The Drink: 

Spiced Pear Punch (Imbibe Magazine) 

6 oz roasted pear purée* 6 oz Old Tom Gin 6 oz ginger liqueur (such King’s Ginger) 6 oz Cognac 3 oz fresh lemon juice 18 oz prosecco (use a dry, fruity one) Ice block (frozen in a 1-qt. container) lemon wheels, pear slices and star anise to garnish

Combine all ingredients except prosecco in a pitcher and chill for several hours. When ready to serve, place ice block in a punch bowl and pour chilled mixture over. Top with chilled prosecco, float garnishes and serve immediately.

*Roasted pear purée Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Peel, halve and core 5 ripe pears (Carlson uses Bartlett and Anjou, but any variety will work as long as they’re ripe). Arrange in a roasting pan with 4 tablespoons of demerara sugar, 4 ounces of brandy or Cognac, 6 cinnamon sticks, 8 star anise and 12 cloves. Cut 1 vanilla bean lengthwise; scrape out the seeds and add them to the roasting pan along with the pod. Roast for 30 minutes. Remove the spices and vanilla bean pod, then purée the pears and liquid in a blender or food processor.

Pairs With:  Friends of the Show China and Michael Hoffman gave birth to their second child this past week. Cheers to them! 

Episode!

The Drink: 

The Bamboozled Angel

2 oz bourbon, preferably Heaven Hill .75 oz lemon juice .75 oz cinnamon syrup (see Editor’s Note) 1 oz grapefruit juice 3 dashes Angostura bitters Grapefruit peel for garnish

Combine all ingredients in shaker over ice and shake. Strain into rocks glass over large draft cube. Top with angostura bitters; express a grapefruit peel over drink and garnish.

Pairs With:  Suffering for one’s art. 

Episode!

The Drink: 

Salty Maple Buttered Cider (Maria Del Mar Sacasa)

Maldon salt Half of 1 lemon 1 tablespoon softened butter 2 tablespoon pure maple syrup .5 vanilla bean pod, seeds scraped out 4 oz dark rum 8 oz apple cider

Scatter Maldon salt on a small plate. Rub the rim of two heatproof glasses or mugs with the lemon half, then dip in salt. Combine the butter, maple syrup, and vanilla bean seeds in small bowl. Set aside. Combine rum and cider in a small saucepan and bring to a simmer over medium-high heat. Pour into prepared glasses, then top each with half of the butter. Serve immediately.

Pairs With:   Braving the winter storm. 

Episode!

The Drink: 

The Close Call (Rickhouse, San Francisco)

1 oz applejack 1 oz Bols aged genever .25 oz yellow Chartreuse .25 oz Grade B maple syrup .5 oz heavy cream .5 oz freshly squeezed orange juice 1 dash Fee Bros. Whiskey Barrel Bitters .5 oz Port such as Six Grapes Cinnamon stick for grating

Fill a Collins glass with crushed ice. Place applejack, genever, yellow Chartreuse, maple syrup, heavy cream, orange juice, and bitters in a cocktail shaker. Shake vigorously and pour over crushed ice. Top with port and garnish with freshly grated cinnamon.

Pairs With:  A job coming at exactly the right time. 

Episode!

The Drink: 

Filibuster

1.5 oz Rye .75 oz Lemon juice .25 oz Maple syrup 1 medium egg white 1 dash aromatic bitters lemon twist

Shake all ingredients without ice to combine well, then shake again with ice until well chilled. Strain into a rocks glass with ice and garnish.

Pairs With:  Hitting the campaign trail in New Hampshire 

Episode!

The Drink:

The Fox Mulder

1.5 oz Rye whiskey .75 oz Lemon juice .25 oz Pineapple juice .5 oz Simple syrup .5 oz Green Chartreuse

Add all ingredients except the Green Chartreuse to a shaker filled with ice. Shake, and strain into a rocks glass over fresh ice. Top with a float of Green Chartreuse.

Pairs With:  Finishing watching The X-Files entire series in time for the new episodes. 

Episode!

The Drink: 

Mezcal Bees Knees

2 oz mezcal .75 oz fresh lemon juice .75 oz honey syrup (2 parts clover honey dissolved into 1 part hot water)

Shake the ingredients with ice until well chilled, then double strain into a stemmed glass and garnish with a lemon peel.

