Winter Cocktails for Your Winter Reads: A Guest Post by Alison Cochrun
I’m on maternity leave! During this time, a few of my favorite authors offered to step up and write guest posts so that this blog would remain active while I adjust to my new role as a mother. I may also be a bit slower to respond. Thanks for understanding and for being so supportive of me, my family, and my blog. Want to donate a few dollars to keep this blog running or perhaps contribute to my diaper fund? You can do so on Venmo or Paypal.
Winter Cocktails for Your Winter Reads: A Guest Post by Alison Cochrun
Winter Cocktails for Your Winter Reads: A Guest Post by Alison Cochrun
‘Tis the season to curl up with a holiday romance novel and an adult beverage by a roaring fire. I’m Alison Cochrun, author of The Charm Offensive and the sapphic holiday rom-com Kiss Her Once for Me (out today!). I’m also a connoisseur of Christmas romance and cocktails, so I thought I would pair some of my favorite holiday books coming out this year with delicious drinks to read them with. The problem? I’m a consumer, not a creator when it comes to cocktails, so please take all my recipes with a grain of salt and lots of suspicion (and maybe some Googling!) Drink at your own risk!
You’re a Mean One, Matthew Prince by Timothy Janovsky Out 10/4
While the main character in Timothy Janovsky’s hilarious Christmas rom-com starts out the novel as a bit of a Grinch, by the time his heart grows three-sizes, everyone is drinking Merry Christmas Mules. When rich socialite Matthew impulsively buys an island and gets banished to his grandparents’ house in the Berkshires for the holidays, he doesn’t expect to fall for his reluctant roommate, Hector Martinez. But alas, this is a romance, and you’ll want to savor every moment with your festive mule.
What You’ll Need:
1 shot of vodka (or gin)
2-3 shots of cranberry juice
Half a lime, juiced
½ can of ginger beer (approx. 4-5 ounces)
All of these portions can be adjusted to taste!
For a Holiday Panache:
Use a real mule cup, or a festive version of one
Add some fresh cranberries to the top of your mule for garnish and a little flavor enhancement
Top it off with some fresh rosemary
In the Event of Love by Courtney Kae Out 8/31
This sapphic romcom will warm you from the inside out, which is why it is best paired with a crockpot of mulled wine. In the Event of Love is the queer Hallmark Christmas movie we all deserve, and as Morgan and Rachel find their beautiful second-chance romance and save their small mountain town, you’ll want to snuggle up with something warm. (And something with a little heat. This book gets spicy!)
What You’ll Need:
A crockpot, ideally (stove pot will work)
A bottle of red wine (I prefer a Cabernet Sauvignon. Pour the whole thing into your crockpot. Side note: never let the wine come to a boil!)
½ medium orange, sliced
1 cup of apple cider
2 cinnamon sticks
2 star anise and 2 cardamom pods (but like, let’s be real: this stuff is expensive, so you can skip the fancy spices if you want)
Let all these ingredients simmer together in your crockpot for at least an hour, then strain it, serve it, and add a shot of brandy (or whisky) if desired!
For a Holiday Panache:
Use your most festive mug
Add a cinnamon stick to each mugful and maybe an orange slice on the rim
As you drink it, picture the Christmas markets in Germany where you could be drinking Glühwein (which literally translates to glow wine, which is how you’ll feel after drinking this and after reading Courtney’s book)
A Merry Little Meet Cute by Julie Murphy and Sierra Simone Out 9/20
Sweet and spicy, this romance about an adult film star who finds herself in a family-friendly Christmas movie is best paired with my take on Sweater Weather.
What You’ll Need:
1 shot of either whiskey or bourbon (this drink can put hair on your chest, so sometimes I half it)
½ shot of Campari (you can use Aperol if you prefer a sweeter taste)
2 shots of apple cider
1 shot of cranberry juice
A splash of angostura orange bitters
A cinnamon stick put in at the end (if you’re really fancy, you can buy or make your own cinnamon simple syrup and use that instead of the cider)
For a Holiday Panache:
Prepare the drink while wearing your favorite holiday sweater
Add cinnamon and sugar to the rim
How to Excavate a Heart by Jake Maia Arlow Out 11/1
Jake pitched their book as a Hallmark Christmas movie, but Jewish and sapphic, and I was immediately sold. Although the plot begins with Shani hitting May with her car, it becomes a cozy story about two girls snowed in together on Christmas Eve. It’s a young adult novel, and it’s best complimented by a mug of good, ole fashion Hot Chocolate (with a candy twist)
What You’ll Need:
A giant holiday mug
Boiled milk or milk alternative
¼ cup unsweetened cocoa powder and ¼ cup granulated sugar (you can also just use a packet here. I often do.)
