Have a Holiday Happy Hour

Honey Spiced Moonshine with a rock candy swizzle stick

Whether you are meeting friends for cocktails or shaking off shopping stress, seasonal sips are an instant mood lifter.

Many local restaurants and bars are offering special holiday libations. Cranberry and apple cider mimosas at The Mill? Count us in. The Mason Jar Tavern’s Twelve Days of Christmas Cocktails can make merry the sternest of Scrooges.

In the spirit of giving, The Mason Jar Tavern bar manager Frank Anderson shares his recipe for Honey Spiced Moonshine.

Frank’s Holiday Cocktail: Honey Spiced Moonshine

  1. Fill 12 ounce glass, or mason jar, about three quarters full of ice.
  2. Pour 1.5 ounces of moonshine over ice. (TMJT uses White Lightning Moonshine or recommends Junior Johnson’s, available at ABC Stores).
  3. Add 1 ounce spiced honey simple syrup (recipe below).
  4. Stir or shake.
  5. Add a splash of club soda, then stir lightly to mix but not too much so the carbonation remains.
  6. Garnish with rock candy swizzle stick and lemon.

Spiced Honey Simple Syrup:

1 and 1/3 cup honey
1 cup water
2 tablespoons lemon juice
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 teaspoon ground nutmeg

Combine all ingredients and bring to a boil, then let cool.

Add 2/3 cup of apple cider vinegar.

Yields about 2.5 cups

Sip Happens!

Shelley Cummings, chef at The Mason Jar Tavern in Fuquay-Varina, knows how to survive holiday entertaining:

Plan, organize and spread your prep throughout the days leading up to the day of. The holidays are all about family and community, it’s okay and, even, ideal to get everyone involved. Don’t try to get it all done yourself, its unrealistic and stressful. If things go south, remember the worst case scenario is you pop the cork on the dinner wine a little early, and remember sip happens.

If you just don’t feel like cooking, seek out chef Cummings’ Christmas special: sweet tea-brined country ham with pimento cheese-collard gratin, a deep fried spinach and mushroom grit stuffing cake and cranberry-orange marmalade.

The Mason Jar Tavern
114 Grand Hill Place, Holly Springs
(919) 964-5060
305 South Main Street, Fuquay-Varina
(919) 762-5555
themasonjartavern.com

More From Our Dec-Jan 2020 Issue
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