Holiday cocktails

and snacks to match

In the spirit of holiday cocktailing I have repurposed a drink feature from the spring issue of Wm Brown—some of my favorite drinks paired with some of my favorite cocktail snacks. I want snacks that hold up to the drink—something to temper the alcohol so we aren’t wasted by dinnertime—but also, not so heavy that they replace dinner. I also don’t want them complicated, since I prefer my efforts to go into the meal. In the end, I gravitate to pretty classic appetizers that lean 1970s, like what our parents would have served—or I wish they would have served. Happy Holidays gang.

This is all about pairings. Most of these snacks can be found at your local grocery and assembled--not requiring a recipe—with the exception of the deviled egg and the almond stuffed bacon wrapped date.

DRY MARTINI AND KAUKAUNA ALMOND CRUSTED CHEDDAR CHEESE BALL

CHAMPAGNE WITH POTATO CHIPS AND FRENCH ONION DIP

DEVILED EGGS WITH GIN + TONIC

OG Deviled Eggs

Boil eggs, peel, cut in half and scoop out the yolks. In a bowl combine egg yolks with a 2:1 ratio of mayo to dijon and a pinch of cayenne pepper. Smash with a fork to make smooth. Salt and pepper to taste. Spoon the yolk mix into the halved egg or use my riff on a pastry bag—stuff it into the corner of a zip-loc bag, snip the corner, and squeeze mixture into center of halved egg. Garnish with paprika ( I like the Spanish smoked kind), and a bit of chopped parsley if you like.

NEGRONIS AND BACON WRAPPED DATES

Bacon Wrapped Dates

The ingredients are pretty straight forward here—dates, smoked almonds and bacon.Take the pit out of the date, stuff a smoked almond into it, wrap almond stuffed date with a piece of bacon and secure with a toothpick. Place dates on a parchment-lined cookie sheet and bake in oven at 350 degrees until the bacon is done to your liking. Serve warm.

OLD FASHIONED WITH PIGS IN A BLANKET AND MUSTARD

Photographs by Gentl & Hyers