Holidays are a time for celebration and sharing. In that spirit, Nino’s offers you these delicious recipes and ideas for your personal and holiday entertaining enjoyment.

Simple Recipes and Ideas

From Nino’s

There is a difference between hot cocoa and hot chocolate. The terms are often used interchangeably, but tech-nically they are as different as white chocolate and bittersweet chocolate. Hot cocoa is made from cocoa pow-der, which is chocolate pressed free of all its richness, meaning the fat of cocoa butter. Hot chocolate is made from chocolate bars melted into cream. It is a rich decadent drink. The original hot cocoa recipe was a mixture of ground cocoa beans, water, wine, and peppers. It didn't take long for Spaniards to begin heating the mixture and sweetening it with sugar. After being introduced in England, milk was added to the after dinner treat. The word chocolate is said to derive from the Mayan word xocoatl; cocoa from the Aztec word cacahuatl. The Mexican Indian word chocolat comes from a combination of the terms choco ("foam") and atl ("water"); as early chocolate was only consumed in beverage form. Chocolate itself has been drunk as a beverage for thousands of years.

© Nino Salvaggio Marketplace 2006

Rich & Creamy Hot Chocolate Recipe Base with Variations Makes 2 Portions

2 Cups Milk (or Half & Half) 2 tsp Cornstarch 6 ounces Semi Sweet Chocolate (Morsels or Grated) 1/4 cup Granulated Sugar 1/4 tsp Vanilla Extract

Method: In a small bowl, combine 1/4 cup milk (or half & half) and cornstarch. Stir to dissolve and set aside. In a sauce pan, over medium heat, combine remaining milk (or half & half ) and chocolate, sugar and vanilla. Stir until mixture comes to a simmer. Re-stir milk and cornstarch together and add to simmering hot chocolate while whisking in and return to a simmer. Serve.

Once the Hot Chocolate is Finished, Consider Stirring In the Following: • Liquors (about 1/4 to 1/3 cup per recipe) Bailey’s Irish Crème, Crème de Menthe, Crème de

Cocoa, Grand Marnier, Kirsh, Framboise, Frangelico, Kahlua or Amaretto. • Espresso (about one shot or 2 ounces per recipe)

And Consider Topping with the Following: • Marshmallows, Sweetened Whipped Cream, Shaved Chocolate (Dark or White), Chopped

Toasted Nuts, Toasted Sweetened Coconut (Shredded), Ground Cinnamon. And Consider Serving with the Following:

• Pirouette Wafer Sticks (Plain, or Filled with either Chocolate or Hazelnut Crème), Crisp Cookies, and for DUNKING, Plain Doughnut Sticks or Marshmallow Rice Crispy Treats.

The history of eggnog can be traced to England in the 1700’s where it was often used to toast one’s health. There are many stories as to the origin of the name 'eggnog'. But the most com-mon explanation is that eggnog literally means eggs inside a small cup. This is because this egg beverage was first served in a small, wooden mug called a” noggin” at tables in English taverns. It is believed that eggnog is a tradition brought to America from England. It was most commonly enjoyed by the upper class, but with the availability of the ingredients, soon made eggnog a popular wintertime drink throughout Colonial America.

The English Wassail The “Original” Party Punch (Then & Now)

Cooked Egg Nog Yields: 10 (4oz) Servings

6 Lg Eggs, Beaten 1 tsp Vanilla 2 c Milk 1 cup Whipping Cream 1/3 c Sugar 2 tbsp Sugar 4 Tbsp Light rum 1 Nutmeg, Ground 4 Tbsp Bourbon

In a large heavy saucepan mix eggs, milk, and 1/3 cup sugar. Cook and stir over medium heat till mixture coats a metal spoon. Remove from heat. Cool quickly by placing pan in a sink or bowl of ice water and stirring 1-2 minutes. Sitr in run, bourbon, and vanilla. Chill 4-24 hours. At serv-ing time, in a bowl whip cream and 2 tablespoons sugar till soft peaks form. transfer chilled egg mixture to a punch bowl. Fold in whipped cream mixture. Serve at once. Sprinkle each serving with ground nutmeg.

Old-Fashioned Egg Nog (Uncooked) Yields 10 (4 oz) Servings

6 Lg. Eggs 2 cups Heavy Whipping Cream 1 Cup Sugar 3/4 cup Brandy 1/2 tsp Vanilla 1/3 cup Dark rum 1/4 tsp Nutmeg 2 cups Milk Chill everything before starting, for best results. Beat eggs until frothy, then beat in sugar, vanilla and nut-meg. Slowly stir in brandy, rum, cream and milk. Chill again, and serve eggnog cold. Sprinkle each serving with ground nutmeg.

Wassail is a hot, spiced punch often associated with winter celebrations of northern Europe, usually those connected with the Christmas holiday such as Christmas, New Year's and Twelfth Night. While the beverage typically served as "wassail" at modern holiday feasts with a medieval theme most closely resembles mulled cider, historical wassail was completely different, more likely to be made of mulled ale, curdled cream, roasted apples, nuts, eggs, and spices. Although the type of ceremony performed with “wassail” varies from one region to the next, the three most popular are: wassail in the hall, wassail door to door and wassail in the orchards, depending on whether the beverage is dispensed as part of a Great Hall Feast, or while “caroling door to door” or as part of the ancient pagan agricultural ceremony of blessing the apple orchards with “good health” for the upcoming harvest.