A lot of Hershey’s Kisses Holiday flavors-- I prefer to mix milk chocolate with the superior candy cane ones, but you can also use dark chocolate or chocolate mint
Put the kisses in the bottom of your mug, then pour your hot cocoa mix over the top. Stir, letting the melted chocolate combine with the liquid
Sprinkle with marshmallows on the top (or whipped cream)
For a thicker, creamery taste, mix milk with half-in-half
For a Holiday Panache:
Drink and read in front of a crackling fire
Add a candy cane for even more of a peppermint kick
You can also add to top your hot chocolate with cinnamon powder and nutmeg
Season of Love by Helena Greer Out 10/11
Come to Carrigans, a Christmas tree farm run by a quirky cast of Jewish characters who will steal their way into your heart. Miriam is forced to return to the unusual home of her childhood when her surrogate mother figure passes and she goes to sit shiva. Once there, she meets a sober, fat butch named Noelle, and sparks fly. In honor of Noelle’s sobriety, please pair this heartwarming novel with a Virgin Hot Toddy.
What You’ll Need:
Boiled water (I use about ½ cup)
A base. I prefer to heat up ½ cup of lemonade, but you can also use ½ cup of any green tea (I’d go with something herbal)
½ lemon wedge, juiced
1 tablespoon of honey
½ tablespoon of ground cinnamon
¼ tablespoon of nutmeg
¼ tablespoon of cloves
Mix the spices into the hot drink and stir until absorbed
For a Holiday Panache:
Cinnamon stick garnish is crucial for beating the holiday blues
A lemon wedge also looks cute on top!
Drink it while trimming your Christmas tree and dreaming of hot butch lesbians
The Christmas Clash by Suzanne Park Out 10/4
Another young adult romance, Suzanne’s book is an enemies-to-lovers love teen love story that should be paired with a Naughty-or-Nice Mimosa Mocktail. The Christmas Clash centers on the rivalry between Chloe Kwon and Peter Li, the Riverwood Mall food court, and delicious food. So it makes sense to enjoy it alongside a cocktail that’s sugar and spice and everything nice.
What You’ll Need:
A champagne flute, to feel fancy
Equal parts ginger beer, ginger ale, and cranberry juice
For a Holiday Panache:
Cocktail sugar for the rim
A spring of rosemary, because why the heck not?!
The Holiday Trap by Roan Parrish Out 9/6
A queer twist on the Cameron Diaz and Kate Winslet classic The Holiday, this romance follows two interconnected love stories: small-town Greta, who is trying to find the space to discover who she is, and Truman, who is looking to heal after his heart has been smashed by the betrayal of his ex-boyfriend. Naturally, you should read this book alongside a lowball glass filled with my Old Fashioned with a Twist
What You’ll Need:
A lowball glass (or any glass is actually fine)
A square ice cube, because it’s cool
A shot of rye whiskey (I also just use whatever whiskey I have on hand)
½ shot of homemade or store-bought cranberry simple syrup
A splash of angostura orange bitters
A peel of orange to taste
For a Holiday Panache:
Sugar on the rim and cranberries on top!
Kiss Her Once for Me by me! Alison Cochrun Out 11/1
It wouldn’t be the holidays without a little shameless self-promotion! My novel is a twist on the fake-dating trope, about a bisexual barista whose desperate for cash, and the charming trust fund bro who needs to get married in order to access his inheritance. So, of course, they agree to a fake engagement. The catch? When she arrives at his family’s cabin for the holidays, she discovers his sister is the woman who broke her heart last Christmas. It takes place in Portland and involves many kisses inspired by Spiced Eggnog. I stole my dad’s recipe, and trust me-- you need this in your life! Enjoy!
What You’ll Need:
Good, quality eggnog (milk or alternative). No, I do not make the eggnog from scratch. Gross.
1 shot of spiced rum
(Put these ingredients in a shaker and shake real good)
Pour into a chilled mug
Sprinkle nutmeg, cinnamon, or ground cloves (or ideally a combo!) over the top
For a Holiday Panache:
Use a Portland local spiced run-- Edgefield Distillery’s Three Rocks
You can go hard and add Kahlua and bourbon if you want to make it real spicy
Did you read any of these delightful books? Did you try any of my dubious cocktails? Take a photo and tag me and Ashley Hasty on Instagram (@alisoncochrun and @ashleyhasty). If you hated the cocktails… well, I hope you had a fun experience making them at least!
Winter Cocktails for Your Winter Reads: A Guest Post by Alison Cochrun
