Tasty, Tasty Thanksgiving Beverages

      I know I said I was done posting for Thanksgiving, but I think this one last post before the big day will make for a fun holiday.  We've got the Turkey and all the trimmings, but what we are missing is that last little flair: cocktails for our Thanksgiving party.
      I am pretty strict about keeping my holiday's separate.  I don't like celebrating Christmas until it is actually that time of year.  To be truthful I'm a true believer that Christmas doesn't start until Christmas day, but that is a bit beside the point.  There are things that I like saving for Christmas.  Egg nog is always foremost in my mind for Christmas cocktails, hot buttered rum and of course Wassail  (I mean there's a song for that one).  So I've spend the week thinking about Thanksgiving cocktails.
      The first is a play on that sandwich that you make, you know the one with the stuffing, turkey and cranberry sauce . . .  a Sage Pomegranate Martini.  Sage is the foremost herb in my stuffing and while I could have gone with cranberry here, I thought that the pomegranate would be a nice change, plus I always remember thanksgiving at my uncle's farm getting the pomegranates straight off the tree (or ground) and sharing it with my family.
      There are a few basic tools one needs to make this cocktail: a shaker- any kind will work, and a muddler- basically a small baseball bat.  Start by making your rim garnish-
1/2 cup sugar
1 tsp pomegranate juice
Just mix them together.  It should be fairly dry, and slightly pink.  If you have a glass rimmer put your sugar in it and press to the rim of your martini glass.  Now in your shaker muddle (smash up with the mini bat)
2 sage leaves
1 TBS sugar then add
2 oz vodka
2 oz pomegranate juice
3 cubes ice
shake and strain into the glass. Garnish with a sage leaf and if you have them a few pomegranate seeds. If it's too much vodka for you I actually will sometimes water it down, I find when I do that you can get more of the sage, because it's not being overpowered by the vodka and pomegranate. 
      The next drink is a punch.  You can make a pitcher of it to share, or you can make it to the glass, either way you are left with a beautiful spicy fall beverage.  It's a simple drink, just 3 ingredients, and some apple for garnish if you like, but quality ingredients always make it better.  This time of year you can always find fresh squeezed apple cider, you are not so much looking for the spiced stuff, although if it's what you have it won't mess up the drink, what you want is the stuff that still a bit cloudy, you know like the kind you find at a farmer's market.  As ginger-ale goes getting a micro-brewed ginger-ale will often get you something that has a little more spicy kick to it.  Down here in South Carolina we get Blenheims Ginger-ale which comes in a mild or a spicy.  The spicy is actually a little too much for me, but if you like that kick, go for it.  Of course you have to remember that the cinnamon whiskey kicks it up a notch as well. 
Spicy Apple Punch

For a Pitcher:	For a Glass:
1 quart Apple Cider	½ cup Apple Cider
1 quart Ginger Ale	½ cup Ginger Ale
8 oz Fireball	1 oz Fireball

       So that's about it, share your little fall treats and well . . . drink responsibly.  Yea I know, I feel like I had to say it.