Alcoholic
Bellini
(Italian peach and sparkling wine cocktail)
This refreshing cocktail was first served in Harry's Bar in Venice, Italy, sometime in the 1930s or '40s. Named after the Renaissance artist Giovanni Bellini, this beautifully hued beverage is traditionally made with white peaches. If you can't find white peaches, regular peaches will do. Bellinis make the perfect beverage for brunches and New Year's or other celebrations. Read more »
Coquito
(Puerto Rican coconut-rum beverage)
Coquito is a popular Christmas beverage in Puerto Rico. It has similarities to American eggnog, but the use of creme de coco or coconut milk gives it a unique island flavor. A version with eggs, known as ponche crema, is a favorite in Venezuela. Read more »
Eggnog
(American egg and cream Christmas beverage)
Although descended from European winter restorative beverages, or "noggins," eggnog is an American invention that appeared in the late 1700s. Over the years, this rich and creamy drink, spiked with rum, has become an American Christmas tradition. Read more »
Limoncello
(Italian lemon-flavored liqueur)
This popular after-dinner liqueur from the south of Italy is classically made with lemons from the Isle of Capri. Families all along the Amalfi Coast make their own with lemons from backyard gardens. Read more »
Mojitos
(Cuban rum, lime and mint cocktail)
This mojito is Cuba's answer to the mint julep -- perfect on a hot summer day. Mojitos have been around since at least the mid-1800s. They were reputedly one of Hemingway's favorite drinks. According to a quote attributed to him, those at "La Bodeguita" bar in Havana were the best. Read more »
Mulled Wine
(English spiced wine)
Mulled wine, as this warm spiced wine is known in England, is popular throughout northern Europe around Christmas. In France this warming winter beverage is known as vin chaud, in Italy as vin brûlé. Germans drink Glühwein. The Swedish name for it is glögg. Read more »
Piña Coladas
(Puerto Rican pineapple-coconut beverage)
This drink--whose name simply means "strained pineapple"--was invented in the 1950s or 1960s in San Juan, Puerto Rico, by either Ramon Marrero at the Caribe Hilton or by Don Ramon Portas Mingat at Barranchina Bar , depending on whom you believe. Whoever made it first, it's delicious. Read more »
Pisco Sour
(Chilean-Peruvian brandy cocktail)
Pisco is a type of brandy made from muscat grapes that is found in Peru and Chile. Even though it is named after Peruvian town, both countries claim the pisco sour as their national drink. Read more »
Planter's Punch
(Caribbean rum punch)
Depending on whom you believe, planter's punch was either created by the wife of a Jamaican plantation owner, or at the Planter Hotel in St. Louis, Missouri. Regardless, this fruity punch has become a popular beverage to serve to guests throughout the Caribbean. Recipes vary widely, but they all contain rum, lime juice and a sweetener or other fruit juices. Read more »
Sangría
(Spanish fruited wine)
Sangría is the classic Spanish accompaniment to summertime meals. It is not necessary to use an expensive wine, but you should try to use something Spanish. A tempranillo would work very nicely. Read more »
Tej
(Ethiopian honey wine)
Tej, or tejj, is an Ethiopian sweet wine, similar to mead, that is made from fermented honey and a special kind of hops called gesho. It is traditionally served from a vase-like vessel called a berele. If you can't find tej or mead in your neighborhood, this recipe is a rough approximation. Read more »
