Friday, December 18, 2009

Happy Holidays!

I love this time of year. The books, er I mean gifts, are all wrapped and under the tree, the house smells like gingerbread and chocolate, and people are just in better moods. Well most people anyway.

This year, as we do every year, BookEnds will be closing for the next two weeks. We're taking the time to wrap gifts, bake, deck the halls and generally be festive. Okay, who am I kidding, I'm sure there will also be a fair amount of reading and catching up during this time when we don't have to be working.

Since this is my last post until January 4, and the last day our offices will be open for the year, we'll be having a little holiday party. Just so you don't feel left out I thought I'd share our favorite cocktail.

Courtesy of Gramercy Tavern, the Cranberry Daiquiri (with some of my modifications)

Cranberry Daiquiri
Makes 6 daiquiris

Ingredients:

  • 1/2 cup sugar
  • 1/2 cup water
  • 1 stick cinnamon
  • 1/2 teaspoon grated orange peel
  • 1/2 cup fresh cranberries
  • light rum
  • dark rum
  • cranberry juice
  • lemon juice (fresh squeezed is best)

Preparation:

Combine first four ingredients in a medium saucepan and bring to a boil over medium heat. Mix in cranberries. Cook till cranberries begin to pop. Cool; discard cinnamon. Pour mixture into a jar and add 1/2 cup light rum. Chill. Strain syrup into a pitcher (reserve cranberries). Add 1/3 cup dark rum, 1/3 cup light rum, 1/3 cup cranberry juice, and 1/3 cup lemon juice. Refrigerate pitcher. Serve in Martini glasses filled. Top with reserved cranberries if desired.


Cheers! We'll see you again in 2010. Have a wonderful holiday season.


30 comments:

Maria Zannini said...

And it uses all my favorite food groups too. Excellent!

Happy holidays! Thank you for a year of great posts.

B.E. Sanderson said...

I hope everyone has a wonderful couple of weeks. Happy Holidays. =o)

Christina said...

okay that sounds delicious! I'll have to try it this year...maybe for new years. :D

Happy Holidays BookEnds! See you on the flip side.

Joyce Tremel said...

Sounds yummy!

Merry Christmas, everyone!

Aimlesswriter said...

Sounds good! Yum!
My fav:
Baily's over ice with a splash of Frangelica = Nutty Irishman

Happy Holidays to the Bookend's gang. You guys are the greatest!
Everyday your wisdom and insight is a gift for which I am very grateful.
God bless.

Dara said...

Merry Christmas! Enjoy the season and have a (hopefully) relaxing two weeks!

Robena Grant said...

Happy holidays to everyone at BookEnds. Enjoy your break!

Marsha Sigman said...

Happy Holidays!!

Madeline said...

Happy Holidays!

Thanks for a great year of informative and entertaining posts. Looking forward to a new year of writing and reading and learning! :)

Kate Douglas said...

Looks yummy! Happy holidays to everyone at BookEnds--enjoy the season and try to avoid the stress. I made my shopping easy this year--everyone is getting gift certificates to book stores!

Bethany said...

Regular reader (and really like this blog, too), but I don't post comments much, but I had to wish you all a wonderful and Happy Holiday. I hope you all enjoy yourselves :-)

Anonymous said...

Have a wonderful party and holiday!!!

Susan Kaye Quinn said...

Yay for cranberry cocktails! Happy Holidays!
p.s. I wrapped and shipped off all my books, er, gifts just yesterday!

Rebecca Knight said...

Ooh, those cocktails sound lovely :)! I'll have to try that.

Merry Christmas and happy holidays to everyone at bookends! Thank you for this wonderful blog and for all the hard work you do for authors :). We love you guys!

jn said...

Loved the recipe. My modification; combine the light and dark rum, wave a can of jellied cranberry sauce over it, and drink.

Thanks to everyone at BookEnds for a great blog.

Happy Holidays

Spy Scribbler said...

Happy Holidays! Thanks for another year of blog posts. I read every morning!

Anonymous said...

Jessica, I have to hand it to you: You always manage to come up with good posts and you can take it like you dish it out. I'm one of the nice Anons who likes to express my opinion a lot. Happy hoiidays--you deserve a long break. Thanks for a year of cheer (and some fear)!

Jamie D. said...

Thanks - and yummy! :-)

Have a wonderful Christmas, and a very happy start to the new year.

Vivi Anna said...

Happy Holidays Jessica and Kim!

I hope you have a good relaxing one.

MAGolla said...

Happy Holidays!
Snuggle down in your Snuggie with a peppermint hot cocoa and a pile of requests.

2 cups warmed milk
1 serving cocoa mix
1 tablespoon crushed peppermint stick
2 ounces peppermint schnapps, optional
1 peppermint stick
Directions
Combine milk, cocoa mix, crushed peppermint stick and schnapps, if desired, in a large mug and stir well. Garnish with a peppermint stick.

:-) Enjoy!

Paige said...

Happy Holidays to everyone at Bookends! And, may 2010 be the best year ever!

Paige

Jemi Fraser said...

Enjoy a peaceful and funfilled holiday :) All the best to all!

Carol J. Garvin said...

Thanks for all the helpful blog posts this year. My best to all of you at BookEnds for a happy Christmas. Enjoy your well-deserved break (and the Cranberry Daiquiri). :)

Mira said...

Alittle late, but still well meant - Happy Holidays to everyone at Bookends, and all the posters here.

Okay, I have my own recipe:

Take one bed.
Sleep in it.
Get up for about 1 hour and do something fun.
Then go back to bed and take a nap.
When you wake up, read a book, until you doze off.
When you wake up, watch some T.V., go to a movie or drink cranberry daiquiris with loved ones.
Then it's time again for bed.

Best vacation recipe ever!

See everyone in 2010. :)

Voidwalker said...

Happy Holidays to you too!

Anonymous said...

Merry Christmas!!

kanishk said...

Happy holidays! Thank you for a year of great posts.

How to make a website

The Rejection Queen said...

Happy Holidays! I hope everyone gets published in 2010 lol

Gordon Jerome said...

Wow! There are lots of interesting posts in this blog. I can't believe I just found it.

So, le'me throw down my coat and stick around a while.

Why's everyone looking at me like I'm the alcholic in the family who just asked for a beer?

nova said...

Bah!

Is selling 247 copies in December good for a self published author? Just on word of mouth and not to myself or family?