Modern Wassail Makes about 1 1/2 Gallon or 24 Servings

1 gallon apple cider 1/4 teaspoon salt 1 tablespoon whole cloves 1 cup dark brown sugar 1 tablespoon whole allspice 2 Bottles Dark Beer (New Castle Ale) 4 cinnamon sticks, 2-inch long 2 to 3 Cups Sun Dried Apple Slices 1/2 teaspoon mace 2 lemons, sliced thin, seeds removed 1/4 teaspoon powdered ginger 3 oranges, sliced thin, seeds removed 1/4 teaspoon grated nutmeg

Pour cider into large kettle, add spices and salt. Bring to a boil then reduce heat and simmer for 15 minutes. Remove from stove, add sugar to taste, if needed. Cool. Strain wassail. Add beer, dried apples, lemon and orange slices. Ladle into punch cups and serve.

TRADITIONAL HOLIDAY FRUIT PUNCH Serves: 40

3 Qt. Orange Juice 4 cups Ice Cubes 2 Qt. Pineapple Juice 1 Med. Orange - Sliced 1 liter Lemon-Lime Soda 1 Med. Lemon - Sliced 1 liter Ginger Ale 1 Med. Lime - Sliced 1/2 cup Grenadine Syrup 1/2 Gallon Sherbet of Choice Combine juices, soda, and grenadine in a punch bowl. Add ice then add slices of fruit on ice to garnish.

A cold winter night, good friends and the warmth of a crackling fire are the perfect setting for these delicious Coffee Specialty Drinks. Just 1/2 to 3/4 cup of your favorite brewed coffee with these added ingredients are all you need

to celebrate the spirit of the holiday season. Cheers!

The following coffee recipes can be prepared with less alcohol by reducing the amount proportionally. In addition, consider the following garnishments: Chocolate Curls, Ground Cinnamon, Peppermint Sticks, Maraschino Cherries, Ground Nutmeg & Toasted Nuts.

• Swiss Coffee 1 Tbsp each of Kahlua, Amaretto, Tia Maria & Dark Crème de Cocoa Topped with Whipped Cream • Nutty Irishman 1 Oz each of Bailey’s Irish Crème & Frangelico Topped with Whipped Cream & a Cherry

• Midnight Mozart 1 Oz each of Kahlua and Mozart Chocolate Liquor Topped with Whipped Cream

• English Coffee 1 Tbsp each of Kahlua, Amaretto, Tia Maria & Dark Crème de Cacao Topped with Whipped Cream

• Café Royal Add 1 Tbsp of Brown Sugar and 2 Oz of Bourbon

• Bailey’s Crème de Cocoa 2 Tbsp of Bailey’s Irish Crème, 1 Tbsp Crème de Cacao, 1 Tbsp Frangelico

• Black Forest Mocha 2 Tbsp Chocolate Syrup, 2 Tbsp Cherry Liquor, 1 Tbsp Grand Marnier & Cream

• Godiva Irish Coffee 3 Tbsp Godiva Chocolate Liquor, 1 Tbsp Bailey’s Irish Creme

• Spanish Coffee 1 Tbsp Brandy, 1 Tbsp Tia Maria Liquor, 1 Tbsp Rum Topped with Whipped Cream

• Keoke Coffee 2 Tbsp Brandy, 1 Tbsp Kahlua, 1 Tbsp Crème de Cacao, Topped with Whipped Cream

• Café Foster 2 Tbsp Dark Rum, 2 Tbsp Crème de Banana, Garnished with Whipped Cream & Cinnamon

Specialty

Hot Caramel Crème with Bailey’s Makes 4 Cups

2 Cups Half & Half 1 Cup Caramels (Unwrapped of course…) 1/2 to 1 Cup Bailey’s Irish Crème Liquor To Garnish Sweetened Whipped Cream To Garnish Chocolate Syrup

In a saucepan over medium heat, combine half and half & caramels. Bring to a simmer while stirring to dissolve caramels into mixture then remove from the heat. Pour hot caramel crème into mugs, add Bailey’s to taste and garnish with sweetened whipped cream and a drizzle of chocolate syrup. Toasted nuts may be added as an additional garnishment.

© Nino Salvaggio Marketplace 2009

Visit us on the Web @ www.ninosalvaggio.com

6835 Rochester Road Troy, Mich. 48085

Phone (248) 879-9222

17496 Hall Road Clinton Twp. Mich. 48038

Phone (586) 412-6000

27900 Harper Avenue St. Clair Shores, Mich. 48081

Phone (586) 778-3650

Homemade Irish Crème Liquor

1 Cup Heavy Cream 1 (14 ounce) Can Sweetened Condensed Milk 1 2/3 Cups Irish Whiskey (Bushmills) 1 tsp Instant Coffee Granules 2 Tbsp Chocolate Syrup 1 tsp Vanilla Extract (Pure) 1 tsp Almond Extract

In a blender, combine heavy cream, sweetened condensed milk, Irish whiskey, instant coffee, chocolate syrup, vanilla extract, and almond extract. Blend on high for 20 to 30 seconds. Store in a tightly sealed container in the refrigerator. Shake well before serving.

2 Tbsp. Captain Morgan's Spiced Rum ® 1 Tbsp. Ginger Flavored Brandy

1/2 Cup Egg Nog 1 Ginger Snap

Whirl ingredients in blender. If desired, garnish with additional ginger snaps for dunking.