New Year Greetings

Happy New Year and may you enjoy many more in the future -

It is going to be a great white Christmas week and New Year this year - at least for those of us sitting in front of the fireplace at the Red Lion Inn, in  the Berkshires Stockbridge, Massachusetts. A train ride to Springfield Massachusetts should present a view with a different splash of color from the Fall 2011 trip. We'll be travelling on Amtrak's Vermonter beside the Connecticut River. There will be no concerts at Tanglewood, - BSO's summer music theater, but my favorite date and I will enjoy some light jazz in the Red Lion Inn's "Tavern", a concert and the play, Victor in Great Barrington.

Speaking of whom, on a recent evening out  with my favorite girl the other day, she mentioned a certain blog by Rex Parker. Curious - I asked "How many times do you visit my blog?". Once or twice was the answer. No telling people's tastes. So I say a special thank you to my visitors.

Holidays are times for entertaining and parties to be with old friends and new. And this is a time to present your special talents in the genre of entertaining. So I am sharing with you two delightful cocktails that I guarantee will be a big hit at your New Year's blast!

So invite some friends over, dress up and serve cocktails and welcome in the New Year.

Happy New Year!

In the meanwhile, I am on a mission for a variety of bitters.

Two special holiday cocktails are -

Cocktail
French 75
1/4 oz of lemon juice
1 teaspoons of powdered sugar or castor sugar
2 oz. of Gin
stir to dissolve sugar
top with Champagne or Sparkling wine (Gruet)
Decorate with a cherry, red or green

Dirty Prosecco or "Sbagliato"
1 oz of Campari
1/2  oz of dry Vermouth
Top with Prosecco
garnish with orange slice

Alternatively, you may substitute Aperol, sans the Vermouth, for the Campari. A rendition of an Aperol Spritzer.