Cream of the Drops
Milk-laced drinks hold a special place in the hierarchy of winter libations. Perhaps it’s because they are simultaneously comforting and decadent. Dairy and liquor intertwine to create a velvety blanket against the cold. While Eggnog is the classic go-to, preparation is a little involved and it’s usually served as a punch. If you seek a single-serve cocktail that can be fixed in a hurry, consider these time-tested, lactose indulgent quaffs.
The Brandy Alexander may have fueled John Lennon’s lost weekend in mild Los Angeles, but it is also a winter favorite in Wisconsin, where people know frigid conditions. Nobody’s sure who Alexander was, but he seems to have had a weakness for milkshakes as the drink blends cacao, a chocolate-informed liqueur, with cream. The Alexander was invented in the early 20th century as a gin drink, but brandy proved a more amicable match with cream. Paradoxically, you want to serve it really cold, so pregame by refrigerating all the ingredients. Don’t skip the nutmeg as it creates a wonderful welcome to the nose.
If you know The Dude from The Big Lebowski, you know the White Russian. It’s the drink that he is seldom without in his adventures. (“Careful, man! There’s a beverage here.”) You may know it by his pet name: a Caucasian. The endearment is a punny reference to the Russian ethnic group sometimes called white Russians. The drink is actually a riff on the Black Russian, a mix of vodka and coffee liqueur. The first ingredient is how it got its name, but it wasn’t born in Russia. A slacker like The Dude may enjoy how easy it is to make. Just pour 2 oz. vodka and 1 oz. coffee liqueur over ice in a rocks glass, top with 1 oz. heavy cream and stir. You could float the cream, but that’s not for the laid back.
In 1983’s Independence Day, Dianne Wiest, as a put-upon housewife, waits to try her first Grasshopper as a final act of rebellion before her explosive demise. You shouldn’t. This whimsical cocktail, also from the early 20th century, unites equal parts crème de menthe, crème de cacao and cream. Shaken with ice and strained into a chilled cocktail glass and served after dinner, it becomes almost a dessert. Using ice cream in place of cream heightens the effect. Want to weaponize it? Add a shot of gin.
