Tag: eggnog cocktail

Holiday Films

A Merry Scottish Christmas

LizLockeLeave a comment
Image credit: A Merry Scottish Christmas, Hallmark, 2023

I’m going to try not to turn this into a Party of Five appreciation post… and I’m going to fail miserably. You see, A Merry Scottish Christmas was made for those of us who still harbor a deep love for this ’90s television show and those plucky Salinger siblings. I don’t even care that this is blatant stunt casting because part of me always wanted reassurance that Bailey and Claudia would grow into happy, functioning adults. Now, here is the proof: they’re totally fine, and they’ve just inherited a Scottish castle!

Before you make the mistake of thinking two Salingers (Scott Wolf and Lacey Chabert) are now playing love interests, rest assured they are STILL siblings, albeit estranged ones. Brad is married to a thoroughly boring woman he is reluctant to impregnate, while his sister Lindsay is an overworked general practitioner. Although they’ve grown apart, Brad and Lindsay agree to reunite at their mother’s castle in Scotland, one she’d kept secret from them throughout their childhood. Now, they must decide if they’re willing to step in and help her run it, or if the family should sell. Lindsay has a romance with a charming Scottish property manager, while Brad and his boring wife reconnect over a Highland Fling, resulting in what is sure to be an extremely boring baby. It should have been named Owen, but sadly, nobody asked me.

Because this is a Hallmark movie, I was not expecting much alcohol. However, whisky tastings and boozy nights at the village bar suggest that the channel has gone to the dark side. Finally! Also, in a great PoF nod, the bar is called Salinger’s, and it’s staffed by a man named Charlie! Although there are a couple of festive cocktails imbibed here, I went with the one that utilizes the country’s main export, Scotch. While watching A Merry Scottish Christmas, I recommend drinking a Highland Snowball.

Highland Snowball

¾ cup Eggnog

1 ½ oz Scotch Whisky

½ oz Butterscotch Schnapps

Nutmeg + honey (garnish)

Star Anise

Prepare glass by dipping an edge in honey, then lightly in ground nutmeg. Set aside. Combine eggnog, schnapps, and scotch in a shaker with ice. Shake until chilled, then strain into prepared glass. Top with star anise.

With a manor that resembles something out of Downton Abbey, morning bagpipes, and cozy tartan blankets beside crackling fires, this movie is just the relaxing holiday watch I needed. The stakes are low (to castle or not to castle?), and the acting is remarkably decent. The most important thing I learned? That I will still watch Bailey and Claudia in just about anything… as long as they never play lovers. Cheers!

Classic Films · Holiday Films

Desk Set

LizLockeLeave a comment
Image credit: Desk Set, 1957

I’ve got a question for EMERAC—which 1950s film starring Katharine Hepburn and Spencer Tracy will put me in a retro holiday mood? The answer, of course, is Desk Set (Disc/Download), the delightful romantic comedy written by Nora Ephron’s parents Phoebe and Henry. If it’s one thing the Ephron family understands, it’s how to make smart people fall in love.

If you’ve never seen this movie before, you might be shocked to learn that in the days before Google, actual humans were employed to answer mundane trivia questions from the general population. As reference librarian Bunny Watson, Hepburn looks perfectly at home surrounded by books, speaking authoritatively into a telephone. However, her peaceful workplace is soon disrupted by the arrival of Spencer Tracy and his living room-sized computer. EMERAC threatens both Bunny’s job and her pride when, due to a severe lack of communication, she and her co-workers start to worry the men upstairs will replace them all with a machine. Can Bunny save her status as the leading human computer? Will she ever get a chance to wear that gorgeous green dress from Bonwit Teller’s? WILL SHE MAKE IT TO THE OFFICE CHRISTMAS PARTY?? Watch and learn the answers to these burning questions.

Speaking of questions, one in particular came up while I was watching this film. Spencer Tracy’s character Richard seems awfully excited to be served something called “Floating Island”. Not having a reference librarian of my own to call up, I turned to Google to find out what this dish is. Turns out, it’s straight out of a Julia Child cookbook, and can be easily modified into a cocktail. While watching Desk Set, I recommend drinking an Eggnog Floating Island.

