt around the foam top.
SIXTH DAY – Six Geese a-Laying
(Neil Ocampo, Liquid Sensation)
45ml Cognac
20ml Ginger Liqueur
15ml Agave Extract
90ml Ginger Tea (Hot)
Put everything inside the metal tea pot (stirred). Light it up and slowly pour mixture into a tea cup while pouring drizzle with cinnamon powder.
Garnish with dehydrated orange slice and cinnamon stick.
I hope that these song-inspired drinks will put a smile on your face. I strongly encourage you to try them out at some point during the season. Check out my column next week for six more recipes.
Add me on IG @sanvicentegirl or drop me a line at tippletales@gmail.com or visit me at my bar for a drink or two.