December 26: Beatrice and Woodsley's in Denver

Beatrice and Woodsley is a great small plate restaurant, but it also serves wonderful cocktails like the Sazerac I tried, The Hair of the Frog (with chartreuse), and The Other Woman (campari).

I had an especially memorable artisan cheese plate with a Manchester goat's milk cheese from Vermont that was absolutely amazing.

This place is worth checking out for the spectacular decor alone, not to mention the ambiance (have your server tell you the story behind the place); but the food and cocktails make it truly special.

Thanks to my Dad for taking us there after Christmas!

December: Brandy Old Fashioned

This is a Wisconsin classic and it totally suits cold weather holiday activities like decorating a tree, writing Christmas cards, and my yearly tradition of compiling my favorite songs of the year into a compilation CD for my friends.

If you've never had a brandy old fashioned Saveur has a great article and recipe for the cocktail from Wegner's St. Martin's Inn in Franklin, WI.

You need: Old fashioned mix (sugar, Angostura bitters),brandy (I used E & J- V.S.O.P) Angostura bitters, white soda (aka 7 Up or Sierra Mist); maraschino cherries, orange slice. Serve and enjoy!

In honor of Repeal Day, December 5, the Sazerac!

Tonight we made Sazaracs in honor of the 75th anniversary of the repeal of Prohibition.

I have been wanting to make this classic cocktail for a long time and finally got around to rounding up the ingredients and coming home with all the supplies.

You need Pernod (or other anise-flavored liquor), Peychaud's bitters, Angostura bitters, rye whiskey, simple sugar and a lemon twist. I used the recipe from Saveur, a favorite magazine, but recipes abound on the Internet.

I thin the best part is the wonderful lemony-licorice smell, so don't omit the lemon twist! I drank several rounds and I have to say this is a wonderful keeper of a drink.!