Eggnog Floating Island

3 oz store-bought Eggnog (I used Trader Joe’s oat milk version)

¾ oz Dark spiced rum

¾ oz Brandy

2 cups milk

For Meringue:

3 large egg whites

¼ tsp cream of tartar

3 tablespoons granulated sugar

Ground Nutmeg (for garnish)

Edible Glitter (for garnish)

  • Combine eggnog with dark rum and brandy, pour into martini glass, and place in the fridge to chill.
  • Pour milk into a skillet, and turn on the heat to simmer.
  • Next, make the meringues. Using an electric mixer, beat the egg whites until foamy. Add cream of tartar, and beat until they hold stiff peaks. Add sugar slowly, beating until the whites are stiff and glossy.
  • Scoop some (about the size of an egg) onto a spoon. Drop into the simmering milk on the stovetop, and cook for 2 minutes, turning meringue over halfway through. Repeat with as many other meringue scoops as you want.
  • Using a slotted spoon, transfer poached meringue to a clean towel, then onto a wax-lined sheet. Refrigerate for 1-3 hours.
  • Once the meringues have cooled and set, place one poached meringue on top of the eggnog in your martini glass. Dust with ground nutmeg and edible glitter. Serve with a small spoon.

I admit, this cocktail is a little more involved than I normally care to get. However, the holidays are always a good time to try out new recipes you don’t have time for the other eleven months of the year. And if you’re not up for anything complicated, you can always just pass a bottle of bubbly around like these boozy librarians—I’ll never tell. Cheers, and happy holidays from Cinema Sips!

Classic Films · Holiday Films

Bell, Book and Candle

LizLockeLeave a comment

Bell Book and Candle
Image credit: Bell, Book and Candle, 1958

For all you Vertigo fans out there, consider this my Cinema Sips Christmas gift to you. Maybe you’ve longed for more of Kim Novak’s eyebrows. Or an aging, tan Jimmy Stewart. Or that weird hypnotic lighting. Bell, Book and Candle (DVD) covers all the bases. Plus, there are the added bonuses of a beatnik Jack Lemmon playing the bongo drums, and a very expressive Siamese cat. Happy Holidays to all!

Although the film starts on Dec. 24th and stars Mr. Christmas himself, Jimmy Stewart, It’s a Wonderful Life this is not. Kim Novak plays a witch who falls for a book publisher (Stewart), and she must decide whether to give in to love and become mortal, or keep her powers and lose him. The pair’s onscreen chemistry is every bit as sizzling as it was in Vertigo, and even though this is meant to be a romantic comedy, there’s something dark and powerful between these two actors. They’re sexy without even trying to be, and I am totally under their spell.

The movie takes a strange turn when Jimmy Stewart’s publishing house courts an expert on Mexican witchcraft. While it seems like an unnecessary plot element, I still love Ernie Kovacs in this role. (Let’s face it, I love Ernie Kovacs in any role). While watching Bell, Book and Candle, I recommend drinking a Mexican Séance.

Mexican Séance

1 ½ oz Patron XO Coffee Liqueur

1 ½ oz Chameleon Cold Brew Coffee- Mexican flavor

1 ½ oz Egg Nog

¾ oz Crème de Cacao

2-3 dashes chocolate bitters

Orange twist

Combine ingredients in a shaker with ice. Shake until chilled, then strain into a coupe glass. Garnish with a twist of orange.

Mexican Spell

I would be remiss if I didn’t mention the production design and costuming. Bell, Book and Candle is a perfect time capsule of 1960’s Greenwich Village style, from capri pants to mid-century modern furniture. Jimmy Stewart’s office, covered in floor-to-ceiling bookshelves and featuring a gorgeous vintage couch, is the stuff of book lovers’ dreams. Witchcraft never looked so appealing. Cheers!