Pairs With:  Dog Sitting 

Episode!

The Drink: 

Jasmine Spritzers

1.5 cups Grand Marnier .5 cup fresh lime juice Ice cubes 1.5 cups orange vodka (here’s a recipe to do it yourself) Chilled club soda 2 drops jasmine essential oil (available at health food stores) .5 cup sugar 1.5 cups warm water 12 lime twists (optional)

In a small pitcher, combine the water and sugar and stir well to dissolve the sugar. Gently stir in the jasmine essential oil and lime juice. In a pitcher, combine the vodka with the Grand Marnier and jasmine syrup. Add the ice and stir briskly until the glass begins to frost, then strain into chilled martini glasses. Top each drink with 2 oz of the club soda and garnish with a lime twist.

Pairs With:  Listener TJ’s wife is turning 30! Happy Birthday! 

Episode!

The Drink: 

The Diamondback

1.5 oz rye whiskey .75 oz Applejack .75 oz green chartreuse

Stir with ice until well chilled and strain into a chilled cocktail glass. Garnish with a cherry.

Pairs With:  A one month wedding anniversary. 

Episode!

The Drink: 

Southern Exposure (Alembic, San Francisco) .75 oz celery juice 1.5 oz gin (Junipero or St. George recommended) .5 oz simple syrup (1:1) .5 oz lime juice Handful mint leaves and sprig for garnish

Finely grate a celery rib and squeeze over a strainer to extract juice. Add all ingredients to shaker, fill with ice, and shake. Fine strain into glass, garnish with a small mint sprig.

Pairs With:  Gettin’ Swole in January 

Episode!

The Drink: 

Heaven Is A Place/This Is The Place (Lost Lake, Chicago)

2 oz London Dry gin 1 oz fresh lime juice .5 oz dry curaçao (McGee uses Pierre Ferrand) .5 oz velvet falernum .5 oz honey syrup .25 oz St. Elizabeth Allspice Dram 3 dashes Angostura bitters mint, pineapple leaf, luxardo cherry, edible flower for garnish

Shake ingredients with 1 cup of crushed ice. Strain into a mug and top with more crushed ice. Garnish.

Pairs With:  Enjoying Arts and Crafts 

Episode!

The Drink: 

Jakku 75 2 oz Champagne .5 oz Lime juice 1 oz Jalapeño-infused blanco Tequila 1 barspoon Simple syrup

Combine gin, syrup, and lemon juice in a cocktail shaker filled with ice. Shake vigorously and strain into an iced champagne glass. Top up with Champagne. Stir gently.

Pairs With:  Binge watching Star Wars! 

Drink created by:  Benjamin Harrison

Photo by Ashe Harris 

"Come quickly, I am drinking the stars!" -Dom Pérignon

Episode!

TheDrink: 

Sparkling Grappa Sour 1.5 oz Rhine Hall grappa .75 oz fresh lemon juice .5 oz simple syrup .25 oz orange liqueur Cava

Shake the first four ingredients and strain over ice. Top with cava.

Pairs With:  An explosive visit to a friend’s workplace 

Episode!

The Drink: 

Black Dahlia 1 oz mezcal .75 oz Moscatel sherry .5 oz Grand Marnier .5 oz Zwack (spicy, herbal Hungarian liqueur) .75 teaspoon fresh lemon juice 1 grapefruit twist, for garnish

In a mixing glass, combine all of the ingredients. Shake with ice until well chilled and fine strain into a chilled coupe and garnish.

Pairs With:  Solving and old mystery with a friend. 

Episode!

The Drink: 

Jack Be Nimble (Roka Akor, Chicago) 1.5 oz Appleton Reserve Rum .75 oz Ramazzotti .5 oz Lime Juice .5 oz ginger syrup 2 tsp pumpkin purée

Shake ingredients until well chilled and staring into a chilled cocktail glass.

Pairs With:  Dodging bullets 

Episode!

The Drink: 

Black Dahlia 1 oz mezcal .75 oz Moscatel sherry .5 oz Grand Marnier .5 oz Zwack (spicy, herbal Hungarian liqueur) .75 teaspoon fresh lemon juice 1 grapefruit twist, for garnish

In a mixing glass, combine all of the ingredients. Shake with ice until well chilled and fine strain into a chilled coupe and garnish.

Pairs With:  Solving an old mystery with a friend. 

Episode!